Multi-stream gas chromatographic method and apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for rapid chromatographic analysis of liquid or gaseous mixtures comprising 1 a programming valve; 2 a chromatographic column having an inlet and an outlet; and 3 a detector means having an inlet and an outlet; said programming valve communicating with the inlet of the chromatographic column and with the outlet of the detector means, the outlet of the column communicating with the inlet of the detector means; said programming valve including a valve block member having six ports and at least one channel, two of said ports forming the inlet and outLet for a stream of said liquid of gaseous mixture, and two of said ports forming the inlet and outlet for a carrier gas stream; a movable valve plate member positioned on one face of said valve block and having thereon a plurality of channels, said valve plate being movable by a valve plate carrier between two positions relative to the valve block, permitting selective communication of predetermined ports and a channel of the valve block with predetermined channels of the valve plate whereby; in a first position, a sample of said liquid or gaseous mixture is collected in the valve while simultaneously the carrier gas stream flows through the valve to the outlet side of the detector and, in a backflushing manner, through the detector and column and in a second position, the carrier gas stream flows through the valve, displacing the collected sample and the resultant mixture of sample and carrier gas is directed to the inlet side of the column.

Claim 10

A method for rapid chromatographic analysis of a liquid or gaseous mixture which comprises passing a stream of the mixture to be analyzed through the internal sample channel of six port programming valve thereby filling said sample channel with a measured volume of sample of said mixture while simultaneously passing a stream of carrier gas through said programming valve, to and through a detector means and a chromatographic column in a backflushing direction, and thereafter back into and through said programming valve whereby substantially all of the components of a previous analysis sample which were retained in said column are removed from said column then causing the carrier gas stream to flow into and through the sample channel to displace the sample therefrom, passing the carrier gas and sample from the programming valve into the column wherein a separation of components of the mixture occurs, through a detector means and back to said programming valve.

Claim 11

A method for rapid chromatographic analysis of a liquid or gaseous mixture which comprises passing a stream of the mixture to be analyzed through the internal sample channel of six port programming valve thereby filling said sample channel with a measured volume of sample of said mixture while simultaneously passing a stream of carrier gas through said programming valve, to and through a detector means and a chromatographic column in a backflushing direction, and thereafter back into and through said programming valve whereby substantially all of the components of a previous analysis sample which were retained in said column are removed from said column then causing the carrier gas stream to flow into and through the sample channel to displace the sample therefrom, passing the carrier gas and sample from the programming valve into the column wherein a separation of components of the mixture occurs, through a detector means and back to said programming valve.