Abstract:
A FLUID SYSTEM FOR INCLUSION IN AN AUTOMATED FLUID SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING A SERIES OF LIQUID SAMPLES FLOWING SERIATIM, THE FIRST-MENTIONED SYSTEM SERVING TO DILUTE EACH SAMPLE FOR SUBSEQUENT DIVISION INTO A LARGE NUMBER OF PARTS. EACH DILUTEDPART IS INTENDED FOR FLOW TO ONE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SUBCOMBINATIONS OF THE TOTAL SYSTEM. IN EACH OF THE SUBCOMBINATIONS THE DILUTED SAMPLE PART MAY RECEIVE A SPECIAL TREATMENT, SUCH AS MIXING WITH APARTICULAR REAGENT OR REAGENTS UNDER CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS FOR EXAMPLE, PRIOR TO ANALYSIS OF THAT SAMPLE PORTION AS BY PHOTOMETRY FOR EXAMPLE. EACH DILUTED SAMPLE PART MAY BE SUBJECTED TO A DIFFERENT TEST OR ANALYSIS THERE IS INVOLVED IN THE FIRST-MENTIONED SYSTEM THE SAME AND EQUAL DILUTION TREATMENT OF EACH SAMPLE AS THE SERIES. ALSO INVOLVED IN THE FIRST-MENTION SYSTEM IS THE EFFECTIVE INHIBITION OF CROSS CONTAMINATION OF SAMPLES FROM THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF THE SAMPLES INTO THE DILUTION SYSTEM TO THE POINT, AFTER DIVISION OF THE SAMPLES AS AFORESAID, WHERE THE SAMPLES FLOW INTO THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF THE AFORESAID ANALYSIS SUBCOMBINATIONS.
Abstract:
A flow cell having a nonmetallic elongated open-ended tubular body providing a longitudinal sight passageway in a portion of the light path between a light source and a light detector for colorimetric or densitometric analysis of a liquid sample within the passageway, the body having fluid inlet and outlet ports, one through the side-wall structure of the body adjacent each end of the latter. Light-transmitting fluid seals are provided closing the respective ends of the body, at least one of which seals has an interface with the liquid sample in the sight passageway and is structured of a material having a higher refractive index than the tubular body, so as to provide a light pipe for increasing the transmission of light through the flow cell sight passageway to the light detector.