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Title: Systems and methods for analyzing liquids under vacuum

Abstract

Systems and methods for supporting a liquid against a vacuum pressure in a chamber can enable analysis of the liquid surface using vacuum-based chemical analysis instruments. No electrical or fluid connections are required to pass through the chamber walls. The systems can include a reservoir, a pump, and a liquid flow path. The reservoir contains a liquid-phase sample. The pump drives flow of the sample from the reservoir, through the liquid flow path, and back to the reservoir. The flow of the sample is not substantially driven by a differential between pressures inside and outside of the liquid flow path. An aperture in the liquid flow path exposes a stable portion of the liquid-phase sample to the vacuum pressure within the chamber. The radius, or size, of the aperture is less than or equal to a critical value required to support a meniscus of the liquid-phase sample by surface tension.

Inventors:
; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1176507
Patent Number(s):
8555710
Application Number:
13/047,025
Assignee:
Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2011 Mar 14
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Yu, Xiao-Ying, Yang, Li, Cowin, James P., Iedema, Martin J., and Zhu, Zihua. Systems and methods for analyzing liquids under vacuum. United States: N. p., 2013. Web.
Yu, Xiao-Ying, Yang, Li, Cowin, James P., Iedema, Martin J., & Zhu, Zihua. Systems and methods for analyzing liquids under vacuum. United States.
Yu, Xiao-Ying, Yang, Li, Cowin, James P., Iedema, Martin J., and Zhu, Zihua. Tue . "Systems and methods for analyzing liquids under vacuum". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1176507.
@article{osti_1176507,
title = {Systems and methods for analyzing liquids under vacuum},
author = {Yu, Xiao-Ying and Yang, Li and Cowin, James P. and Iedema, Martin J. and Zhu, Zihua},
abstractNote = {Systems and methods for supporting a liquid against a vacuum pressure in a chamber can enable analysis of the liquid surface using vacuum-based chemical analysis instruments. No electrical or fluid connections are required to pass through the chamber walls. The systems can include a reservoir, a pump, and a liquid flow path. The reservoir contains a liquid-phase sample. The pump drives flow of the sample from the reservoir, through the liquid flow path, and back to the reservoir. The flow of the sample is not substantially driven by a differential between pressures inside and outside of the liquid flow path. An aperture in the liquid flow path exposes a stable portion of the liquid-phase sample to the vacuum pressure within the chamber. The radius, or size, of the aperture is less than or equal to a critical value required to support a meniscus of the liquid-phase sample by surface tension.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2013},
month = {10}
}

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