US 12,431,346 B2
Membrane-based purge gas and sample transfer for laser ablation sample processing
Mark Casper, Blair, NE (US); Ross Coenen, Omaha, NE (US); Michael P. Field, Papillion, NE (US); Daniel R. Wiederin, Omaha, NE (US); and Jude Sakowski, Omaha, NE (US)
Assigned to Elemental Scientific, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed by Elemental Scientific, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/184,236.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/319,846, filed on Mar. 15, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0298877 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 49/04 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01); H01J 49/10 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 49/0463 (2013.01) [H01J 49/105 (2013.01); G05D 7/0617 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for controlling flow of gas from a laser ablation cell, comprising:
a laser ablation cell configured to generate a sample transfer stream through laser ablation of a sample and introduction of a carrier gas to flow the ablated sample from the laser ablation cell;
an inductively-coupled plasma analysis device configured to measure one or more analytes in the sample transfer stream; and
a gas exchange membrane transfer line fluidically coupled between the laser ablation cell and the inductively-coupled plasma analysis device, the gas exchange membrane transfer line configured to replace gas in the sample transfer stream with sweep gas via gas exchange across a membrane of the gas exchange membrane transfer line, wherein the gas exchange membrane transfer line has a length of at least six feet to replace substantially all the gas in the sample transfer stream with sweep gas prior to receipt by the inductively-coupled plasma analysis device.