Nebulizer waste pressure reducer for HPLC systems
View Patent ↗A High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system including a pressure reducer assembly for reducing pressurized streams to ambient pressure. The pressure reducer assembly includes first and second flow restrictors, each coupled to a common chamber that acts as a surge suppressor that mitigates pressure spikes in the discharge lines. The flow restrictors may comprise tubes having a high length-to-diameter ratio. The pressure losses through the flow restrictors, in combination with transition losses as the flow stream enters and exits the chamber, are sufficient to reduce a discharge stream from a specified inlet pressure to substantially ambient pressure, thus eliminating the need for pressurized waste containers.
1. An apparatus for reducing the pressure of a fluid flow stream, comprising:
a pressure reducer assembly defining a chamber therein, the pressure reducer assembly further comprising:
a first flow restrictor configured to receive said fluid flow stream and to deposit said fluid flow stream into said chamber, said first flow restrictor defining a first flow axis and being tailored to cause a predetermined first reduction in pressure; and
a second flow restrictor configured to receive said fluid flow stream from said chamber and to convey said fluid flow stream out of said chamber, said second flow restrictor defining a second flow axis and being tailored to cause a predetermined second reduction in pressure,
wherein at least one of said first and second flow restrictors comprises a tube having a length and an inner diameter,
wherein said fluid flow stream exits said second flow restrictor at substantially atmospheric pressure.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filter located upstream of said first flow restrictor.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tube of said at least one of said first and second flow restrictors is oriented substantially vertically.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second axes of flow are substantially parallel.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first and second axes of flow are substantially co-linear.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said pressure reducer assembly is operatively coupled with a waste stream of a High Performance Liquid Chromatography system.
7. A method for reducing the pressure in a waste receptacle comprising:
providing a first flow restrictor in fluid communication with a chamber and a second flow restrictor in fluid communication with said chamber and said waste receptacle, at least one of said first flow restrictor and said second flow restrictor including a tube having a length and an inner diameter;
causing a fluid that is at a first pressure to flow through said first flow restrictor, said first flow restrictor being configured to create a first loss of pressure when said fluid enters said first flow restrictor at said first pressure, said first pressure being greater than atmospheric pressure;
causing said fluid that flows through said first restrictor to flow into said chamber, said chamber operating at a second pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure and less that said first pressure;
causing said fluid that is at said second pressure to flow through said second flow restrictor, said second flow restrictor being configured to create a second loss of pressure when said fluid enters said second flow restrictor at said second pressure; and
causing said fluid that flows through said second flow restrictor to flow into said waste receptacle, said waste receptacle being substantially at atmospheric pressure.