An extraction system, including a pump to pump gas along a conduit to a check valve configured to open at an upstream pressure over a certain magnitude, a pressure sensor to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve, and a controller configured to generate a stop signal if a signal from the pressure sensor indicates that the pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve is below a certain magnitude.

A fluid jet device including a fluid chamber with variable capacity and a capacity varying section adapted to vary the capacity of the fluid chamber in response to supply of a drive signal. A drive waveform section making the capacity varying section operate so as to compress the capacity of the fluid chamber and a restoring drive waveform section making the capacity varying section operate to restore the capacity of the fluid chamber before compressing the capacity in a signal waveform. The drive signal supply section controls supply content of the drive signal to provide a restoring period adapted to restore a steady state of the fluid flowing toward an inside of the fluid chamber in a period from when the compressing drive waveform section in the drive signal is supplied to when a subsequent compressing drive waveform section is supplied.

Embodiments described herein provide micro-fluidic systems and devices for use in performing various diagnostic and analytical tests. According to one embodiment, the micro-fluidic device includes a sample chamber for receiving a sample, and a reaction chamber for performing a chemical reaction. A bubble jet pump is structured on the device to control delivery of a fluid from the sample chamber to the reaction chamber. The pump is fluidically coupled to one or more chambers of the device using a fluidic channel such as a capillary. A valve may be coupled to one or more chambers to control flow into and out of those chambers. Also, a sensor may be positioned in one or more of the chambers, such as the reactant chamber, for sensing a property of the fluid within the chamber as well as the presence of a chemical within the chamber.

A first tubular portion has a cross sectional shape which is a non-perfect circle relative to an axis thereof. A second tubular portion is disposed concentrically with the first tubular portion. The second tubular portion has a cross sectional shape relative to its axis, which is a congruent shape of the cross sectional shape of the first tubular portion. A sealing member is disposed between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion for sealing therebetween. The sealing member has a cross sectional shape of which length parallel to its axis is greater than length which is perpendicular to the axis.

A water heating system having a system inlet pipe (1.002), a hot water delivery pipe (1.003) and a hot water return pipe (1.006) connected to a building hot water distribution network (1.024); the water heating system including one or more water heaters (1.001), the or each water heater having a heater inlet (1.022) and a heater outlet (1.023), a hot water return pipe (1.006) connected between the system inlet and delivery outlet via the building hot water distribution network to form a close loop hot water supply-return circuit; a pump (1.005) connected to circulate water through the hot water supply-return circuit whereby the pump can circulate water through one or more of the water heaters; a valve means (1.007) [a first non-return valve] adapted to prevent inlet water (water delivered to the system inlet) from flowing into the hot water return pipe or the building hot water distribution network.

There is provided a multi-directional selector valve which makes it possible to control opening and closing of the discharge ports in an easy manner and to minimize increase in cost and size even if the number of branches is increased. The multi-directional selector valve includes a valve case provided with a suction port and at least two discharge ports, at least two valve bodies provided for opening or closing the at least two discharge ports, a drive body formed into a rod-like shape and provided for driving the valve bodies and a drive source for rotating the drive body, and is configured such that any of convex portions provided on the side of the drive body are pressed onto any of the at least two valve bodies by the rotation of the drive body, thereby opening or closing the at least two discharge port in order.

A high efficiency fluid delivery system which is particularly useful in delivering temperature-controlled air in convection heating or cooling apparatuses is described. The fluid delivery system preferably comprises fluid circulation means having an intake opening for the fluid and vanes that assist in increasing fluid velocity and reducing turbulent flow.

Various embodiments of the teachings relate to a system or method for sample preparation or analysis in biochemical or molecular biology procedures. The sample preparation can involve small volume processed in discrete portions or segments or slugs, herein referred to as discrete volumes. A molecular biology procedure can be nucleic acid analysis. Nucleic acid analysis can be an integrated DNA amplification/DNA sequencing procedure.