METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REACTION LOADING

Abstract

A method and an apparatus tier reaction loading at least one sample, comprising a loading chamber, which has a chamber air, for the sample, comprising at least one first and second saturated saline solution that, have different compositions, comprising a switching device as a function of whose switching position the loading chamber is operatively connected to the first or second saline solution in order to adapt the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber to the characteristic relative humidity by means of the respective saline solution, and comprising a device for influencing the humidity curve when the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber is being adapted to the characteristic relative humidity by means of the respective saline solution, characterized in that in addition to the respective saline solution, the device for influencing the humidity curve has a humidifier and/or dehumidifier that acts on the humidity of the chamber air.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reaction loading at least one sample, the apparatus comprising: a loading chamber, which has a chamber air, tar the sample, the chamber air comprising at least to first saturated saline solution and a second saturated saline solution having a different composition than the first saturated saline solution: a switching device as a function of whose switching position the loading chamber is operatively connected to the first or second saline solution in order to adapt a humidity () of the chamber air in the loading chamber to a characteristic relative humidity by means of the respective saline solution, and a device for influencing a humidity curve ((t)) when the humidity () of the chamber air in the loading chamber is being adapted to the characteristic relative humidity by means of the respective saline solution, the device for wherein in addition to the respective saline solution, the device for influencing the humidity curve ((t)) has a humidifier and/or dehumidifier that acts on the humidity () of the chamber air.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the humidifier and/or dehumidifier is provided in the loading chamber.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a measuring device for determining the humidity () in the loading chamber; and a control or regulating unit that is connected to the measuring device and is connected to the humidifier and/or dehumidifier in order to control or regulate its influence on the humidity () of the chamber air in the loading chamber.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature control unit, which is embodied to adapt a temperature of the saline solution to an air temperature in the loading chamber.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the loading chamber has a basin and the switching device has a liquid connection that is connected to the basin andas a function of its switching positionthe switching device replaces the saline solution of the basin through the liquid connection.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the basin, which is open at a top, extends across an entire bottom of the loading chamber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a temperature control unit is provided in the saline solution in the basin.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a separate humidity chamber for each saline solution and the switching device has a gas connection connected to the loading chamber and the humidity chambers andas a function of its switching positionthe switching device connects the humidity chambers to the loading chamber through the gas connection.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the gas connection can control a temperature of the gas connection.

10. A method for reaction loading at least one sample, the method comprising: with the aid of saturated saline solutions that have different chemical compositions, adapting a humidity () acting on the sample from a characteristic relative humidity of a first saline solution to a characteristic relative humidity of a second saline solution and with this adaptation, influencing a humidity curve ((t)), wherein in addition to an effect of the respective saline solution on the humidity (), the humidity curve ((t)) is influenced by humidification or dehumidification.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising providing the sample in a loading chamber and humidifying or dehumidifying the chamber air of the loading chamber in order to influence the humidity curve ((t)).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the drawings, the subject of the invention is depicted in greater detail by way of example based on several embodiment variants. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for reaction loading according to a first exemplary embodiment,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for reaction loading according to a second exemplary embodiment, and

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a humidity and temperature guidance in the loading chamber of the apparatuses shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an example of an apparatus 1 for reaction loading a plurality of samples 2. For this purpose, these samples 2 are provided in a sample holder 3, which is interchangeably mounted in the loading chamber 4 of the test chamber 5 of the apparatus 1.

[0026] The apparatus 1 also has a plurality of saturated saline solutions 6, 7, 8 with different compositions. In this exemplary embodiment, the first saturated saline solution 6 has NaCl as a salt, the second saturated saline solution 7 has NH.sub.4NO.sub.3 as a salt, and the third saturated saline solution 8 has MgSO.sub.4 as a salt.

[0027] With the aid of a switching device 9 and as a function of the latter's switching position, the loading chamber 4 is connected to the first, second, or third saline solution 6, 7, 8 in order to thus adapt the relative humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4 to the characteristic relative humidity 60, 70, 80 by means of the respective saline solution 6, 7, 8, which adaptation is shown by way of example in FIG. 3. This yields a humidity curve (t) in the loading chamber 4, which starts from a relative humidity of 60%, passes through the characteristic relative humidities and deliquescence humidities 60, 70 of the saline solutions 6, 7, and arrives at the characteristic relative humidity and deliquescence humidity 80 of the saline solution 8.

[0028] In the loading chamber 4 of the test chamber 5 of the apparatus 1 a device 10 is provided in order to influence the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4namely to adapt the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4 to the characteristic relative humidity 60, 70, 80 by means of the respective saline solution 6, 7, 8. This device 10 can, for example, be embodied in the form of a fan 11, which serves to homogenize the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4. A fan 11, however, is not suitable for adjusting a predetermined humidity curve (t)of the kind that is shown by way of example in. FIG. 3. According to the invention, this is enabled by the fact that the device 10 has a humidifier/dehumidifier 12 that is connected to the loading chamber. It should be generally noted that the humidifier and/or dehumidifier 12 is embodied for evaporating and/or condensing liquid. It is thus possible, in accordance with the requirement regarding the humidity curve (t), to perform an active increase or reduction, as needed, of the humidity of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4, which enables particularly high dynamics in the humidity curve (t). To this end, the humidifier/dehumidifier 12 has an ultrasonic vaporizer for vaporizing liquid and condensation surfaces of a cooling unit for condensing liquid.

[0029] The method according to the invention is shown by way of example between the deliquescence humidities 70 and 80 in FIG. 3. The passive humidity change 50 of the humidity acting on the sample with the aid of the deliquescence humidity 80 of the saline solution 8 is thus depicted in comparatively exaggerated form in this range. As is apparent from the deliquescence humidity 70 in the curve of the passive humidity change 50, this passive humidity change does not correspond to the desired humidity curve (t). The humidifier/dehumidifier 12 intervenes here in a regulating fashion in thatin addition to the passive humidification of the humidity acting on the sample 2it actively enriches the chamber air with humidity in order to correspond to the desired humidity curve (t). After the intersection point of the two curves, namely the passive humidity change 50 and the desired humidity curve (t), the humidifier/dehumidifier 12 exerts a dehumidifying action on the chamber air acting on the sample 2so that here, too, correspondence with the desired humidity curve (t) is achieved through active removal of humidity from the chamber air.

[0030] In addition, this active humidification works together with the passive humidification of the saline solution or counteracts itthe latter exerting a damping action on the transient behavior from a first deliquescence humidity 60 or 70 to a second deliquescence humidity 70 or 80 and can thus keep the humidity curve (t) within strict limits. The apparatus 1 according to the invention can thus reproducibly insure a stable reaction loading.

[0031] In addition, a measuring device 13 is provided in the loading chamber 4 in order to determine the humidity and has a humidity sensor that is not shown in detail. This measuring device 13 is connected to a control or regulating unit 14. With the aid of this control or regulating unit 14, the actual value of the humidity from the measuring device 13 can be continuously adapted to a predetermined desired value through a controlled regulation of the device 10. Such a variable desired value of the humidity in the loading chamber 4 can, for example, have a curve shape over time like the one shown in FIG. 3. A humidification or dehumidification of the chamber air in the loading chamber 4 can therefore enable a particularly precise adaptation of the humidity to a predetermined humidity curve (t).

[0032] The apparatus 1 also has a temperature control unit 27, which controls the temperature of the respective saline solution 6, 7, 8 that is connected to the loading chamber 4. This serves to adapt the temperature of the saline solution 6, 7, 8 to the air temperature T in the loading chamber, which permits an exact adjustment of the humidity even if the air temperature T, expressed in degrees Celsius in FIG. 3, changes over time. To this end, the temperature control unit 27 embodied as an electric heating unit is provided in the respective saline solution 6, 7, 8, which is introduced into a basin 15 that is situated in the loading chamber 4 of the test chamber 5. The basin 15, which is open at the top, extends across the entire bottom 16 of the loading chamber 4, thus homogenizing the reaction loading across the loading chamber 4. The apparatus 1 can therefore reproducibly insure uniform conditions in the reaction loading in every region of the loading chamber 4, which also makes this apparatus insensitive to the charging heights of the samples 2.

[0033] To introduce the respective saturated saline solution 6, 7, 8 into the basin 15 of the test chamber 5, the switching device 9 has a liquid connection 17 embodied in the form of a liquid line 17 by means of which the reservoirs 18, 19, 20 with the saturated saline solutions 6, 7, 8 are connected to the basin 15. With valves 21 of the switching device 9, which are provided in the liquid connection 17 and are controlled by the control or regulating unit 14, the respective reservoir 18, 19, 20 can be selected by the switching device 9. The saturated saline solution 6, 7, 8 can consequently be removed from the respective reservoirs 18, 19, 20 via the liquid connection 17. As a function of the switching position of its valves 21, the switching device 9 can replace the saline solution 6 in the basin 15 with the saline solution 7 in the reservoir 19 or more precisely stated, can convey the saline solution 6 in the basin 15 back into the reservoir 18 and then introduce the saline solution 7 from the reservoir 19 into the empty basin 15. The replacement of the saline solutions 6, 7, 8 is achieved by means of a pump 22 of the switching device 9, which is control-connected to the control or regulating unit 14.

[0034] Via a maintenance valve 23, the liquid connection 17 is also fed by a rinsing line 24 with which the apparatus 1 can be cleaned by means of a rinsing liquid such as H.sub.2O. This supplied rinsing liquid can be discharged from the apparatus 1 via the maintenance valve 23 through a discharge line 25. In addition, the rinsing line 24 can also be used, if necessary, to perform a filling of the reservoir 18, 19, 20for example in order to compensate for any liquid losses due to evaporation. The maintenance valve 23 is likewise part of the switching device 9 and is connected to the control or regulating unit 14.

[0035] As is also clear from FIG. 1, the humidifier and/or dehumidifier 12 is provided in the loading chamber 4. It is thus possible to quickly act on the humidity in the loading chamber 4thus making it possible to exactly follow a predetermined humidity curve. The humidifier/dehumidifier 12 draws the liquid, which is to be evaporated, from the basin 15 and in order to do so, dips a suction tube 26 into the respective saline solution 6 of the basin 15. During dehumidification, the suction tube 26 can be used to convey the condensed liquid into the basin 15.

[0036] The apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 2 differs from the apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 essentially in that the saline solutions 8, 9, 10 are not introduced into the reaction chamber 4 of the test chamber 5 of the apparatus 1. In the apparatus 100, the switching device 9 connects the loading chamber 4 to the respective saline solution 8, 9, 10 by means of a gas connection 117 embodied in the form of a gas line. The gas connection 117 is connected via valves 121 of the switching device 9 to the reservoirs 18, 19, 20 in which the saline solutions 8, 9, 10 are contained so that the characteristic relative humidity 60, 70, 80 can be introduced into the loading chamber 4 by means of the respective saline solution 6, 7, 8. To this end, the relevant valves 121 can be correspondingly controlled by the control or regulating unit 14. By means of the gas connection 117, the loading chamber 4 is forced to assume the respective characteristic relative humidity 60, 70, 80 or deliquescence humidity or more precisely stated, the humidity in the loading chamber 4 is adapted to this characteristic relative humidity.

[0037] To guide the humidity in the loading chamber 4, the apparatus 100like the apparatus 1has a humidifier and/or dehumidifier 112 in the loading chamber 4. This humidifier/dehumidifier 112, however, can also be provided at another point, for example in the gas connection 117 or in each reservoir 18, 19, 20. The humidifier/dehumidifier 112 itself stores the saline solution 6 that is to be evaporated or the liquid that is drawn from the loading, chamber 4it is in general also conceivable to use water in the humidifier:dehumidifier 112.

[0038] The switching device 9 is also associated with a blower 122, which assists the gas connection between the reservoirs 18, 19, 20 and the loading chamber 4. The gas connection 117 also has a means 128 for controlling the temperature of the gas flow, which means 117 is embodied in a simply designed way in the form of an electric heating unit on the blower 122.