Pump reducing a fluid flow by a determined amount

Abstract

A fluid pump for a fluid separation device for separating a fluid includes a fluid inlet being supplyable with fluid at an inlet pressure (pI), and a fluid conducting mechanism configured for conducting the fluid supplied to the fluid inlet towards a connected fluidic path, in which the fluid conducting mechanism is controllable so that, regardless of a value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with a definable flow rate (FT).

1 . A fluid pump for a fluid separation device for separating a fluid, the fluid pump comprising:
 a fluid inlet being supplyable with fluid at an inlet pressure (pI);   a fluid conducting mechanism configured for conducting the fluid supplied to the fluid inlet towards a connected fluidic path;
 wherein the fluid conducting mechanism is controllable so that, regardless of a value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with a definable flow rate (FT). 
   
     
     
         2 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured for controlling the fluid conducting mechanism so that, regardless of the value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with the definable, particularly with a constant, flow rate (FT). 
     
     
         3 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism is manually controllable so that, regardless of a value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with the definable, particularly with a constant, flow rate (FT). 
     
     
         4 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism is controllable so that, regardless of the value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with a constant flow rate (FT). 
     
     
         5 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism is controllable so that when the inlet pressure (pI) has a value which would result in a flow rate exceeding the definable flow rate (FT), the fluid conducting mechanism applies a counterforce opposing the inlet pressure (pI) so as to adjust the flow rate to the definable flow rate (FT). 
     
     
         6 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism is controllable so that when the inlet pressure (pI) has a value which would result in a flow rate below the definable flow rate (FT), the fluid conducting mechanism enforces the inlet pressure (pI) by applying an additional sucking force so as to adjust the flow rate to the definable flow rate (FT). 
     
     
         7 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism comprises a piston being controllable for reciprocating within a chamber so as to conduct the fluid away from the fluid inlet with the definable flow rate (FT) when moving rearwardly in the chamber during a part of a duty cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid pump according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism comprises a further piston being controllable for reciprocating within a further chamber so as to, in cooperation with the piston reciprocating within the chamber, conduct the fluid away from the fluid inlet with the definable flow rate (FT) when moving rearwardly in the further chamber during a part of the duty cycle. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid pump according to  claim 7 , wherein the piston and the further piston are controllable for moving forwardly within the respective chamber during a part of the duty cycle so that, during moving forwardly, a respective piston is fluidicly disconnected from the fluid inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid pump according to  claim 9 , comprising a switchable fluidic valve having fluidic interfaces in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, with the fluidic path, with the chamber and with the further chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluidic valve is switchable to fluidicly disconnect a respective piston from the fluid inlet when the respective piston reverses its motion direction from a rearward motion to a forward motion. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluidic valve is switchable to fluidicly connect a respective piston to the fluid inlet when the respective piston reverses its motion direction from a forward motion to a rearward motion. 
     
     
         13 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conducting mechanism comprises a plurality of pistons each being controllable for reciprocating forwardly and rearwardly within a respective chamber to thereby conduct fluid away from the fluid inlet with the definable flow rate (FT), wherein the plurality of pistons are controlled so that
 a sum of displaced fluid volume per time by all presently rearwardly moving pistons being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet,   minus   a sum of displaced fluid volume per time by all presently forwardly moving pistons being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet   is constant over time.   
     
     
         16 . A flow splitter for a fluid separation device for separating a fluid, the flow splitter comprising:
 a fluid inlet conduit by which fluid is supplyable;   a first fluid outlet conduit and a second fluid outlet conduit both being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet conduit so that at least a part of fluid supplied by the fluid inlet conduit is split among the first fluid outlet conduit and the second fluid outlet conduit;
 wherein the flow splitter is configured so that the part of the fluid conducted to the first fluid outlet conduit is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet conduit with a definable flow rate (FT). 
   
     
     
         17 . The flow splitter according to  claim 16 , wherein a fluid pump is arranged in the first fluid outlet conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The flow splitter according to  claim 17 , wherein the first fluid outlet conduit is fluidicly coupled to the fluid inlet of the fluid pump. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The flow splitter according to  claim 16 , wherein the flow splitter is configured so that the part of the fluid conducted to the second fluid outlet conduit is conducted away from the fluid inlet conduit with a flow rate in a range between 0.01 ml/min and 1 ml/min. 
     
     
         21 . A fluid separation device for separating a fluid, the fluid separation device comprising:
 a fluid drive, particularly a pumping system, configured to drive the fluid through the fluid separation device,   a separation unit, particularly a chromatographic column, configured for separating the fluid, and   at least one of the group consisting of a fluid pump according to  claim 1  and a flow splitter.   
     
     
         22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The fluid separation device according to  claim 21 , comprising a detector configured for detecting the separated fluid, particularly based on an electromagnetic radiation detection principle, and being arranged in the first fluid outlet conduit. 
     
     
         25 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of pumping fluid in a fluid separation device for separating the fluid, the method comprising
 supplying a fluid inlet with the fluid at an inlet pressure (pI);   conducting the fluid supplied to the fluid inlet by a fluid conducting mechanism towards a connected fluidic path;   controlling the fluid conducting mechanism so that, regardless of a value of the inlet pressure (pI), the fluid is continuously conducted away from the fluid inlet with a defined flow rate (FT).   
     
     
         30 .- 31 . (canceled)