Method for reducing schlieren noise in a liquid chromatograph

摘要

A beam of light falling within the range of 180 to 3,000 nanometers is transmitted through a flow cell (12) in an optical compartment of an absorbance detector (16) after warm up of the equipment while the eluant flows through the flow cell (12) from a chromatographic column (20). The column extends upwardly from the absorbance detector (16) into an air chamber (60) having a volume of approximately 0.25 cubic foot formed with acrylic walls. Air flows from the absorbance detector (16) under the power of a fan at approximately 10 cubic feet per minute upwardly through an air duct having a cross section of approximately 1.5 square inches to the top where it connects with the air chamber (60), the speed of the motor being adjustable until temperature varies less than one degree Celsius between the flow cell (12) and the lower 10 centimeters of the column. Under these conditions Schlieren noise from the flow cell (12) due to flow-induced thermo-optical effects is reduced.