Uninterrupted Flow Chemistry

The Uniqsis FlowSyn™ flow chemistry system now has an upgraded pump manifold that continuously monitors each high-pressure reagent channel and alerts the user to any flow abnormalities, saving time and precious reagents by preventing experiments continuing under erroneous conditions. Reagent immiscibility, incomplete wetting of pump components or the presence of static or transient air bubbles are the usual causes of the flow irregularities that sometimes occasionally occur during a run, and in most cases can be corrected by re-priming the pump. Unfortunately with most systems this usually means aborting the experiment, but with the reagent manifold used in FlowSyn the pump can be re-primed ‘on the fly’, so that the run can continue.

Interlocks are provided so that if the error is not remedied within a specified period, the experiment is aborted. If an error condition is detected in one pump channel, the other is automatically stopped simultaneously until the problem is dealt with. New and improved automatic injection valves are now available for FlowSyn, with specially designed, highly inert rotor seals and larger diameter channels that allow sample loops to be filled more quickly and are less easily blocked. These new valves can be retro fitted to any FlowSyn unit with electrically operated injection valves. As an added convenience, vertical syringe ports mean that syringes can be left in place during a run to make re-priming easier.