Device for mixing reactants where the pistons in a number of reactant reservoirs are connected together rigidly to inject reactants into a mixing reservoir

摘要

A mixing reservoir (30) is connected to several reactant reservoirs (12) by pipes (32). Each reactant reservoir contains a piston (14) sliding between a first and a second position. The pistons are connected together rigidly by a linkage (16) acting with a spring (34) which is compressed when the pistons are in the first position and brings the pistons into their second position as it expands : The residual space defined in the reservoir by the piston has a smaller volume than that of the first position. Each reactant reservoir has an outlet (24) for the reactant opening into the residual space of the second position. The device includes means of controlling the tension of the spring and contains two reactant reservoirs. The two pipes form the bar of a T to connect to the mixing reservoir. The two pipes have an extension with two branches, each of which connect to the mixing reservoir which is placed in the space defined by the four pipe branches. Alternatively, the two pipes form the branches of a Y with a 90 deg. angle to connect to the mixing reservoir. The bar of the T or the branches of the Y or the extending branches are directly connected to a nucleation tube feeding the mixing reservoir. The mixing reservoir is a nucleation tube. The two pipes connecting at one end of the tube are offset on either side of a plane cutting the tube along its length and passing through its axis. The nucleation tube has a diameter of the order of 2 to 4mm and a length of between 5 and 20cm. The device includes means of detecting the duration of passage of the mixture through the nucleation tube, such as two optoelectronic detectors opposite a piston in its two positions. The mixing reservoir is hydraulically connected to a dilution reservoir which includes an agitator. The linkage is a plate with an axle. The device includes feeder pots connected to the reactant reservoirs by pipes. A first and a second lever (26, 28) operate with the pistons to bring them from the second to the first position. A lock holds the pistons in the first position so it can be released by the first lever and another lock holds the spring until it is released by the second lever. Each feeder pot has a lid. The reactant reservoirs have means of controlling their temperature.