Solvent Track solvent recycler

The Solvent Track solvent recycler is a system designed to recycle uncontaminated solvents used in isocratic HPLC systems. In most systems, a proportion of the mobile phase can be recycled and re-used, saving consumption and disposal costs.

The solvent recycler automatically detects eluting peaks and diverts them to waste while sending clean, uncontaminated solvent back to the reservoir for recycling. It incorporates an integration algorithm to detect peaks in the eluant and ensure that contaminants are eliminated, even if chromatography system conditions cause the baseline to drift up or down. This is claimed to make the solvents cleaner, allowing them to be used longer.

The signal from any HPLC detector is connected to the solvent recycler, which monitors and continuously displays the voltage level on a large LED panel located on the front of the instrument. The signal is then connected directly to an integrator or data system.

Peak detection sensitivity may be adjusted by thumb-wheel switches which control familiar peak width and peak threshold parameters, similar to those found on most integrators and data systems.

When a peak is identified, an additional delay time may be set to allow for volume between the detector and valve, to enhance the accuracy of the recycling. An LED indicator and switchable buzzer alert the operator that a peak has been found.

An inert, electrically actuated solvent diverter valve automatically switches mobile phase to waste when peaks are detected. This valve may also be intentionally switched via contact closure if required.

The solvent recycler can place a peak marker on the output signal to show where peaks have been detected and sent to waste. This can be useful for installation and validation purposes.