Maintenance and storage of infusion pump
Maintenance of infusion pump
1. Prevent any solid particles from entering the infusion pump body, because dust or any other impurities will wear the plunger, sealing ring, cylinder and one-way valve, so any solid particles in the mobile phase should be removed in advance. The mobile phase is best distilled in a glass container, and the commonly used method is filtration. Filters such as Millipore membrane (0.2um or 0.45um) can be used. The inlet of the pump should be connected with a sand filter rod (or sheet), and the filter of the infusion pump should be replaced frequently.
2. The mobile phase should not contain any corrosive substances, and the mobile phase containing buffer should not remain in the pump, especially if the pump is stopped overnight or longer. If the mobile phase containing the buffer is left in the pump, due to evaporation or leakage, or even just because the solution is still, tiny crystals of salt may be precipitated. These crystals will damage the seal ring and plunger like the solid particles mentioned above. Therefore, it must be pumped in pure water for sufficient cleaning, and then replaced with a solvent suitable for column storage and pump maintenance (for reversed-phase bonded stationary phase, it can be methanol or methanol and water).
3. When the infusion pump is working, take care to prevent the mobile phase in the solvent bottle from running out. Otherwise, the empty pump will also wear the plunger, sealing ring or cylinder, and eventually cause liquid leakage.
4. The working pressure of the infusion pump should not exceed the specified maximum pressure, otherwise it will deform the high-pressure sealing ring and cause liquid leakage.
5. The flow box should be degassed first, so as not to generate bubbles in the pump and affect the stability of the flow. If there are a lot of bubbles, the pump will not work.
If the infusion pump is malfunctioning, the cause must be found out and corresponding measures should be taken to eliminate the malfunction:
1. There is no outflow of mobile phase and no pressure indication. The reason may be that there is a large amount of gas in the infusion pump. At this time, you can open the pressure relief valve to make the pump run at a larger flow rate (5ml/min) to exhaust the bubbles. You can also use a 50ml syringe to help at the pump outlet. Pump out the gas. Another reason may be that the seal ring is worn and needs to be replaced.
2. The pressure flow is unstable. The reason may be air bubbles, which need to be removed, or there are foreign objects in the one-way valve. You can remove the one-way valve and immerse it in acetone for ultrasonic cleaning. Sometimes it is possible that there are bubbles in the sand filter rod or it is partially blocked by the tiny crystal particles of salt or the breeding microorganisms. At this time, remove the sand filter rod and immerse it in the mobile phase, ultrasonically remove the bubbles, or immerse the sand filter rod (piece) Dilute acid (such as 4mol/L nitric acid) quickly remove microorganisms or dissolve salt, and then wash immediately.
3. The reason for the high pressure is that the pipeline is blocked and needs to be cleared or cleaned. The cause of the pressure drop may be a leak in the pipeline. Check blockage or leakage can be done step by step.
Storage of the infusion pump
When operating the infusion pump, do not touch the power plug with wet hands, and do not use it under direct sunlight or strong light. The sensor plug must be inserted tightly during use, otherwise it will not work properly. When not in use, place it on the top seat of the infusion pump to lock it to avoid damage during storage.
When charging, turn off the power switch before charging.
If it is used for the first time or after a long period of inactivity, fully charge the battery before starting to use it. This infusion pump is forbidden to be stored in a place where it is directly blown by cold and humid (hot) airflows such as fans, air conditioners, electric stoves, heaters, and humidifiers.
