The inlet device 15 can have a length between 1 cm and 20 cm, typically between 5 and 15 cm such as about 5 cm, about 6 cm, about 7 cm, about 8 cm, about 9 cm, about 10 cm, about 11 cm, about 12 cm, about 13 cm, about 14 cm and about 15 cm, in some embodiments.
FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate that the external end 15e can have a conical-shape or a cone skimmer device 15c with at least one inlet aperture 15a centered about the cone tip. In some embodiments, the conical shape can be frustoconical with a flat forwardmost end holding the aperture 15a that tapers back to the body of the inlet device 15 to form the cone shaped tip. The external end 15e can be monolithic to the body 15b of the inlet device or can be a separate component attached to the primary body 15b of the inlet device 15. The at least one aperture 15a can have a width and/or height dimension (shown as circular with a diameter) that is between about 0.025 mm to about 0.50 mm, more typically between about 0.030 mm to about 0.125 mm, and, in some embodiments, can be about 0.100 mm, about 0.110 mm or about 0.125 mm. Other cross-sectional channel shapes may be used instead of circles.
The conical head 15e can be a solid body that has the at least one aperture and at least one axially extending fluid channel. In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7B, the conical head 15e can be a shaped body of a thin malleable or molded material with a hollow interior 15h that is much larger than the aperture 15a and that can attach to the tubular longitudinally extending body 15b.
