9 Ways Twitter Destroyed My Headspace Sampler Without Me Noticing

Gas purifiers are necessary because they help in providing a clean gas stream, that may guarantee the grade of the gas chromatographic analysis and the reliability of the outcomes. Further, such gas purifiers minimize detector noise and prolong the life of the column. Gas purifiers are like plans to safeguard the instrumentation along with other analytical columns from different types of contaminants. Still, the gas purifiers will not be able to convert low purity gases into high purity gases. Because of this important factor, it is necessary to select the right grade of gases with different purity levels for proper used in gas chromatographic applications.

Collection of Right Gas Purifier to fit your Applications

Various types of gas purifiers can be purchased in the market. While some gas purifiers remove just one single specific contaminant, other styles remove multiple contaminants simultaneously from the gas stream. You need to reflect on several factors through the selection process of gas purifiers, taking into consideration your specific applications. These factors includes the potential contaminants within the gas stream, the limitations on flow and pressure, levels of gas purity required, desired convenience in replacement of spent gas traps, and space availability.

Common Traps Found in Gas Purifiers

Oxygen, hydrocarbon, carbon dioxide, and moisture traps will be the most common purifiers used in most the gas chromatography (GC) applications. Oxygen traps are normally filled with metal catalysts. Oxygen is considered as the most detrimental contaminating gas in all analytical columns. Oxygen is capable of producing irreversible oxidation damage, especially to polar stationary phases. Hydrocarbon traps are typically packed with activated charcoal, which can absorb organic compounds which are bigger than methane. Still, the molecular weight and size of the organic contaminants could have a definite influence on the capacity of the hydrocarbon trap to an excellent extent but it may also think about trap efficiency to some extent.

Activated charcoal possesses an increased capacity to trap larger hydrocarbons which are greater than C4, in comparison to smaller hydrocarbons, which are lesser than C4. Moisture traps are usually packed with unique molecular sieves. When subjected to extensive heating, the crystalline structures are forced to reduce their hydration or water content. This opens a cavity which gets filled readily with any compound that may fit the cavity. Water fits perfectly into this cavity but this trap may also be in a position to remove gases like skin tightening and, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and chlorine or other gases which have effective diameters lesser than water.

headspace sampler for Contaminants Affecting Gas Stream

If you want to understand how the contaminants affect the gas stream, you need to follow the path that the carrier gas takes to find yourself in the gas chromatograph. This path does apply for detector fuel gases also. The gases begin from a gas tank or perhaps a special gas generator. The gas travels through long lengths of tubes, pressure gauges, valves, and various other fittings. Every one of these areas is really a potential culprit to introduce contaminants into the gas stream. This leads not merely in degrading the outcomes of chromatography but additionally shortens the life span of the column of CG.

Major contaminants like oxygen, hydrocarbons, and moisture are capable of wreaking havoc with the columns and detectors of CG. The packed and capillary columns will get degraded easily if they face oxygen or moisture, especially at high temperatures. These contaminants may also compromise detector performance. Since the detectors actually ‘see’ these contaminants, the effect is baseline noises, spikes, and drifts.

You should install gas purifiers in a vertical position as wall mounted types to prevent channeling. Channeling occurs when you install the gas purifier in a horizontal position. Gas purifiers can be found as compact panels having multiple purifiers or single panel that has multi-absorbent capabilities.