Agilent Technologies G3180B User manual

Agilent Technologies

Agilent G3180B

Two-Way Splitter Kit

With Makeup Gas

Installation and Operation

Guide

2 Installation and Operation Guide

Notices

©Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2006

No part of this manual may be reproduced in

any form or by any means (including elec-

tronic storage and retrieval or translation

into a foreign language) without prior agree-

ment and written consent from Agilent

Technologies, Inc. as governed by United

States and international copyright laws.

Manual Part Number

G3180-90120

Supercedes G3180-90110

Edition

First edition, April 2006

Printed in USA

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

2850 Centerville Road

Wilmington, DE 19808-1610 USA

Warranty

The material contained in this

document is provided “as is,” and

is subject to being changed, with-

out notice, in future editions. Fur-

ther, to the maximum extent

permitted by applicable law,

Agilent disclaims all warranties,

either express or implied, with

regard to this manual and any

information contained herein,

including but not limited to the

implied warranties of merchant-

ability and fitness for a particular

purpose. Agilent shall not be

liable for errors or for incidental

or consequential damages in

connection with the furnishing,

use, or performance of this

document or of any information

contained herein. Should Agilent

and the user have a separate

written agreement with warranty

terms covering the material in this

document that conflict with these

terms, the warranty terms in the

separate agreement shall control.

Safety Notices

CAUTION

A CAUTION notice denotes a haz-

ard. It calls attention to an operat-

ing procedure, practice, or the like

that, if not correctly performed or

adhered to, could result in damage

to the product or loss of important

data. Do not proceed beyond a

CAUTION notice until the indicated

conditions are fully understood and

met.

WARNING

A WARNING notice denotes a

hazard. It calls attention to an

operating procedure, practice, or

the like that, if not correctly per-

formed or adhered to, could result

in personal injury or death. Do not

proceed beyond a WARNING

notice until the indicated condi-

tions are fully understood and

met.

Acknowledgement

Microsoft® is a U.S. registered trademark

of Microsoft Corporation.

Installation and Operation Guide 3

In this Guide. . .

This Installation and Operation Guide contains information for installing and

using an effluent splitter on an Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph (GC). The

G3180 splitter is intended for use with capillary columns and uses makeup gas

to maintain adequate flows throughout the system.

1 Introduction

This chapter describes how the splitter works, the GC and software

requirements of the system and the contents of the installation kit.

2 Hardware Installation

See this chapter for a detailed procedure for installing the splitter hardware

and connecting the makeup gas supply.

3 Splitter Configurations

The split ratio (how the column effluent divides between the two detectors) is

governed by two restrictors, which are lengths of deactivated fused silica

tubing. This chapter presents a set of precalculated “typical” configurations. If

desired, you can create a custom configuration to meet specific needs. The

chapter describes a set of software tools, included in the kit, to assist you in

designing such configurations. Finally, installation of the column and

restrictors is covered.

4Operation

This chapter contains a worked-out custom configuration, plus a few special

topics.

4 Installation and Operation Guide

Installation and Operation Guide 5

Contents

1 Introduction

Overview 8

How It Works 9

Details 10

Metal ferrules 10

Microfluidic plate 10

Constant pressure operation 10

Calculation of chromatographic parameters 11

GC Requirements 12

Other Requirements 12

Parts Supplied 13

Part Identification 14

Parts Not Supplied 15

Tools Required 15

2 Hardware Installation

Prepare the GC 18

Install the Column Clips 20

Install the Bracket and Splitter 21

Connect the Makeup Gas Supply 24

To supply the makeup gas froma PCM 24

To supply the makeup gas from an Auxiliary Pressure

controller 24

6 Installation and Operation Guide

3 Splitter Configurations

Typical Configurations 26

Splitting to an MSD 28

Custom Configurations 29

Restrictor id and length 32

Maximum and minimum flows 33

Column outlet pressure 34

Inlet pressure 34

Restrictor and Column Installation 35

Install the column 35

Connect the splitter 35

Disconnect tubing from the splitter 37

4Operation

An Example 40

Column flow 40

Select restrictors 42

Calculate column flow 43

Calculate ECD restrictor flow 44

Calculate MSD restrictor flow 45

Changing Columns Without Venting the MSD 46

Backflushing the Column 47

7

Agilent G3180B Splitter Kit

Installation and Operation Guide

Agilent Technologies

1

Introduction

Overview 8

How It Works 9

Details 10

Metal ferrules 10

Microfluidic plate 10

Constant pressure operation 10

Calculation of chromatographic parameters 11

GC Requirements 12

Other Requirements 12

Parts Supplied 13

Part Identification 14

Parts Not Supplied 15

Tools Required 15

This manual covers the installation and operation of the G3180B effluent

splitter with makeup gas kit on the Agilent 6890 series gas chromatograph

(GC).

8 Installation and Operation Guide

1Introduction

Overview

Splitter installation is done in three steps:

1Hardware installation. This gets the hardware installed and the gas flows

connected.

2Restrictor configuration. You can choose to use a typical, precalculated

configuration or create a custom one using software tools supplied on a CD.

3Restrictor and column installation. Using the results of step 2, cut the

appropriate lengths of the appropriate diameter tubing for the restrictors.

Install the restrictors and the analytical column.

Introduction 1

Installation and Operation Guide 9

How It Works

The splitter divides the effluent from a column between two different

detectors. The detectors can be operating at different pressures, that is, any

mix of the following can be used:

• Atmospheric pressure

FID (flame ionization detector)

TCD (thermal conductivity detector)

NPD (nitrogen phosphorus detector)

ECD (electron capture detector)

FPD (flame photometric detector)

• Below atmospheric pressure

MSD (mass selective detector)

• Above atmospheric pressure

AED (atomic emission detector)

The split ratio is determined by the length and diameter of tubing connecting

the splitter to the detectors. Tubing dimensions may be determined from

Table 2 on page 26 in this manual or from a spreadsheet calculator that is

included for calculating tubing dimensions for special situations.

Figure 1 shows the plumbing configuration for the G3180B splitter.

Figure 1 Splitter plumbing

Restrictor 1 Restrictor 2

Constant pressure

makeup gas supply

Column

Splitter

GC oven

Det 1 Det 2Inlet

10 Installation and Operation Guide

1Introduction

The column flow mixes with the makeup flow in the splitter. This mixture then

flows through lengths of uncoated, deactivated, fused-silica tubing to each

detector. These tubes act as flow restrictors. While the flow through each

restrictor changes with oven temperature, the ratio of the two flows at any

temperature is the same.

Details

The G3180B kit addresses several limitations of previous approaches to

splitting column effluent between two detectors:

Metal ferrules

The splitter uses metal column ferrules, which eliminate air leakage into the

sample stream. Unlike polyimide, metal ferrules do not loosen upon thermal

cycling of the oven. They also do not outgas contaminants or shed particles

(like graphite) that can result in chromatographic problems.

Microfluidic plate

The splitting hardware is based on microfluidic plate technology. This allows

very low dead volume connections between the column end and the two

detector restrictor tubes. The thin metal plate has fast thermal response and is

mounted solidly on the oven wall for ease of use. The interior plate surfaces

are deactivated to prevent adsorption by active compounds.

Constant pressure operation

The splitter uses a source of makeup gas supplied by electronic pneumatics

control (EPC). This maintains the splitter at a known and constant pressure.

Constant pressure allows easier splitting to vacuum detectors like the MSD. It

simplifies choice of splitter parameters, allowing all aspects of the

chromatographic setup to be calculated. Constant pressure makeup allows the

column to be run in constant flow mode while still maintaining a constant

split ratio between two detectors of different operating pressures such as the

FPD and the MSD. Because the EPC pressure can be time programmed, useful

operations like backflushing unwanted heavy materials from the column and

changing columns in MSD systems without venting are possible.

Introduction 1

Installation and Operation Guide 11

Calculation of chromatographic parameters

Because the pressure at the split point is known and constant, the

chromatographic parameters can be calculated before setup. This is especially

useful with GC/MSD setups, where there are limitations on the flow rates of

carrier gas allowed into the MSD. If a method that was originally developed on

an MSD is converted to a splitter setup, a new inlet pressure can be calculated

to produce retention times very similar to the original method.

12 Installation and Operation Guide

1Introduction

GC Requirements

The splitter mounts in an Agilent 6890 series GC.

The splitter requires an electronically controlled pressure source such as the

Three Channel Pressure controller (6890 option 205, 301, or 308) or a

Pneumatics Control Module (PCM).

Other Requirements

The calculator requires Microsof®t Excel 97 (or later), which is not supplied

with this kit.

Introduction 1

Installation and Operation Guide 13

Parts Supplied

The G3180B kit contains the following parts (Table 1).

Table 1 Parts supplied

Part number Description Quantity

0100-0124 Union, stainless steel, 1/16-inch tubing 2

0100-0241 Union, stainless steel, 1/8 to 1/16-inch reducing 1

G1580-00130 Valve box blanking plate 1

G1530-01340 Capillary column spring clips 4

0515-0374 Screw, M3 × 10 mm 7

G2855-60140 Oven bracket assembly 1

G2855-60560 T-screw oven bracket retainer 2

G2855-80022 Manual and calculator CD 1

G3180-90120 Manual, G3180B

0100-2354 Tubing, stainless steel, 1/16-inch od × 0.01-inch id, 1 m 1

G3180-61500 Compact splitter with makeup gas assembly 1

G2855-60150 Supplies and spares kit 1

14 Installation and Operation Guide

1Introduction

Part Identification

Most of the kit parts are easily recognized. The unique ones are identified in

Figure 2.

Figure 2 Part identification

Capillary column

spring clips

Valve box

Oven bracket

Compact splitter

blanking plate

assembly

with makeup gas

assembly

This assembly is shipped in a

plastic bag to keep contaminants

out of the tubing and the fittings.

Do not open the bag until you are

ready to install the splitter.

Introduction 1

Installation and Operation Guide 15

Parts Not Supplied

Brown-dot frit (19231-60610)

Tools Required

Side cutter, large

Open-end wrenches

16 Installation and Operation Guide

1Introduction

17

Agilent G3180B Splitter Kit

Installation and Operation Guide

Agilent Technologies

2

Hardware Installation

Prepare the GC 18

Install the Column Clips 20

Install the Bracket and Splitter 21

Connect the Makeup Gas Supply 24

This chapter describes the procedure for installing the splitter hardware and

connecting the makeup gas supply.

18 Installation and Operation Guide

2Hardware Installation

Prepare the GC

1Raise the GC top cover to expose the oven top.

2Remove the valve box cutout using a side cutter (Figure 3).

WARNING Turn the power off and disconnect the power cord before proceeding.

Figure 3 Remove the valve box cutout

Cut tabs

around edges

and remove

Hardware Installation 2

Installation and Operation Guide 19

3This exposes a layer of soft insulation. Remove it to expose the hard oven

insulation. Remove the precut insulation piece at the location shown in

Figure 4.

4Replace the soft insulation. Install the valve box blanking plate, using one

screw at the front and one at the rear to secure it. See Figure 5.

Figure 4 Remove the insulation cutout

Figure 5 Install valve box blanking plate

Remove

this

cutout

Two screws

20 Installation and Operation Guide

2Hardware Installation

Install the Column Clips

Install the four column clips on the oven shroud (Figure 6).

Figure 6 Oven clips

Oven

shroud

Clip

(1 of 4)

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Agilent Technologies G3180B User manual

Agilent Technologies G3180B User manual

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