Application Note by Using Nutech 2104 Canister Clean System for Sample Train Clean and Certification

Abstract

By Using Nutech 2104 Canister Clean System, users may do the sample train clean and certification at professional way. The 2104 supplies a pure gas fill and vacuum cycles to clean the sample train automatically, and fill the blank gas, as well as standard gas to certify the sample train. This gives the lab a more professional way to clean and certify the sample train. This application note gives you a way to do sample train clean and certification according to EPA TO-15A step by step.

Introduction

The newly published US EPA TO-15A  method requires you to clean and certify the sample train, to verify it with a blank and recovery. The sample train should include all the sampling parts such as sampling inlet, filters, valve and time controllers, tubes, flow controllers etc.The best way is to clean and certify all of those together. Nutech 2104 system can do all those steps automatically with a computer controlled program. This application will show you how to do this step by step professionally.

1 Experiment

1.1 Configuration of Used Instruments

Nutech 2104 Canister Clean System with humidify unit and 8 position manifold,Sample train to be cleaned and certified. This experience used Nutech 2703 sampling train, which includes the sample inlet with sample filter, MFC controlled flow controller, pressure sensor, start/stop control timer, all the tubes, and fittings.  The system assembly as follows:

1.2 Distilled water and or Supper clean water

1.3 Ultra pure Nitrogen from a liquid nitrogen tank.

2 The Steps to clean the sample train

2.1 Connect sample train (2703 sampler or other sample train devices as you need) and canister to the manifold as shown as below:

2.2 Turn on the sample train path valve to make the highest flow rate for the flow path. (As Shown below)

2.3 In the parameter Setting, set the cycle number, vacuum parameters and pressurized pressure parameters as below:

Once everything is set, click Auto to start the automatically clean program.

The system will fill the pure gas from each connected sample train into the canisters to achieve the flush clean with the positive pressure and then vent the system. After vented the system, the vacuum pump continues pumping the system so that the whole sample train will continue to be cleaned, under vacuum condition with a revised direction. Once the system has reached the vacuum setting point the first clean cycle is done and system will start second clean cycle by starting the second filling. The automatic clean will continue until the set clean cycle is finished.

3 Certify the sample train

3.1 Wait until the clean step finished, and the system and canister reach the necessary vacuum.

3.2 Reset the sample train (Nutech 2703) flow according to the required flow rate and start/stop time as follows:

3.3 Reset the Nutech 2104 clean filling pressure in the computer interface.

3.4 If it is for a blank certificate, just leave the gas supplly line as clean.

3.5 If it is to spike the standard gas to the canister through the sample train, connect the supplly gas to a standard gas supplly with the certified concentration standard gas.

3.6 Start the manual filling procedure to take the certified (Blank or standard gas) into canisters until they reach the set pressure.

3.7 Finished the fill and take the canisters for certificate analysis.

4 Conclusion

Using Nutech 2104 Canister clean system to clean and certify the sample train is a professional practise for EPA TO-15A. This is an excellent tool for automatically clean the sample train as well as certify them. The clean cycles include filling positive pressure flow clean and the back flush flow under some vacuum. This procedure can make the sample train clean faster, better, and automatically. This also gives the sample train certification for both blank and standard process in a same setting to save the time. 8 or more position cleaner makes a group of devises clean and certified at the same time. This method and procedure can be widely used in all the labs which perform EPA TO-15 and TO-15A analysis.

Related Instruments

2703 Automatic Sampling Device

3610 Autosampler

8910 Preconcentrator

2104 Canister Cleaning System

Nutech 2104 Canister Cleaning System

2203 Precision Static Dilutor 

Nutech 2203 Precision Static Dilutor