1. Ed Connor, GC Product Specialist econnor@peakscientific.com
Supplying your GC using Peak gas generators - safe, reliable and convenient
Ed Connor, GC Product Specialist
Author: Ed Connor
Date / Rev: 10/2015

2. Webinar Helium – current situation and outlook Helium conservation
Nitrogen carrier gas
Hydrogen carrier gas
Why use a generator?
Precision generators
Application examples using Hydrogen and Nitrogen

3. Helium – present and outlook
Price has almost doubled
Qatar I & II now operational
Qatar III to open in 2018
Further increase in cost
Priority for liquid helium users?
Need to look for alternatives where possible

4. Helium conservation

5. Helium conservation
Conserve helium for applications where its use is essential – where methods allow no alternative
Look at hydrogen and nitrogen method compatibility
Eg. ASTM D SIMDIS
Hydrogen
Nitrogen

6. Alternative carrier gases
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Relatively ‘slow’
‘Fast’ analysis
Uopt 8-14 cm/sec
Uopt cm/sec
Cheap
Produced by gas generators
Gas generators
Perceived danger

7. Nitrogen carrier gas
With sufficient resolution – can afford to lose some plates
Will result in loss of efficiency at higher velocity
OK if there is enough separation between peaks
Using N2 at same linear velocity as He will result in HETP increase by a factor of 2
Loss of efficiency by a factor of 2 only means loss of resolution by a factor of 1.4

8. Hydrogen carrier gas
Hydrogen is already used for a number of GC detectors
Improved effiency
Peaks are 2x higher (sensitivity)
Therefore need 50% of injected amount
Lower maintenance
Sample throughput can be increased 2x relative to helium

9. Questions?
Use the raise hand function if you have any questions?

10. Why use a generator?

11. Why use a generator?

12. Questions?
Use the raise hand function if you have any questions?

13. Precision Hydrogen Trace
Suitable for GC Carrier Gas, detector gas or reaction gas
% purity
Internal leak detection with automatic safety shutdown features
Proven PEM technology for safe hydrogen generation
Automatic water loading pump as standard
Maintenance limited to changing a de-ionizer cartridge
Short and easy start-up and shut-down procedures via touch screen
Combine multiple units for higher flow requirements
3 year standard cell warranty

14. Precision Hydrogen - Safety
Precision hydrogen generators have a number of safety features to ensure safe and reliable operation:
On power-up the generator conducts an internal leaks check
External leak detection
Forced air ventilation to prevent build-up of H2/O2 in the case of an internal leak
Over/under pressure monitoring
Overpressure cell shutdown
Audible/visual alarms

15. Precision Hydrogen - LEL
Hydrogen is a flammable gas with a lower explosion level (LEL) of 4.1%
A room measuring 5m x 5m x 2.5m contains 50m3 (50000L)
LEL would be 2050L
A large 50L cylinder contains around 9000L hydrogen
Precision Hydrogen generator will produce up to 500cc/min
To reach LEL with generator would take almost 3 days in a hermetically sealed room

16. Questions?
Use the raise hand function if you have any questions?

17. Precision Nitrogen Standard and Trace Nitrogen generators available
99.999% Purity achieved using PSA
Nitrogen trace has CAT chamber to remove CH4
Hydrocarbons (as methane) <0.05 ppm

18. Questions?
Use the raise hand function if you have any questions?

19. Precision range
Hydrogen, nitrogen and zero air in one modular stack

20. Revalidation steps
Review your documentation to make sure that your methods allow the use of hydrogen or nitrogen carrier gas
Check health and safety documentation
Perform routine maintenance (liners, septa etc)
Install new gas lines (SS or Cu)
Install new traps (MSD)
Use method translation software to establish correct method parameters for hydrogen or nitrogen carrier gas

21. Applications – FAMEs analysis
Analysis of FAMEs
39 Component standard
Customer changing from helium to hydrogen carrier gas for GC-FID
Method revalidated to match linear velocity of hydrogen to original helium method
Results showed that retention times of compounds were unchanged
Hydrogen improved peak shape and s/n relative to helium
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22. Applications – DHA analysis
ASTM method D6729
Detailed hydrocarbon analysis using a 100m column
Analysis time cut from 125 mins to 73 mins by using hydrogen carrier gas
Critical separations achieved
Relative amounts of PONA constituents not significantly different when using helium or hydrogen
Helium
Hydrogen

23. Applications – BAC analysis
BAC standard mixture run using Nitrogen and Helium carrier gas
Nitrogen used for Headspace, Carrier and FID make-up
High linear velocity - >80 cm/s
No significant difference in results with Nitrogen compared with helium

24. Applications – BAC analysis
BAC standard mixture run using Nitrogen and Helium carrier gas
Nitrogen used for Headspace, Carrier and FID make-up
High linear velocity - >80 cm/s
No significant difference in results with Nitrogen compared with helium

25. Applications – BAC analysis
BAC standard mixture run using Nitrogen and Helium carrier gas
Nitrogen used for Headspace, Carrier and FID make-up
High linear velocity - >80 cm/s
No significant difference in results with Nitrogen compared with helium

26. All application notes can be found:

27. Questions?
Use the raise hand function if you have any questions?