GasLab

Trace gas concentration analysis is done on two gas chromatographic systems. The Gas Analysing Unit 1 (GAU1) is covering the analysis of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O whereas Gas Analysing Unit 2 (GAU 2) has been set up for quantification of SF₆, H₂ and CO. Both systems share an integrated flask analyis system allowing continuous, unattended operation with a flask throughput of 30 air-in-flask samples per day for dual analysis of all species covered.

GasAnalysingUnit 1 (GAU1)

Details of the GAU1 system are shown in the following figure:

The system comprises:

• Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD), a CO₂ converter ("methanizer") and a flame ionisation detector (FID)
• oven for keeping two sample loops linked in series at constant temperature (�0.1 �C)
• two sets of chromatographic pre-colum and main columns
• two 10-port-2-position injection-valves (Valco ET6C10UWE)
• two 4-port-2-position valves. One is for separating the two sample loops after flushing with sample gas in order to prevent the ECD carrier gas argon-methane to contaminate the FID line (ET6C4UWE). The second valve bypasses the air from the methanizer to protect it from the oxygen (EH4WE).

Chromatographic parameters of GAU1:

GasAnalysingUnit 2 (GAU2)

Details of the GAU2 system are shown in the following figure:

The system comprises:

• Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD) and a Trace Analytical Reduction Gas Analyser (RGA)
• oven for keeping two sample loops linked in series at constant temperature (�0.1 �C)
• two sets of chromatographic pre-colum and main columns
• two 10-port-2-position injection-valves (Valco ET6C10UWE)
• 4-port-2-position valve to by-pass the air from the ECD to protect it from the oxygen (Valco ET6C4UWE).
• Agilent 35900E A/D converter for importing the analogue RGA signal into the Agilent Chemstation software

Chromatographic parameters of GAU2: