Gas chromatography (GC) is one of the main techniques in separation science. It is used to analyze and quantify the individual constituents of sample mixtures by first vaporizing the sample and injecting it into a column filled with a solid or semi-solid packing media. Different components elute from the column at different rates based on their unique physicochemical properties and their interaction with the solid phase. Thus it is possible to thoroughly characterize mixed samples using a detector, such as a flame ionization detector (FID) or a mass spectrometer (MS). However, the accuracy of any gas chromatograph is utterly dependent on the system’s reliability, which can only be verified by gas calibration.
There are several issues with conventional calibration gas mixtures. Namely, they represent a significant ongoing cost which can be a large portion of any laboratory’s budget for consumable resources. Despite the expense, labs aren’t guaranteed consistent gas mixtures when sourcing cylinders. Fortunately, there is a cost-effective and more reliable alternative.
Custom gas mixers allow users to mix two or more gas flows to produce a specific mixture in-house. The benefits of using a bespoke gas mixing system for gas calibration are self-evident, but we’ll discuss five crucial advantages throughout this blog.
1. Tailored to Your Needs
Gas mixers can produce a consistent and repeatable mixture of gases, whereas cylinders can vary in gas composition due to changes in pressure and temperature. This can be further enhanced using a system customised to your specific needs. Bespoke gas mixers can be specifically engineered to meet the requirements of individual applications, providing a solution for greater efficiency and efficacy.
2. Improved Accuracy & Flexibility
A custom gas mixer not only improves the consistency of your mixtures, but by extension, the accuracy of calibrations. Furthermore, you can use a custom system to adjust gas mixers on the fly, which is impossible with pre-filled cylinders.
3. Enhanced Safety
Using a gas mixer eliminates the need to handle and store multiple cylinders, significantly reducing the risk of hazards and subsequent accidents. Even standard gas mixing systems come replete with intrinsic safety benefits. But custom systems can be engineered to include specific safety features suitable for the application, further mitigating workplace risks.
4. Greater Efficiency
Customized gas mixers are optimized for individual processes and requirements, enabling significant efficiency gains across the full workflow. A better mixing process involving reduced mixing periods frees up operator time and enables greater efficiency throughout the lab. It is also possible to optimize gas mixers for ease of maintenance, reducing downtime and repair costs.
5. Lower Costs
Although purchasing a custom gas mixer represents an upfront expense, they rapidly justify the investment cost by reducing the need to purchase numerous different cylinders. Depending on the number and types of cylinders that users need for GC calibration, this may also translate to reduced waste and greater overall resource efficiency.
Read More: Why Gas Mixers are More Cost-effective than Cylinders in GC Calibration
The Series 4000: An Affordable Gas Mixing Solution
For over two decades, Environics has been supplying gas mixers to laboratories worldwide, helping users with gas chromatography calibration. Our mixers can generate precise gas calibration standards for research applications requiring specific mixtures. The Series 4000 is our flagship, budget-friendly gas mixing system used to produce gas calibration standards, atmospheric gases, and gas mixtures for research purposes.
This system can be connected to a computer through USB or Bluetooth and offers remote control capabilities, canister filling, and optional alarms through an easy-to-use application. With the ability to mix up to seven gases at once, additional gas circuits available, and a variety of operating modes to choose from, the Series 4000 is a versatile solution for various applications.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information on our gas mixers and gas chromatography calibration.
