SAVE TIME WITH VELP CONSUMABLES FOR ELEMENTAL ANALYZERS: HOW-TO VIDEOS MAKE IT EVEN EASIER

In a carrier gas flow (helium or argon), the sample contained in the tightly closed tin or silver foils is conveyed to the furnace with the combustion reactor where the combustion process, accelerated by catalysts, is performed rapidly at over 1000 °C with pure oxygen. This produces mostly water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen as several oxides (NyOx).

This gas mixture passes through a reduction chamber equipped with the reduction reactor containing highly active copper powder heated to around 650 °C. This stage converts nitrogen oxides into elemental nitrogen and collects the oxygen in excess. The sample is then passed through traps that remove the residual water and carbon dioxide.

The quantitative determination of the nitrogen content is performed via a thermal conductivity detector (TCD). The measured signal from the thermal conductivity detector for the sample is then converted into total nitrogen content (%) by the software performing the calculation. EDTA, aspartic acid, acetanilide, urea, atropine, and other reagents can be used to create calibration curves in the elemental analyzer software in order to translate the signal received from the TCD in mgN. 

The use of various consumables is required to perform the combustion analysis and certain routine operations must be performed for the process to run smoothly.