Vapor Sorption Analyzer
Transcript of Vapor Sorption Analyzer
Vapor Sorption Analyzer
Quick Start Guide
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1. Getting Startedâ
â â˘â PlaceâtheâAquaLabâVSAâonâaâflatâsurface.âUseâtheâbubbleââââââââââlevel(Figureâ1:âAdjustmentâandâbubbleâlevel)âandâuseâthe â â adjustableâfeetâtoâlevelâtheâinstrument.âTheâsmallârubberâ â â feetâonâtheâbackâofâtheâlowerâplateâareâtoâpreventâtip-over â â andâdoânotâneedâtoâbeâtouchingâtheâtable.â â˘â UseâtheâAquaLabâVSAâwhereâenvironmentalâtemperatureââââââââandâhumidityâremainâfairlyâstable.
Figure 1: Adjustment and bubble level.
â â˘â TheâAquaLabâVSAâneedsâtoâbeâonâaâstableâplatformâandâ â â evaluatedâtoâverifyâshippingâdidânotâdamageâtheâscale â â performance.âToâtestâscaleâstability: â â â 1.â TurnâonâtheâVSAâandâallowâinstrumentâtoâwarmââ ââââupâforâ2âhours.â â â 2.â NavigateâtoâtheâDiagnosticsâscreenâinâthe â â â â âConfigurationâmenuâandâpressâ .â â â 3.â Scrollâdownâtoâtheâscreenâthatâshowsâtheâweight.â â â â â âReadingsâshouldâvaryânoâmoreâthanâ0.5âmg.
Adjustmentâfeet:â Twoâonâfrontâandâoneonâtheâmiddleâback.
Bubble Level
LowerâBlock
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â â â 4.â Lightlyâtapâtheâtableâwithâoneâfinger.âIfâtheâreadingsâ âââââvaryâmoreâthanâ0.5âmgâafterâtapping,âtheâtableâisââ âââââprobablyâtooâunstableâforâaccurateâweightâreadingsââ âââââduringâaâtestâandâwillâneedâtoâbeâmadeâmoreârigidââ âââââorâanotherâlocationâfoundâforâthisâequipment.ââââââââââââââââââContactâyourâAquaLabâdistributorâifâtheâscaleââ âââââreadingsâareâunstableâafterâplacingâtheâunitâonâaâââ âââââstableâstructure.
Figure 2: Desiccant installation
ââââ˘â Desiccantâtubesâareâinstalledâbyâorientingâtheâtubeâsoâthat â âââtheâblackâcoloredâvalveâinsertsâintoâtheâblackâreceivingâhole â âââasâshownâinâFigureâ2.âBeforeâinsertionâmakeâsureâthatâtheâââââââdesiccantâtubeâlidâisâfirmlyâsealedâontoâtheâdesiccantâtube.âââââââ(SeeâManualâforâinstructions)âLiftâtheâtubeâintoâtheâareaâââââââaboveâtheâdesiccantâreceiverâandâthenâinsertâtheâtubeâintoâââââââtheâmatingâholesâwhileâshakingâtheâtubeâslightly.âOnceâinâââââââplace,âtheâdesiccantâtubeâisâsealedâforâflowâpurposesâandâââââââmayâmoveâsideâtoâsideâifâcontacted.
DesiccantâCartridge
DesiccantâReceiver
BlackâValve
BlackâReceivingâHole
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Figure 3: Tank fill extension
â â˘â Removeâtheâblackâplugâonâtheâclearâplasticâtankâfill â â extensionâlocatedâonâtheâbackârightâofâtheâVSA.â â â (Figureâ3).âFillâtheâtankâwithâdeionizedâwaterâuntilâfull.ââââââââFingerâtightenâtheâwaterâfillâplugâonceâfinished. â â˘â Toâremoveâtheâwaterâfromâtheâwaterâtank,âtheâwaterâtank â â drainâplugâisâused.â â˘â Figureâ3âshowsâtheâlocationâofâaâfilterâthatâwillâneedâtoâbe â â removedâfromâtimeâtoâtimeâwhenâdustâbuildsâupâonâit.âThe â â housingâaroundâtheâfilterâisâaâsnapâonâhousingâthatâisâeasily â â removed.â
WaterâFillâPlug
WaterâTankâFillâExtension
UpperâHorizontalâDrilledâHole
WaterâTankâDrainâPlug
FanâFilter
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Figure 4: Sample cup and lower block assembly
ââââ˘â Figureâ4:âassemblyâillustratesâtheâproperâpositioningâofâtheââââââââpartsâinâtheâlowerâblock.âTheâairâcylinderâisâplacedâintoââââââââtheâboreâofâtheâbaseâblock.âItâshouldâslideâintoâtheâblockââââââââeasilyâandâsettleâatâtheâbottomâofâtheâbore.âTheâweighââââââââpanâconnectsâtoâtheâscaleâandâholdsâtheâsampleâcup.âForââââââââbestâresults,âverifyâcleanlinessâofâallâparts.
2. AquaLab VSA Performance Verification overviewâ
â â˘â AquaLabâVSAâperformanceâandâcleanlinessâshouldâbe â â checkedâfrequently;âbeforeâeachâisothermâtestâisâ â â recommended. â â˘â Pressâ âuntilâyouâareâatâtheâMeasurementâTab.â â˘â UseâAquaLabâVerificationâStandardsâtoâverifyâperformance â â orâadjustâlinearâoffset.
Sample Cup LidOnlyâusedâforâsampleâstorageâandâmustâbeâremovedâduringâtests.
Sample Cup Stainlessâsteelâcupsâarerecommended.âPlasticâcups absorbâmoistureâoverâtime.
Weighing Pan
AirâCylinder
BaseâBlockâBore
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â â˘â Toâverify,âremoveâweighâpanâandâthenâplaceâsampleâcup â â containingâoneâofâAquaLabâsâverificationâstandardsâin â â sampleâchamber.âCloseâlidâandâcarefullyâavoidâspillage;âSee â â Figureâ5.â â˘â Moveâlatchâleftâorâpressâ âtoâstartâaâreading.âThe â â pinwheelâspinsâtoâindicateâaâmeasurementâisârunning. â â Theâawâreadingâforâtheâstandardâandâtheâtemperature â â displaysâwhenâfinished.âMakeâsureâtheâawâreading â â onâtheâstandardâisâwithinâ+/-0.005âofâtheâcorrectâawâforâthe â â standard.â(+/-â0.02âifâcapâsensorâisâused)â â˘â Ifâanâoffsetâadjustmentâisâneeded,âreferâtoâchapterâ7âinâthe â â userâsâmanual.ââââââ
Figureâ5:âSampleâchamber3. Sample Preparationâ
â â˘â Fillâsampleâcupânoâmoreâthanâhalfâfullâ(~7ml).â Do Not Overfill!â â˘â Sampleâsizeâcanâbeâbetweenâ500âandâ2,000âmg.ââWeâââââââârecommendâ1000âmg.â â˘â Ensureâtheârimâandâoutsideâofâsampleâcupâareâclean.
Lid
Base
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⢠Ensureâsampleâtemperatureâisâwithinâ4â°Câofâchambertemperature.
4. Starting a Testâ
⢠Beforeâstartingâaâtest,âsetâtheâVolatiles:âYes/Noâoptionâin theâconfigurationâmenu.âIfâyourâsampleâhasâvolatiles, selectââYesââotherwiseâselectââNoâ.
⢠Onâtheâmainâscreen,âselectâtheâtestâwizardâ .⢠Followingâseveralâwarnings,âbeginâconfiguringâtheâtestâby providingâaânameâforâtheâtestâusingâtheâarrowâkeysandâthenâpressâ .â(Theânameâofâaâpreviousâtestâwillâappear byâdefault.)
⢠Enterâinitialâmoistureâcontentâifâknownâ(optional).âPress toâcontinueâorâ âtoâgoâback.
⢠Setupâeachâstageâofâtheâisothermâtest.âAâstageâisâusedâto adjustâtheâisothermâsettingsâforâanâindividualâsampleâ(upâto 20âstages).âEachâstageâisâsetupâwithâtheâisothermâmethod (DDIâorâDVS)âandâtheâsettingsâforâthatâportionâofâthe isotherm.âOnceâaâstageâisâcreated,âitâcanâbeâmodifiedâor deletedâanytimeâbeforeâtheâtestâisâstarted.
i.e. For milk powder, Stage 1 could use the DDI method to ramp quickly from 0.1 to 0.4 aw and Stage 2 could use the DVS method to step from 0.4 to 0.8 aw slowly in 0.05 aw increments.
⢠Toâsetupâaânewâstage,âselectâânewââandâpressâ .âAâscreen withâseveralâparametersâwillâappear.âIfâaâpreviousâtesthasâbeenârun,âtheâstagesâforâthatâtestâwillâbeâlistedâby default.âTheseâstagesâcanâbeâusedâas-isâorâupdatedâwith newâsettings.âIfâyouâneedâtoâdeleteâaâstage,âgoâtoâthe specificâstageâandâpressâ .âScrollâdownâtoâtheâbottomâof theâstageâsettingsâselectââDeleteââandâpressâ .
⢠SelectâtheâisothermâmethodâasâeitherâDynamicâDew Point Isothermâ(DDI)âorâDynamicâVaporâSorptionâ(DVS).âDDI willâcreateâaâdynamicâisothermâandâDVSâwillâcreateâa staticâorâequilibriumâisotherm.âTheâotherâchoicesâwill adjustâbasedâonâwhichâmethodâisâselected.
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⢠For DDI method ⢠Toâchooseâtheâstartingâaw,âpressâ âwithââStartâ â â â highlightedâandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusing â â â theâupâandâdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenâ0.03âandââââââââââââ0.95âawâcanâbeâchosenâincludingââcurrentâ.ââChoosingâââââââââââââcurrentââmeansâthatâtheâstageâwillâstartâatâtheâinitialâaw âââââââââââofâtheâsample.âPressâ âwhenâfinished.â â â˘â Toâchooseâtheâfinalâaw,âpressâ âwithââFinalââhighlightedââââââââââââandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusingâtheâupâandââââââââââââdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenâ0.03âandâ0.95âaw can âââââââââââbeâchosenâincludingâcurrentâ(seeââcurrentââdefinitionââââââââââââabove).âSelectingâaâfinalâawâthatâisâlowerâthanâtheââââââââââââstartingâawâwillâresultâinâdesorption,âwhileâselectingâaââââââââââââfinalâawâhigherâthanâtheâstartingâawâresultsâinâadsorption.ââââââââââââPressâ âwhenâfinished. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâtemperatureâofâtheâstage,âpressâ âwith â â â âTemperatureââhighlightedâandâthenâcycleâtoâthe â â â desiredâtemperatureâusingâtheâupâandâdownâarrowâkeys â â â (holdâdownâarrowsâforâacceleratedâscrolling).âYouâmayââââââââââââchooseâanyâtemperatureâbetweenâ15âandâ60â°C,â25â°Câisââââââââââââdefault.âEachâstageâcanârunâatâaâuniqueâtemperature. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâdesiredâawâresolution,âhighlightâââââââââââââResolutionââpressâ âwithââResolutionââhighlightedâandââââââââââââthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusingâtheâupâandâdownââââââââââââarrows.âYouâmayâchooseâanyâvalueâbetweenâ0.003ââââââââââââandâ1.0âaw.âTheâresolutionâforâDDIâdeterminesâtheâtargetâ awâresolution.âSettingâaâhigherâresolutionâvalueâmakesââââââââââââtheâtestâfaster,âbutâdecreasesâtheâawâresolution.âWeâââââââââââârecommendâaâDDIâresolutionâofâ0.01âaw.ââ ⢠Toâchooseâtheâairâflowârate,âpressâ âwithââFlowâ â â â highlighted,âandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusing â â â theâupâandâdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenâ â â â 10-163âml/minâcanâbeâselected.âHigherâflowâratesâwill â â â speedâupâtheâtest,âbutâmayâresultâinâlowerâdata â â â resolutionâandânon-equilibriumâconditions.âThe â â â defaultâvalueâofâ100âml/minâisâsuitableâforâmost â â â products.
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⢠Toâchooseâtoâincludeâaâtimeoutâsetting,âpressâ âwith â â â âTimeoutââhighlighted,âandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesired â â â valueâusingâtheâupâandâdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenââââââââââââ5.0âminâtoâ30âdaysâcanâbeâselected.âTheâtimeoutââââââââââââdeterminesâtheâmaximumâtimeâallottedâtoâmoveâfromââââââââââââtheâstartingâawâtoâtheâfinalâawâ(DDIâonly)âandâisâoptional.âââââââââââââTheâdefaultâvalueâisâoff,âwhichâmeansâthereâisânoââââââââââââtimeoutâvalue. ⢠Toâchooseâtoâhaveâtheâisothermâloop,âpressâ âwith â â â âLoopââhighlightedâtoâtoggleâbetweenâonâandâoff.â â â â Turningâloopâonâcausesâtheâisothermâtoâautomatically â â â returnâtoâtheâstartâawâ(withâtheâsameâsettings)âonce â â â theâfinalâawâhasâbeenâachieved.âThisâwouldâcreateâbothââââââââââââanâadsorptionâandâdesorptionâcurveâ(orâviceâversaââââââââââââdependingâonâtheâstartingâdirection).
⢠For DVS method ⢠Toâchooseâtheâstartingâaw,âpressâ âwithââStartâ â â â highlighted,âandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusing â â â theâupâandâdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenâ0.03 â â â andâ0.95âawâcanâbeâchosenâincludingââcurrentâ.â â â â Choosingââcurrentââmeansâthatâtheâstageâwillâstartâat the initial awâofâtheâsample.âPressâ âwhenâfinished. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâfinalâaw,âpressâ âwithââFinalâ â â â highlighted,âandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusing â â â theâupâandâdownâarrows.âAnyâvalueâbetweenâ0.03 â â â andâ0.95âawâcanâbeâchosenâincludingâcurrentâ â â â (seeâcurrentââdefinitionâabove).âSelectingâaâfinalâaw â â â thatâisâlowerâthanâtheâstartingâawâwillâresultâin â â â desorption,âwhileâselectingâaâfinalâawâhigherâthanâthe â â â startingâawâwillâresultâinâadsorption.âPressâ âwhen â â â finished. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâtemperatureâofâtheâstage,âpressâ âwith â â â âTemperatureââhighlighted,âandâthenâcycleâtoâthe â â â desiredâtemperatureâusingâtheâupâandâdownâarrow â â â keys.âAnyâtemperatureâbetweenâ15-60°Câcanâbe â â â chosen.âEachâstageâcanârunâatâaâuniqueâtemperature. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâdesiredâawâstep,âpressâ âwithââStepâ â â â highlightedâandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusing
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â ââ â theâupâandâdownâarrows.âChoosseâanyâvalueâbetweenââ 0.003âandâ1.0âaw.âTheâstepâsettingâforâDVSâdeterminesââ the awâvaluesâforâequilibrationâandâconsequentlyâtheââ resolution.âIfâstartingâawâisâ0.1âandâhasâaâstepâsettingâofââ 0.10âawâresultsâinâhumidityâbeingâcontrolledâtoâ0.1,â0.2,ââ 0.3ââŚâupâtoâtheâfinalâaw,âremainingâatâeachâlevelâuntilââ eitherâequilibriumâisâachievedâbasedâonâtheâtriggerâvalueââ orâitâreachesâtheâtimeoutâvalue.âSettingâaâhigherââ valueâmakesâtheâtestâfaster,âbutâdecreasesâtheâquantityââ ofâequilibtationâpoints. ⢠Toâchooseâtheâtriggerâ%dm/dtâvalueâthatâindicates â equilibration,âpressâenterâwithââTriggerââhighlighted â andâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesiredâvalueâusingâtheâupâand â downâarrows.âTheâtriggerâcanâbeâshutâoffâorâbeâany â valueâbetweenâ0.001-1%/hr.âChooseâtheânumberâof â eventsârequiredâtoâmeetâtheâtriggerâvalue.âTheâtrigger â valueârepresentsâanâacceptableâchangeâinâmassâper â changeâinâtimeâtoâindicateâequilibriumâforâaâgivenâstep.â â Settingâaâhigherâvalueâwillâmakeâtheâtestâfaster,âbut â mayânotâresultâinâcompleteâequilibrium.âIfâtheâtrigger â isâturnedâoff,âtheâsampleâwillâbeâheldâatâeachâstepâfor â theâtimeâindicatedâbyâtheâtimeoutâsetting. ⢠Toâchooseâtoâincludeâaâtimeoutâsetting,âpressâ âwith â â â ââTimeoutââhighlightedâandâthenâcycleâtoâtheâdesired â valueâusingâtheâupâandâdownâarrows.âYouâcanâselectâanyââ valueâbetweenâ5.0âminâtoâ30âdays.âTheâtimeoutââ determinesâtheâmaximumâtimeâallottedâforâeachâawâstepââ NOTâtheâtimeâfromâstartingâawâtoâfinalâaw.âTheâdefaultââ valueâisâoff,âwhichâmeansâthereâisânoâtimeoutâvalueââ andâonlyâtheâtriggerâvalueâdeterminesâtheâendâofâstep.ââ Ifâyouâsetâbothâaâtriggerâvalueâandâtimeoutâvalue,ââ whicheverâVSAâreachesâfirstâdeterminesâtheâendâofâstep. ⢠Toâchooseâtoâhaveâtheâisothermâloop,âpressâ âwith â â â âLoopââhighlightedâtoâtoggleâbetweenâonâandâoff.â â â â Turningâloopâonâcausesâtheâisothermâtoâautomatically â â â returnâtoâtheâstartâawâ(withâtheâsameâsettings)âonce â â â theâfinalâawâhasâbeenâachieved.âThisâwouldâcreate â â â bothâanâadsorptionâandâdesorptionâcurveâ(orâviceâversa â â â dependingâonâtheâstartingâdirection).â
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⢠Theâdeleteâentryâisâusedâtoâremoveâanâunwantedâstage.
⢠Followâtheâmessageâonâtheâscreenâtoâplaceâanâemptystainlessâsteelâcupâinâtheâchamberâandâsealâit.âPressâ totareâtheâcup.
⢠Followâtheâmessageâonâtheâscreenâtoâplaceâtheâsampleâintheâcupâandâpressâ âtoâweightâtheâsample.
⢠Pressâ âtoâbeginâtheâtest.
5. Running a water activity testâ (Can not be done whenisotherm test is running)
⢠Removeâtheâweighingâpan.⢠Pressâ âuntilâyouâareâatâtheâMeasurementâTabâ(2ndâtab).Moveâlatchâleftâand/orâpressâ âtoâstartâaâreading.âThepinwheelâwillâspinâindicatingâaâmeasurementâisârunning.
⢠Theâawâreadingâforâtheâsampleâandâtheâtemperatureâwilldisplayâwhenâfinished.
⢠Toâchangeâbetweenâdewâpointâandâcapacitiveâreadings,youâwillâneedâtoâtoggleâtheâVolatilesâYes/NoâoptionâintheâConfigurationâTab.
Volatilesâ=âYesâgâCapacitiveâSensorVolatilesâ=âNoâgâDewâPointâSensor
Note: Accuracy changes to +/- 0.02 when volatiles âYesâis selected.
2365 NE Hopkins Court Pullman, Washington 99163 USA
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