Gas Chromatograph System Employing Hydrogen Carrier Gas

摘要

An injection port for a gas chromatograph (GC) is operated such that, during an injection sequence, an inert gas is used for sample transfer to the analytical column while hydrogen is subsequently utilized for the majority of the analytical separation. This allows for a high degree of chromatographic efficiency, while also reducing unwanted chemical reactions involving hydrogen and/or reactive solvents in a hot injection port. Certain embodiments also provide an increased margin of safety when using hydrogen, since the total flow may be limited such that the concentration of hydrogen in the GC oven never exceeds a safety limit, such as the lower explosive limit.

主权项

1. A gas chromatography (GC) system comprising:
a sample injector comprising a heater and a gas inlet port; a gas inlet line fluidically coupled to the gas inlet line operable to supply gas to the sample injector; a GC analytical column fluidically coupled to the sample injector and configured to receive a volatilized sample and the supplied gas from the sample injector; a source of hydrogen gas and a source of an inert gas; a selection valve fluidically coupled between the gas inlet line and each of the source of hydrogen and the source of inert gas; and an electronic controller electrically coupled to the selection valve and comprising program instructions so as to cause the selection valve to cause the inert gas to be delivered to the sample injector during transport of the volatilized sample from the sample injector to the GC analytical column and to cause the hydrogen gas to be delivered to the sample injector during chromatographic separation of sample components within the GC analytical column.