Question

Provide a component diagram sketch of a typical gas chromatography instrument setup and discuss the importance of each component.

Answer 1

1. Gas system- It is Carrier gas and gas used for flame igniting.

Carrier gas used for taking eluted sample from inlet to Detector. Ex- Helium.

Some gases are used for igniting detector. Ex – Hydrogen and air used for igniting flame in some kind of detectors

2. Inlet - It is part where sample injected into system

Here temperature is maintained at higher side as all the sample converted into vapor. Sample can be injected with syringe

3.Column- It is the part where separation takes place.

Two types of columns are available they are

Capillary Columns-Open Tube, Little pressure drop, long length like 60 m

Packed Columns -Pressure drop is high due to tight packing, Length 6 m to 20 m

4. Detectors – It is the part where quantification of eluate takes place.

Types of detectors available are

Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD)

Flame Ionization Detector (FID)

Flame Photometric Detector (FPD)

Electron Capture Detector (ECD)

Mass Spectrometer (MS)

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)

Nitrogen/Phosphorous Detector (NPD)

5. Data System – It is Output which use software program and gives will report in desired format .It is called as chromatogram

PROCESS IS SHOWN AS BELOW