Valco baby Vici TCD-3 Instruction Manual

Thermal conductivity detector

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Valco Instruments Co. Inc.

North America, South America, and Australia/Oceania contact:

Thermal Conductivity

Detector

Instruction Manual

Model TCD-3

Valco Instruments Co. Inc.

800 · 367· 8424

sales

713 · 688· 9345

tech

713 · 688· 8106

fax

valco@vici.com

Europe, Asia, and Africa contact::

VICI AG International

Schenkon, Switzerland

Int + 41 · 41 · 925· 6200

Int + 41 · 41 · 925· 6201

info@vici.ch

Rev 1/20

phone

fax

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Page 1 Valco Instruments Co. Inc. Thermal Conductivity Detector Instruction Manual Model TCD-3 Rev 1/20 North America, South America, and Australia/Oceania contact: Europe, Asia, and Africa contact:: Valco Instruments Co. Inc. VICI AG International 800 · 367· 8424 sales Schenkon, Switzerland 713 · 688· 9345 tech Int + 41 ·...
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction Description ............................1 Operating Principle........................... 1 Operational Overview ........................2 Safety Notes and Information ....................... 3 Symbols ............................3 Installation Category ......................3 Safety ............................3 Maintenance..........................3 Components of the Detector System ..................4 Description of Controls, Indicators, and Connectors ............5 Hardware Specifications .........................
Page 4 Table of Contents (continued) TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface ................21 Control Screen ..........................21 Configuration Screen ........................22 Graph Screen ............................26 STATUS LED States and Troubleshooting ..................28 Maintenance ..............................29 Cleaning the Enclosure .........................29 Bake Out Procedure ........................29 Appendix A: Digital I/O Control ......................30 Digital I/O Port ..........................30 Digital I/O Connector ........................30 Digital Signal Inputs ........................31...
Page 5: Description
Introduction Description The TCD-3 is designed to operate either as a standalone test unit or as a compo- nent in a larger chromatographic system. The unit consists of a detector cell and a controller module, plus the required interconnecting cables. The detector cell includes two separate filaments, A and B, with outputs designated as Channel A and Channel B.
Page 6: Operational Overview
Introduction Operational Overview System parameters such as detector cell temperature, filament power levels, output channel nominal voltage levels, and communication settings must be entered through the serial communications port. This can be done either with the included Graphical User Interface (GUI) or by entering direct commands with a terminal emulator program.
Page 7: Safety Notes And Information
Introduction Safety Notes and Information Symbols HOT SURFACE The surface of the detector body may be hot while in operation (possibly in excess of 250°C). Caution should be observed. ATTENTION Refer to the manual. PROTECTIVE EARTH This internal connection provides protection against electric shock from mains voltages and should not be removed.
Page 8: Components Of The Detector System
Introduction Components of the Detector System Components of the detector system are listed in Table 1. Check the contents of the package(s) to verify that everything is present. Contact the factory if anything is missing or damaged. (NOTE: Damaged shipments must remain with the original packaging for freight company inspection.) Description Product no...
Page 9: Description Of Controls, Indicators, And Connectors
Introduction THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY DETECTOR HEATERS TCD3 RS-232 DIGITAL I/O POWER 48 VDC STATUS FILAMENTS ANALOG OUT Valco Instruments Co. Inc. Figure 2: Front (left) and rear panels of the TCD-3 controller Description of Controls, Indicators, and Connectors Front Panel Indicators 1.
Page 10: Hardware Specifications
Introduction 4. 48 VDC connector The 4' cable from the 48 VDC power supply is plugged into this connector. 5. RS 232 connector Connect the controller to a PC via a standard DE9 extension cable (M-F). This DE-9F connector conforms to EIA-232C standard pin-outs for a DCE device. 6.
Page 11: System Requirements
System Requirements Components Not Included with the Detector System • Carrier gas (99.999% purity is recommended) • Ultra high purity grade gas pressure regulator with stainless steel diaphragm (recommended) • Any special adapters required for connection to the gas regulator •...
Page 12: Carrier Gas Selection
System Requirements Carrier Gas Selection The detector’s response to a component is based upon the difference between the thermal conductivities of the component and the carrier gas; the greater the difference, the greater the response. The table below shows thermal conductivi- ties for a variety of light gases, given in units of milliwatts per meter per degree Kelvin.
Page 13: Installation
Installation The detector is usually mounted on top of the GC column oven. The cord for the TCD controller is 3 m (10') long (AC cord + desktop supply + power cord); the detector cable and the signal output are 1.2 m (4') long. General Precautions •...
Page 14: Detector Mounting
Installation 5" 3.75" .1" 6" 2.8125" 5.625" 1.25" 1.5" 1" 3" Figure 5: TCD-3 detector cell/oven module dimensions Detector Mounting Vertical Mounting The detector has no particular orientation requirements, but it should have adequate thermal isolation from the column oven and injection port. Most GCs have an existing opening which will allow the TCD-3 detector module to sit verti- cally on top of the column oven with the column inlet extending into the oven.
Page 15: Horizontal Mounting
Installation CAUTION: Do not mount the detector near the column oven cool-down vents. Horizontal Mounting Some older GCs have access to the column oven through the side of the GC. This does not present a problem as far as operation of the TCD-3 is concerned. Drill a hole at the appropriate location, orient the detector for convenient connection, and mark the position of the mounting holes.
Page 16 Installation CAUTION: Never use leak detecting fluids on any part of the TCD-3 system. CHANNEL A CHANNEL B VENT VENT DETECTOR PURIFIER (ZT1) CHANNEL A CHANNEL B INLET INLET (gold ferrule) (stainless ferrule) CARRIER GAS (99.999% He) FLOW CONTROLLERS COLUMN INJECTOR COLUMN INJECTOR...
Page 17: Installing And Purging A Purifer
Installation Installing and Purging a Purifier 1. If the pressure regulator has a 1/8" male cone-type outlet port, install a Valco 1/8" external to 1/16" internal reducer (EZR21); if it has a 1/4" male cone-type outlet port, install a Valco 1/4" external to 1/16" internal reducer (EZR41). For other regulator outlet fittings, a wide variety of Valco adapters are available.
Page 18: Packed Columns
Installation To make column connection as convenient as possible, each TCD is shipped with two Valco 1/16" unions (Product No. B-ZU1C), with nuts and ferrules (Product Nos. ZN1 and ZF1). Also included are two fused silica adapters (FSR1.8) for use with .53 mm ID wide bore capillary columns (.8 mm OD).
Page 19: Cable Connections
Installation Cable Connections Before connecting the any detector cables to the control module, make sure that the control module power cord is unplugged and the TCD3 controller power switch is off. Hot-plugging system elements is not recommended. NOTE: The HEATER and FILAMENTS connectors carry live voltages, and should only be used with equipment having no accessible live parts.
Page 20: Flow Rate Settings
Installation HEATERS RS-232 DIGITAL I/O 48 VDC FILAMENTS ANALOG OUT CHANNEL CHANNEL RED (+10V) BLACK (–) WHITE (+1V) INLET INLET Figure 8: TCD-3 cable connections Flow Rate Settings Since the TCD-3 is a concentration-dependent detector, the lower the flow rate through the detector, the higher the sensitivity.
Page 21: Installing The Graphical User Interface (Gui) Software
Installation Installing the Graphical User Interface (GUI) Software If you prefer to program and operate the TCD-3 via console port commands instead of the GUI, refer to “Appendix B: Basic TCD Operation via Serial Commands on page 32.” A PC/laptop operating under Windows 7/8/10 is required to use the TCD-3 Graphical User Interface (GUI) program.
Page 22 Installation GREEN LIGHT INDICATES THERMOMETER ICON RETURNS THERMAL STABILITY TO CONTROL SCREEN BRIGHT GREEN LIGHT INDICATES PROPER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMPUTER AND THE TCD CONTROLLER WHEN A DIFFERENT COM PORT IS SELECTED, CLICK HERE TO RE-ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION Figure 10: Configuration screen If the green indicator is dark instead of bright as above: 4.
Page 23: Initial Bakeout And Equilibration
Initial Bakeout and Equilibration The basic procedures and temperature settings described below are for refer- enced mode operation, but they can also be applied to operation in the single filament or independent mode. Just make sure that both channels have the same carrier gas;...
Page 24: Balancing The Channels
Initial Bakeout and Equilibration Filament Power (%) Figure 11: Approximate Filament Temperature vs. Filament Power Setting Balancing the Channels The output channel voltage levels vary greatly depending upon factors such as temperature, filament power, gas concentration, pressure, flow rate, etc. Due to these factors, the TCD-3 output channels must be periodically leveled, which adjusts their output state to a desired voltage level (typically 0 Volts).
Page 25: Tcd Operation With The Graphical User Interface
TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface The steps of establishing communication and performing the initial bakeout and equilibration have already demonstrated some of the functionality of the GUI. A fuller explanation follows. Much of the GUI functionality is intuitive from the context, but included here in the interest of providing a complete reference.
Page 26: Configuration Screen
TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface 3. Thermometer icon Clicking the thermometer on the Graph or Configuration screen returns the GUI to this Control screen. On the Control screen, it has no functionality. 4. Graph icon Clicking the graph opens the Graph screen (page 26). 5.
Page 27 TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface Figure 13: Configuration screen of the TCD-3 GUI 4. Graph icon Clicking the graph opens the Graph screen (page 26). 5. Gear icon Clicking the gear on the Control or Graph screen returns the GUI to this Configuration screen.
Page 28 TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface 9. Unit Status info box This box is empty until communication has been established. Then it will display one of the messages below: All systems good The unit is working correctly, and output channels are properly adjusted.
Page 29 TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface 13. Sytem Info boxes These contain information about the hardware, software, and firmware version you are running. 14. Auto Zero Target Voltages input fields Since output levels are usually adjusted to 0 Volts, the phrase “Auto-Zero” is often used to describe any adjustment of the output channels to a specified DC voltage level.
Page 30: Graph Screen
TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface 18. Reset Graph button Clicking the Reset Graph button clears all history from the graph and begins a new data collection cycle. 19. Resynchronize Controls button The Resynchronize Controls button forces the GUI software to re-read all the settings and states from the TCD-3 controller and update the software’s indica- tors to match.
Page 31 TCD Operation with the Graphical User Interface 3. Detector Stable LED A green light indicates that temperature stability has been reached after a change in the detector temperature setting, or after the detector has been turned back on after a power-down period. 4.
Page 32: Status Led States And Troubleshooting
STATUS LED States and Troubleshooting The STATUS LED on the front of the unit functions in parallel with the Unit Status LED of the GUI, and allows the system status to be monitored without a serial data link. The various states of this bi-color indicator are listed below, along with an explanation of its indicated status.
Page 33: Maintenance
Maintenance Cleaning the Enclosure The exterior of the instrument should be cleaned regularly with a dusting brush. If necessary, the casing can be cleaned with a moistened cloth (99% water + 1% mild detergent). Spirit or petroleum ether can be used to remove greasy dirt. Any other cleaning agents can attack the plastic and painted surfaces.
Page 34: Appendix A: Digital I/O Control
Appendix A: Digital I/O Control The TCD-3 controller provides digital signals for monitoring and control of the system. Note that system parameters such as detector temperature and filament power levels will still require a serial link to set. After being set, the TCD-3 can act in a stand-alone mode.
Page 35: Digital Signal Inputs
Appendix A: Digital I/O Control Digital Input Signals The three digital inputs are provided to allow basic external control of the TCD-3 without the need of a serial link. These 5V CMOS inputs have internal pull-up resistors (4.7kΩ) to +5V, allowing them to be driven by external digital logic, or to use a contact closure driver, such as a relay.
Page 36: Appendix B: Basic Control Of The Tcd Via Serial Commands
Appendix B: Basic TCD Operation via Serial Commands NOTE: For more thorough documentation of the serial control possibilities designed into the TCD-3 controller, contact VICI tech support. Establishing Serial Communication Serial communication must be established with the TCD-3 controller unit to set system parameters, including detector temperature and filament power levels.
Page 37: Initial Bakeout And Equilibration
Appendix B: Basic TCD Operation via Serial Commands Initial Bakeout and Equilibration Initial Conditioning 4. Set the detector temperature to 220°C: Type TS 220<enter> on the command line. 5. Set the power level of both filaments to 90%; Type FA 90<enter> for filament A. Type FB 90<enter>...
Page 38: Serial Communication Protocols
Appendix B: Basic TCD Operation via Serial Commands Serial Communication Protocols General Console Port Usage • Commands issued to the TCD-3 must be terminated with a carriage return character (<CR>). (When using a terminal program for communications, pressing the ENTER key generates the carriage return character.) •...
Page 39: Serial Commands
Appendix B: Basic TCD Operation via Serial Commands Serial Commands The TCD-3 system uses a simple two character pneumonic command structure. Each command must be followed by the <ENTER> key. Several of the commands are read/set commands. That is, entering the two character command alone asks the TCD to read and respond with the current setting.
Page 40: Connection Matrices
Appendix C: Heater and Filament Connector Signal Descriptions and Connection Matrices Heater Connector Signal definitions HTR- HTR+ RTD- RTD+ B HTR- CHSGND RTD- RTD+ A 4 3 2 Connection matrix pin/signal B4/HTR- B3/HTR+ B2/RTD- B1/RTD+ A4/HTR- A3/CHSGND A2/RTD- A1/TRD+ 40 Ω B4/HTR- –...
Page 41: Warranty
Warranty This Limited Warranty gives the Buyer specific legal rights, and a Buyer may also have other rights that vary from state to state. For a period of 365 calen- dar days from the date of shipment, Valco Instruments Company, Inc. (hereinafter Seller) warrants the goods to be free from defect in material and workmanship to the original purchaser.
Page 42: Detector Performance Log
Detector Performance Log TCD3 Detector Model: Serial Number: Date of purchase: Date Operator Comments Column Detector Noise Sample Detector temp temp level flow (°C) (°C) Initial power up (IPU) — — IPU, detector to analysis temp — — IPU, column installed Ambient —...