Rotronic AwTherm Instruction Manual
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Rotronic AwTherm Instruction Manual

Water activity at controlled temperature
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E-M-AwTherm-V1.1
Document code
AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature
Document title
© 2009-2010; Rotronic AG
Instruction Manual
Rotronic AG
Bassersdorf, Switzerland
Unit
Instruction Manual Version 1.1
Document Type
E-M-AwTherm v1.1

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Summary of Contents for Rotronic AwTherm

  • Page 1 Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Instruction Manual Version 1.1 Document Type Document title Instruction Manual © 2009-2010; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...
  • Page 2 AwTherm: Important notice before first use Document Type Document title Contents of the Standard Supply Package: • AwTherm stabilised temperature water activity meter with either PS-14 or PS-40 sample cup holder • HW4-P-Quick-V3 software code sticker • MicroUSB cable for connection to HW4 •...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Basic Navigation ......................8 3.2.2 Main Menu ........................ 9 3.2.3 AwTherm Settings ....................10 3.2.4 Setting the AwTherm Set Point Temperature ............13 Making Measurements ......................14 3.3.1 Starting a measurement run ................... 16 3.3.2 AwE Mode ....................... 17 3.3.3 AwQ Mode ......................
  • Page 4 Table of Contents AwTherm: Table of Contents Document Type Document title A4: AwTherm Environmental Conditions ..................33 A5: Electrical Specifications ......................33 A6: Battery disposal and replacement ..................34 B1: AwTherm Warranty Statement ....................35 B2: Manufacturer & Service Centre Contact Information .............. 36 ©...

  • Page 5: Scope Of Document

    HygroGen2 or a PC running Rotronic HW4 software (see section 5) using a special cable (not supplied). Alternatively, the Aw parameter only can be calibrated in situ using Rotronic Calibration Salts and adjusted using HW4 running on a PC connected to the AwTherm via its micro USB port. © 2012; Rotronic AG...

  • Page 6: Setting Up The Awtherm

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title Setting up the AwTherm 2.1 Physical Location To ensure correct operation please ensure that: 1. The unit is level and stable;...
  • Page 7 If there is risk of power spikes or breaks, it is recommended that an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) is used to provide continued power and mains filtration. This should be rated according to the AwTherm power specifications (see Appendix A5: Electrical Specifications) and the time required to run/shutdown during power outage.

  • Page 8: Awtherm Assembly

    AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 2.3 AwTherm Assembly Figure 2-1 - AwTherm Assembly (with lid open, front and rear view) 1) Lid 2) Removable measuring head 3) Sensor 4) Rubber seal 5) Electrical mains connection...

  • Page 9: Sample Cup Size

    18) Removable heat pump fan filter 2.4 Sample cup size AwTherm is available in either PS14 (14mm depth) or PS40 (40mm depth) sample cup holder sizes. Alternative sample cup holders are available as accessories (see Section A3: AwTherm Order Codes).

  • Page 10: Awtherm Operation

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title AwTherm Operation 3.1 Switching On 1. Ensure the electrical mains supply is correctly plugged in and switched on.

  • Page 11: Awtherm Interface

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 3.2 AwTherm Interface Figure 3-2 AwTherm Top Level Screen 19) Temperature trend indication 20) Aw trend indication...

  • Page 12: Basic Navigation

    Document title 3.2.1 Basic Navigation The AwTherm interface consists of a Top Level Screen with 3 fields which can be manipulated: (set point) temperature, status, and device settings (Menu). Pressing the up or down arrow scrolls through each of these, highlighting each one in turn. To select one, press the ENTER button. The field will flash, and the functionality activated.

  • Page 13: Main Menu

    Page Document title 3.2.2 Main Menu There are a number of AwTherm system and program settings that can be configured. To access the settings, select MENU and press the ENTER button. Figure 3-4 Access Device Settings Menu NB For all menus and sub-menus, to return to the previous screen, scroll down to the RETURN field and press the ENTER button.

  • Page 14: Awtherm Settings

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title Any adjustable parameter can be selected using the UP/DOWN and ENTER touch buttons in the same manner as described for basic menu navigation.
  • Page 15 Page Document title iii) Time/Date Settings; Date and time can be set and displayed on the AwTherm (off by default). Time/date is only displayed for convenience and is not used a part of data logging and therefore is not crucial to the operation of the instrument. Data logging is performed using Rotronic HW4 software running on an external PC (see Section 5.1).
  • Page 16 Section 3.3.3. Figure 3-9 AwQ Settings vi) Service; the AwTherm firmware can be updated via this menu using a Micro USB drive inserted into the Micro USB port (11) on the rear of the AwTherm. Figure 3-10 Service Select the Update Firmware field and change the NO to YES using the up or down arrow keys and press ENTER.

  • Page 17: Setting The Awtherm Set Point Temperature

    With the Temperature Control parameter turned on (Section 3.2.3), and the lid (1) closed, the AwTherm will control the temperature of the sample chamber environment (12). The heat pump (6) controls the temperature of the air which is circulated through the airflow sleeve (7) around the outside the walls of the sample chamber.

  • Page 18: Making Measurements

    Document title Figure 3-13 Define new Set Point Temperature AwTherm will now control the temperature of the chamber to the new temperature. The time it takes for the chamber to reach the temperature will depend on the ambient conditions, and the initial and set point temperatures.
  • Page 19 2) The stability of the temperature signal is constantly monitored 3) After an initial period of time (dwell time), AwTherm uses the humidity data to project the end value of the equilibration process (water activity). The measurement ends automatically as soon as the projected Aw value is stable.

  • Page 20: Starting A Measurement Run

    Figure 3-15 Select START and press ENTER The measurement run will now begin. At the end of the run, the AwTherm will sound an audible beep (if so configured, see Section 3.2.3) and hold the values on the screen, displaying FINISHED in the status field.

  • Page 21: Awe Mode

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 3.3.2 AwE Mode Figure 3-16 AwE process flowchart © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...

  • Page 22: Awq Mode

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 3.3.3 AwQ Mode Figure 3-17 AwQ process flowchart © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...

  • Page 23: Switching Off The Awtherm

    Document title 3.4 Switching off the AwTherm To turn off AwTherm, press and hold the ENTER touch button until the Shutting Down screen appears and the progress bar has completed. To cancel the shutdown process at any time, simply stop pressing the ENTER touch button.

  • Page 24: Preparing The Unit For Transit Or Storage

    AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 3.5 Preparing the Unit for Transit or Storage If the AwTherm needs to be shipped, always use the original double-layer cardboard and foam packaging. © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...

  • Page 25: Sample Preparation

    This is best achieved by placing the sample in a Rotronic PS14 or PS40 sample cup with a lid in place until the sample is ready to be placed in the instrument and its lid closed.

  • Page 26: Define Procedures

    5.1 HW4 AwTherm is bundled with ROTRONIC HW4 logging software which can be loaded on any PC running a Windows OS. Once installed simply connect the AwTherm to a PC via the MicroUSB port with the supplied cable. HW4 features include: •...

  • Page 27: Servicing And Maintenance

    Servicing and Maintenance 6.1 AwTherm Calibration A unique feature of the AwTherm is the ability to remove the entire head to calibrate both the Aw and temperature sensors. Alternatively, AwTherm can be calibrated in-situ for Aw using Rotronic calibration salts.
  • Page 28 Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...
  • Page 29 Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...

  • Page 30: Calibrate In Hygrogen2

    Prior to cleaning, the unit should be disconnected from the electrical mains supply. 6.2.1 External surfaces The external surfaces of the AwTherm may be cleaned with a lint-free cloth dampened with a mild soap solution. Care must be taken not to allow fluids into any of the apertures on the unit.

  • Page 31: Chamber

    AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 6.2.3 Chamber Periodically it is recommended that the internal surfaces of the AwTherm chamber. The bottom half can be removed and placed in a dishwasher. © 2012; Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm v1.1...

  • Page 32: Annual Servicing Of Awtherm

    Rotronic AG E-M-AwTherm-V1.1 Bassersdorf, Switzerland Document code Unit Instruction Manual for Software AwTherm: Water Activity at Controlled Temperature Version 1.1 Document Type Page Document title 6.3 Annual Servicing of AwTherm The unit does not require routine user maintenance beyond that described in this Section.

  • Page 33: Firmware Updates

    ‘NO’ to ‘YES’ and press ENTER to continue. The AwTherm will ask for a pen drive. Insert a micro USB stick loaded with the desired firmware in its root directory. The firmware will be a file called “AW_image.hex”...
  • Page 34 Document Type Page Document title The AwTherm will verify the firmware image and re-flash its memory. The software will start as normal. You can then check the new software version in Device Info as detailed in Section 3.2.3(i). © 2012; Rotronic AG...

  • Page 35: A1: Awtherm / Screen Messages

    A1: AwTherm / Screen Messages Should the AwTherm fail to communicate with the sensor head, a Hardware Diagnostic page will display.

  • Page 36: A2: Awtherm Specifications

    HW4-compatible Yes (v 3.6.0 and higher) aw-Quick function Interface Micro USB Calibration / Adjustment Aw & Temperature: HG2-S (probe removed with AwT-CAL) ROTRONIC humidity standards (via HW4) Trend indicator Probes Sensor HYGROMER IN-1 ® Maintenance / Calibration Annual calibration (recommended) Long-Term Stability <0.01 aw/year...

  • Page 37: A3: Awtherm Order Codes

    AwTherm Body incl. Standard AwT-MHS and AwT-PS14 AwTherm-PS40 AwTherm Body incl. Standard AwT-MHS and AwT-PS40 AW-Therm SET AwTherm-SET AwTherm Body incl. Standard AwT-MHS and AwT-PS14 AND AwT-PS40 AWTherm Measuring Heads AwT-MHS AwTherm measurement head standard AWTherm sample container holder AwT-PS14...

  • Page 38: A6: Battery Disposal And Replacement

    Batteries must not be disposed of as ordinary refuse. Please use a local battery recycler. Replacement batteries are available from Rotronic. These are Lithium rechargeable batteries and must only be replaced with the same type. The replacement battery will be supplied with plastic tweezers; do not use a metal tool to remove the battery as this will cause a short circuit.

  • Page 39: B1: Awtherm Warranty Statement

    B1: AwTherm Warranty Statement ROTRONIC will grant a warranty for the AwTherm for a period of 24 months from the date of delivery in respect of any evidenced faulty workmanship and materials. The warranty period is extended by a further 24 months when the unit is serviced at a ROTRONIC approved service centre 24 months after the date of supply.

  • Page 40: B2: Manufacturer & Service Centre Contact Information

    B2: Manufacturer & Service Centre Contact Information Manufacturer/UK Service Switzerland Service Centre: USA Service Centre: Centre : Rotronic Instrument Corp. Rotronic AG Suite 150 Rotronic Instruments (UK) Ltd Grindelstrasse 6 135 Engineers Road Crompton Fields CH-8303 Hauppauge, NY 11788, Crompton Way Bassersdorf...

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