The Orbitrap Excedion Series instruments require nitrogen gas for its different components. The required gas pressure is 600 ± 50 kPa (87 ± 7 psi), and the maximum line pressure is 650 kPa (94 psi).
NOTICE
To avoid damage to internal fittings and valves, ensure that pressure fluctuations do not cause the pressure to exceed 800 kPa (116 psi).
NOTICE
Your laboratory gas supply might provide nitrogen also for other consumers or peripherals. In this case, make sure that the supply for the mass spectrometer always meets the requirements for pressure, purity, and stability described in this topic.
The instrument can operate reliably only when the pressure of the source gas stays within the required limits. If your laboratory gas supply also provides nitrogen for other consumers, then you must install a pre-regulator in the gas line that leads to the source-gas port of the mass spectrometer.
Contaminants that are introduced during the installation of house lines that are used for gas delivery can cause damage to the system. Make sure that all gas lines that are used with your system are free of all particulates and oils. You are responsible for any damage to the instrument that is caused by contaminants introduced from your gas delivery system.
Your system can use large amounts of gas during daily operations. The gas consumption strongly depends on the type of analysis the instrument is used for. It is essential that the different gas types be delivered with the necessary pressure and purity, as described in the following tables.
Gas type | Pressure | Purity | Connector size | Maximum flow | Consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source gas | 0.6 ± 0.05 MPa | 99% (High Purity [HP])2) | 6 mm | 45 NL/min | 65,000 L/day |
Reagent carrier gas / HCD collision gas | 99.999% (Ultra High Purity [UHP]) | 1/16 in. | 0.07 NL/min | 100 L/day | |
NOTE The use of ultra-high purity nitrogen (UHP, 99.999%) for the reagent carrier gas and HCD collision gas (and C-Trap bath gas) is mandatory. | |||||
Application | LC flow rate (approximate) | Source settings [arbitrary units] | Consumption [NL/min] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Source gas3) | HCD collision gas | |||
Nano-Spray | N/A | Sheath gas: 0, aux gas: 0, | 0 | 0.074) |
Low flow | 5 µL/min | Sheath gas: 1, aux gas: 6, | 7 | |
Medium flow | 200 µL/min | Sheath gas: 35, aux gas: 10, sweep gas: 0 | 15 | |
High flow | 1 mL/min | Sheath gas: 60, aux gas: 20, sweep gas: 5 | 28 | |
NOTE
When the Internal Calibration source is switched off, the maximum consumption of UHP nitrogen gas is 0.04 NL/min (applicable only on non-ETD instruments). Refer to the Orbitrap Excedion Series Operating Manual.
The following table shows the estimated nitrogen consumption for different calibration types at ambient pressure and with low-flow settings (source gas consumption: 7 NL/min).
Action | Estimated duration | Estimated consumption |
|---|---|---|
Manual spray stability optimization | 30 min | 195 NL |
Mass calibration | 1 min | 5 NL |
Full system calibration | 2 h | 800 NL |
NOTE
The duration of the full system calibration includes 30 minutes to ensure a stable spray.
Make sure that the maximum flow rate of the nitrogen source of your choice matches the requirements of your applications. You can supply the nitrogen for your instrument from one source (single supply) or two sources (dual supply). See the following table for an overview.
Supply type | Nitrogen purity | Nitrogen source (Examples) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Single Supply | >99.999% purity (<0.001% oxygen content) | LN2 evaporator, cylinder bundle, PSA nitrogen generator | |
Dual Supply | Collision gas: | >99.999% purity (5.0) | LN2 evaporator, cylinder bundle, PSA nitrogen generator |
Source gases: | Required: >95% | Membrane nitrogen generator | |
Recommended: >99% | LN2 evaporator, cylinder bundle, PSA nitrogen generator | ||
TIP
A nitrogen generator can expel a considerable amount of water (about 10 L per day) from its drain port, dependant on the ambient humidity. Connect the drain tubing to a suitable drain connection or container. If a container is used, it should be emptied at regular intervals. The container must not have an air tight seal because water and air are expelled at pressure. Fix the drain ending of the tube firmly to prevent it from vibrating during draining.
Thermo Fisher maintains a list of approved nitrogen generators, which have been tested with the instrument and will provide sufficient nitrogen quality.
The instrument is prepared for single supply. It comes with a Y-piece that has a 6 mm press-in fitting for the hose coming from the nitrogen source. A short segment of 6 mm hose connects the Y-piece to the source-gas port of the instrument. A 6 mm-to-1/16 in. adapter connects the Y-piece to the HCD collision gas port of the instrument.
| No. | Description | No. | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gas inlets: Source & Vent (top), Trap & HCD (bottom) | 2 | Y-piece |
If you want to use two nitrogen sources of different purities, you can connect them to the instrument with 6 mm hoses. Use the Y-piece as an adapter to connect the hose for the UHP nitrogen to the HCD collision gas port of the instrument. A 6 mm plug is shipped with the Y-piece to close the unused tube, so you do not need to provide 1/16 in. stainless-steel tubing.