INM MTL 130-0202 Rev 4
21
6.6 Cleaning the katharometer and reaction tube
1. The reaction tube may be immersed in water and gently agitated. Any deposit that is
not removed may be left in place. Rinse with distilled or de-ionised water and dry it by
standing or heating it in an oven (e.g. 55°C for 12 hours).
2. Remove the two reactor coupling nuts and the ferrules and place them in a secure place.
Do not immerse the katharometer in water.
Instead, flow water through each sensor by
either holding it under a running tap with the stream directed to the each of the couplings, or
connecting a suitably sized tube to them. Tilt the katharometer as shown so that the water
irrigates the sensor element. Five minutes of flowing tap water should suffice.
3. After the tap water wash, shake out as much water as possible and rinse several times
with distilled or de-ionised water.
4. To dry the katharometer stand it upright in a warm ventilated place overnight
and remount.
5. Alternatively follow section 7.7 up to the end of paragraph 2. Arrange a means of
passing clean dry air, nitrogen or argon through between the sample inlet and outlet
and the reverse. Pass the drying gas first one way and then the other for about 1 to 2
hours, in both directions, at flow of about 500ml/min.
Then proceed as paragraph 3 in section 7.7.
NOTE
If flushing with water, as described here, has not removed the deposits, a suitable solvent
may be tried, depending upon the type of contamination.
Figure 8
Sensor element
Water
