Maintenance and care
PlasmaQuant 9100 (Elite)
66
7.2.4
Cleaning the nebulizer
Clean the nebulizer if it is clogged due to particles or high concentrations of salt in the
samples. An indicator that the nebulizer has clogged up is increased carrier gas pressure.
Checking the carrier gas pres-
sure
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Open the Plasma |Control window via
.
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Compare the current carrier gas (pressure) percentage with the value previously
achieved after installation of the new or cleaned nebulizer.
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Clean the nebulizer as described below if the percentage has increased significantly
(i.e. by more than half the original value), but at a value of 75% at the latest.
Cleaning the nebulizer
Clean the nebulizer using the nebulizer cleaning tool. This tool can be ordered from
Analytik Jena AG.
A special nebulizer cleaning tool is available for the PFA nebulizer (HF Kit) and the op-
tional parallel-path nebulizer.
Figure 30Nebulizer cleaning tool
1 Nebulizer
2 Nebulizer holder
3 1st red O-ring
4 Syringe
WARNING
Risk of methanol poisoning
Methanol is poisonous if inhaled, swallowed or on skin contact. The liquid and its vapors
are highly flammable.
¡
Wear protective glass and clothing when working with methanol. Work under an ex-
traction hood.
¡
Keep methanol away from heat, sparks, open flames and hot surfaces.
¡
Observe all notes and specifications in the safety data sheet.
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Unscrew the nebulizer holder from the syringe and fill the syringe with methanol.
Pull the plunger out to the first red O-ring.
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Screw the nebulizer holder onto the syringe.
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Push the nebulizer with the tip first into the holder until the side carrier gas connec-
tion comes to rest in the holder groove.
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Hold the nebulizer cleaning tool over a receptacle and push the plunger into the sy-
ringe. The methanol should flow out of both connection pieces.
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To remove particle deposits from the nebulizer cannula: Increase the pressure by
closing the carrier gas connector with a finger. Use the same method to increase the
pressure by closing the sample inlet to remove particles from the carrier gas connec-
tor.