PerkinElmer OilExpress 4, User Manual

Page: 105 / 152

Maintenance and Troubleshooting . 105
7. Align the hole in the front of the cell with the holes in the gasket and front window.
8. Insert and tighten the four screws using a hexagonal wrench until the screws just touch
the front of the cell.
CAUTION
The windows in the flow cell are brittle and easily broken. Ensure that
you do not tighten the screws holding the flow cell together too tightly.
Ensure that the three conical washers on each screw are oriented as
shown in Figure 60 to prevent leakage from the cell.
9. Use a torque driver to tighten each screw one-quarter turn, in the sequence shown
(Figure 61), until a torque value of 24 cNm is reached.
NOTE: The sequence in which you tighten the screws is important. The sequence shown
below is designed to prevent unequal pressure being applied to the flow cell, and
thereby help prevent any damage being caused.
Figure 61 Flow cell securing sequence
10. Follow the procedure for reinstalling the flow cell in the sample shuttle described in
Removing and Installing the Flow Cell
starting on page 97.
Before using the system, collect the spectrum of the empty flow cell and then
recalibrate the flow cell pathlength.
The empty cell spectrum should be collected before any system liquid or sample is
loaded into the flow cell. Refer to
Empty Cell Spectrum
on page 105.
It is essential that the pathlength of the flow cell is recalculated after the cell has been
dismantled. Failing to carry out this procedure will seriously affect the results obtained
using the OilExpress 4 System.
Empty Cell Spectrum
The empty cell spectrum was collected for each flow cell installed with your OilExpress 4
System by your PerkinElmer Service Representative. However, after refurbishing your flow
cell, or before using a new flow cell, you will need to collect a new empty cell reference
spectrum.
The empty cell spectrum is specific to the spectrometer and flow cell combination, so if you
have a DUO system you will need to collect an empty cell spectrum for each spectrometer.
Screw 1
Screw 2
Screw 4
Screw 3