Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-2000, Operator'S Manual

Page: 76 / 390

ICS-2000 Ion Chromatography System
3-12
Doc. 031857-03 4/06
NOTE The suppressor, eluent generator, and CR-TC are
always turned off automatically when the pump is
turned off.
3.8 Equilibrate the System and Verify Operational Status
NOTE You can monitor system functions (conductivity,
pressure, cell temperature, etc.) from the Chromeleon
Control panel or from the touch screen
HOME
page.
1. Allow the system to equilibrate. During equilibration, the Chromeleon
Control panel displays the background conductivity (the conductivity of the
eluent before sample injection) and the system backpressure.
2. Monitor the background conductivity. Refer to the column manual for the
appropriate background conductivity for your application.
3. Offset the background and zero the reading by clicking the Autozero button
on the Chromeleon Control panel (see Figure 3-4 ).
4. Monitor the system pressure from the Control panel to make sure it is at the
expected pressure for the installed column (refer to the column manual for
details) and is stable.
•
If the pressure is less than the expected amount, gas may be trapped in the
system. To release the gas, remove the pump fitting on the injection valve
port, labeled
P
(
2
). Allow the air to escape and then reconnect the fitting.
•
If the pressure fluctuates by more than about 0.13 MPa (20 psi), prime the
pump. See
Section 4.3 for additional troubleshooting information.
•
If the pressure is too high, there may be a restriction in the system
plumbing (see
Section 3.6 ). See Section 4.7 for troubleshooting
information.
5. Verify that the baseline conductivity is at the expected reading for your
application and is stable. In general, it should be <30
µ
S for a system set up
for anion analyses and <2
µ
S for a system set up for cation analyses. See
Section 4.12 for troubleshooting information if the conductivity is too high.
See Section 4.13 if the baseline is drifting or has excessive “noise” (large
fluctuations in readings).
6. Verify that the cell heater is at the set point and is stable. The temperature is at
equilibrium when the Set Temperature and the Current Temperature