To get the most out of your carbon/sulfur analyser and avoid breakdowns, read these useful operating tips provided by Sam Azika in the Eltra Africa Service Department.
– Always switch the instrument to Position 1, switching the analyser to position 0 will turn of the furnace and cell box. Turning off the furnace unnecessarily stresses heating elements more than they would be if they were left on permanently and these stresses can cause them to fail prematurely. Another benefit of not switching the unit completely off is that the cell box remains warm and thus remains stable. Only turn the instrument off if you are not going to use it for more than a month.
– It is important to check the oxygen level. The oxygen level always needs to be at 1.5 bar and the supply needs to be 180- 200 litres per hour for the pump to operate properly. If the oxygen level and supply is incorrect then the sample won’t burn properly and there will be too much blow in the analyser furnace, resulting in inaccurate results.
– The temperature of the resistance furnace for most applications should be set at 1350 oC. The analyser shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes to warm up. If the furnace takes longer to warm up it means the heating elements have failed . Similarly, if the analyser is hot to the touch it means the furnace is overheating and needs to be repaired.
For more advice or to book a service for your elemental analyser, please call the Eltra Service Department on 011 818 6600 or contact services@eltra-africa.co.za