Hi group,

I have a need to switch autosamplers between 2 different peripherals for 
the foreseeable future. Is there a way that I can safely remove the 
autosampler from the TCEA while it is at 1400C, and cap it quickly, 
without cooling it down? How long can the hot column be exposed to room 
air? I'm assuming this is a bad idea, but if it's fine it makes things 
easier.

Also, since I've inherited a TCEA, I'm not sure it has the right GC 
column in it. I can't find documentation of what it should have. For 
reference, I'm running cellulose and bulk plant samples. It currently 
has a 6 ft 5A 60/50 mol sieve column in it, but I'm not getting the flow 
rate specified in the manual downstream of the GC column (90 mL/min at 
0.85 bar). I'm getting ~20mL/min at 1.1 bar He carrier gas pressure. I 
can't find any leaks, so I was wondering if the GC column is wrong. I 
guess the other possibility is I packed the glassy carbon tube too 
tight. Any thoughts on whether this is a big deal?

Thanks,
Lisa

-- 
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Dr. Lisa Welp, Assistant Professor
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Purdue University
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http://www.eaps.purdue.edu/research/lwelp/