Thermo Scientific TRACE 1300 Series GC: Installation

Installing and Controlling Thermo Scientific Devices
TRACE 1300 Series GC: Installation

Device Type	Gas chromatograph
Device Driver:	Thermo Scientific: TRACE 1300 Series Driver (tested for firmware version 01.99.62 )
Supported Hardware Options:	Up to 2 Inlets Options: - Split/Splitless Injector (SSL) - SSL with Backflush - Gas Sampling Valve (GSV) - Helium Saver (SSL) - Programmable Temperature Vaporizing Inlet (PTV) - PTV with Backflush Column Oven - maximum of 450°C - High Temperature Valve Oven - Methanizer - Nitrogen cooling - Carbon dioxide cooling Up to 2 Detectors - Electrochemical Detector (ECD) - Flame Ionization Detector (FID) - Flame Photometric Detector (FPD) - Generic Detector - Generic Detector Interface (GDI) - Nitrogen Phosphorous Detector (NPD) - Pulsed Discharge Detector (PDD) - Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) - max. acquisition rate for front/back detectors: 100Hz (see Restrictions) Electronic pressure/flow control - Column and inlet: DPFC (Digital Pressure Flow Control) - Detector: DGFC (Digital Gas Flow Control) Auxiliary oven - up to 8 additional valves (any combination of switching valves and sampling valves) - up to 2 additional detectors (max. acquisition rate 10Hz) Up to 2 Injectors The driver supports the following Thermo Scientific autosamplers: TriPlus Classic GC Sampler TriPlus RSH GC Sampler TriPlus 100 LS Sampler TriPlus 300 HS Sampler AS/AI 1310/3000 GC Samplers
Other Supported Options:	Timebase sharing Front Timebase, Back Timebase Two samples can be processed simultaneously within one GC run. Although the GC is installed in two timebases, as a shared device, only one license is required. On the Timebase tab page in the Server Configuration, select the timebase(s) to be used for the GC. For more information about timebase sharing, refer to: Thermo Scientific TRACE 1300 Series GC: Dual Operation Injecting Two GC Samples Simultaneously (TRACE 1300 Series GC). Digital data acquisition Manual execution of the autozero command (TCD only)
Restrictions:	When acquiring digital data on several channels, make sure that data acquisition starts at the same time on all channels. Otherwise, an error message occurs during Ready Check. The data acquisition rate is limited to 100Hz for front/back detectors and 10Hz for auxiliary detectors. For manual data acquisition, all detectors will use 10Hz. Note: If the line frequency is set to 50 Hz, the maximum data collection rate is 100 Hz for all supported detector types which are configured on the front or back timebase of the GC. If the line frequency is set to 60 Hz, the maximum data collection rate is 60 Hz for each detector type configured on the front or back timebase of the GC. The following options are not supported: Analog data acquisition Assignment of devices to timebases Autosampler commands to the driver SmartStartup/SmartShutdown

What is required?

License:	Server License Timebase Class 1
Connection:	A free Ethernet (LAN) port and the following components are required: - Ethernet LAN cable to connect the GC to the Instrument Controller PC. - Cable to connect the GC to the autosampler for hardware synchronization, depending on the autosampler type. For information, refer to the operating instructions for the autosampler. Tips: It is recommended to use a separate Ethernet interface for communication with the instrument. This means that the instrument PC has two Ethernet cards, one for the office LAN and one for communication with the instrument. For better reliability, however, it is recommended to connect the autosampler to a separate device LAN and not to the office LAN. Ensure that the entered port number (default 2551)matches the configured port number on the GC. Otherwise the driver will not be able to create a connection to the GC.
Hardware Prerequisites:	Hardware synchronization between the GC and the connected autosamplers. Depending on the sampler, a different cable has to be used. For detailed information about handshake settings., refer to the GC operating instructions.
Firewall settings:	If a program or port is missing, make sure that the port for incoming connections is added to the exception list in the Windows Firewall settings. The port is set to 2551 by default. Also, see section Connection above. For Windows Firewall settings refer to Chromeleon and Windows Firewall.

Hardware Installation

Device Connection:	In order to connect an autosampler, use the appropriate cable for the respective autosampler. (For information about which cable is required, refer to the autosampler manual.)
Device Settings:	The communication settings must be as follows: static IP address (the IP address can be set via the front panel). Note: Using DHCP for address retrieval of the GC is not supported.
PrepRun Timeout	The GC can be started only when it is in Ready To Inject mode. Therefore, select a PrepRun Timeout that is long enough so that the injection takes place within this time. The PrepRun Timeout can be set via the GC's keypad [Config] [Oven] [PR Timeout]. For information about special module settings, refer to the installation instructions provided with the GC.
Analog Output Interface Settings	Analog Output Interface (AOI) settings need to be configured by means of the GC's keypad. To do so, associate an analog output channel with a detector and configure the gain range of the AOI channels. For details, refer to the installation instructions provided with the GC. For more information about setting up timed events during the prep-run or run time phases, refer to TRACE 1300 Series GC: Timed Events Options (Program).

Software Installation

In the Chromeleon Server Configuration, add the Driver to a timebase. For details, see Adding, Configuring or Deleting Devices. After you added the driver to the timebase, the Configuration dialog or wizard opens automatically.
Enter the IP address of the GC and click the 'Get' button to automatically read the instrument configuration.
Alternatively, select the desired settings on each configuration tab page. For information about the settings on a page, click the Help button on a page or press F1.

Configuration of a Remote Inject Device

When performing injections using an external sampler that is not controlled by Chromeleon or when doing manual injections, a Remote Inject device has to be installed on the timebase (Note: The TRACE 1300 Series GC Driver must be installed on the timebase prior to the Remote Inject driver):

In the Server Configuration program, add a Remote Inject driver to the timebase. (Select Add Device on the Edit or context menu, and then select Generic from the Manufacturers list box and Remote Inject from the Devices list box.)
A dialog box for the Remote Inject device appears. On the General tab page, the default device name is InjectValve. You can accept the default name or enter a different one.
From the Inject Port drop-down list, select the inject port of the TRACE 1300 Series GC Driver (TRACE_1300.Run1 for the front inlet or TRACE_1300.Run2 for the back inlet) to which the sampler is connected.

Configuration of two AS/AI 1310/3000 GC Samplers plus Remote Inject to allow Manual Injection

The following example illustrates the configuration of two AS/AI 1310/3000 GC Samplers with one TRACE 1300 Series GC using two timebases (timebase sharing) for manual injection (For more information about timebase sharing, refer to Thermo Scientific TRACE 1300 Series GC: Dual Operation). Proceed as described above:

If two AS/AI 1310/3000 GC Samplers are configured, you have to select an inject port of the TRACE 1300 Series Driver (TRACE_1300.Run1 for the front inlet or TRACE_1300.Run2 for the back inlet) for each autosampler to establish a connection.
Add a Remote Inject driver to the preferred timebase (front or back) and select one of the remaining inject ports of the TRACE 1300 Series Driver (TRACE_1300.Run3 for the front inlet or TRACE_1300.Run4 for the back inlet).

The configuration could look as follows:

Instrument Method Setup Using a GSV Inlet

A Program for a TRACE 1300 GC with a GSV (Gas Sampling Valve) inlet will not properly trigger the start of the run without some special modification.

Before setting up a program for the TRACE 1300 Series GC with a GSV, a Remote Inject device driver has to be installed in the device tree.

Note:

The TRACE 1300 Series driver must be installed on the timebase prior to the installation of the Remote Inject driver.

For more information about the installation of a Remote Inject driver, see Configuration of a Remote Inject Device above.

Setting up a program for a TRACE 1300 GC with a GSV requires some special modification of the program. For more information, refer to Thermo Scientific TRACE 1300 Series GC: Program Setup with GSV Inlet.

Leak Check Control

You can detect gas leaks from an inlet using the Leak Check functionality in Chromeleon. When you perform a leak check, the GC measures the column flow with a true mass flow sensor and compares it to a calculated flow value obtained from the original column constant to see if the numbers match. The instrument detects a gas leak if there is a significant difference between the two values.

Note:

With a TRACE 1310 GC, you can also perform a leak check using the front panel of the GC. Refer to the TRACE 1310 Hardware Manual for details.

To perform a leak check using Chromeleon

Note:

This procedure requires use of the following:

The column-flowmeter connector. Refer to the TRACE 1300/1310 Hardware Manual for details.
Chromeleon's LeakCheck commands, which are available for the GC FrontColumn/BackColumn in the Commands dialog box (see Commands). To open the Commands dialog box from a control panel, select Commands on the Control menu, or press F8.

Before starting a leak check, make sure there is a gas flow through the inlet. For example, in the Commands dialog box, set the FlowMode to PressureCtrl, set the PressureCtrl to On, and specify a nominal pressure value: Pressure.Nominal.
Use the following commands to set up the leak check:

LeakCheckPressureSet – Set the pressure for the leak check.
AllowedPressureDrop – Set a value by which the pressure is allowed to drop and still be considered to pass. Note that the available range depends on the setting for LeakCheckPressureSet.
LeakCheckTimeout – Set the duration of the leak check test.

Use the following command to start the leak check:

LeakCheckCtrl

Use the following commands to monitor the leak check:

LeakCheckElapsedTime – Reports the elapsed time for the leak check.
LeakCheckRemainingTime – Reports the remaining time for the leak check.

Finally, use the following command to see the result of the leak check:

LeakCheckStatus – Reports the status of the leak check.

When the leak check is started, the system is automatically pressurized with carrier gas and sealed to perform a leak check. At the end of the leak check, if the system is free of leaks, the Leak Check Passed message is displayed. If any leaks are found, an error message is displayed; in this case, eliminate the leaks and repeat the leak check procedure.

Note:

Only a previous Column Characterization, performed under leak-free conditions, can ensure the validity of the subsequent leak check responses.
You cannot start a leak check while a leak check or a column evaluation is already running on the same or another column.

Further Information

For detailed installation instructions, refer to the operating instructions for the instrument.

For an overview of the different Thermo Scientific/Thermo Finnigan/ThermoQuest/TSP instruments for which device drivers are available in Chromeleon, refer to Thermo Scientific.