VICI NPM - Manual (Page 5)

3
Installation and Operation
This procedure describes a chromatographic installation. Although
that is not the only possible application, it is the most common.
It is up to the user to determine whether the purifier is suitable for a
particular application based upon the purifier’s specifications.
Installation
The Valco HPM and NPM are two part systems comprised of the
purifier and the power supply. The purifier can be installed in any
position. For best results, do not modify the fittings or tubing
lengths; small particles which might be generated by such
modifications are difficult to remove and can restrict the flow.
1. Locate the HPM where the temperature will not exceed 40°C,
and with at least a half inch of clearance around and above the
purifier to prevent overheating.
2. Disconnect the carrier supply line immediately upstream
of the injector and connect this line to the inlet of the purifier.
3. Connect the output line of the purifier to the injector.
4. Purge the system for 5 to 10 minutes at 20 to 30 mL/min to
eliminate air from the getter material.
CAUTION: The getter material should never be heated
when air is present.
5. Insert the barrel connector of the power supply into the purifier.
6. Connect the power supply to mains (115/230 VAC). The LED on
the power supply should confirm power output.
Activation
When the purifier reaches operating temperature (usually in about
1 hour) the getter will be activated. Once the getter is activated,
active gaseous impurities such as O
2
, H
2
O, CO, and CO
2
(plus N
2
for the HPM) are captured and chemisorbed on the getter surface.
Only noble gas atoms are not affected. Once adsorbed, oxygen,
carbon, and nitrogen atoms cannot be released by the getter
material even at its melting point (1400°C), due to the formation
of strong chemical bonds with the alloy atoms.
Hydrogen atoms behave quite differently, diffusing into the getter
material bulk more quickly than the other atoms and becoming
almost uniformly distributed within the bulk.