Laboratory placement conditions and requirements
1. Temperature and humidity control
The laboratory needs to be kept dry, and the best condition is to place the instrument in a constant temperature and humidity room, with a temperature control of about 25°C and a relative humidity ≤ 75%. This is because the instrument contains a large number of electrical components, and the humid environment can easily lead to moisture short circuit, performance degradation or even failure of the components.
2. Power supply configuration specifications
The indoor power supply power must meet the power consumption of the instrument, and there must be an insurance margin of 50%~80% to cope with instantaneous power fluctuations during the start-up or operation of the instrument. The power supply lead should be selected with copper wire, and its wire diameter should match the planned load to avoid potential safety hazards such as excessive resistance and excessive heat generation due to too thin wires, causing line overload and even fire.
3. Special water needs
Laboratories that install atomic fluorometers and X-ray fluorometers should be equipped with water pipes to connect to the cooling water pipes of flameless atomizers or X-ray tubes. These components generate a lot of heat during operation, and continuous cooling water circulation can effectively cool down the components, preventing them from being damaged by high temperatures and ensuring stable operation of the instrument.
4. Storage and connection requirements for high-pressure containers
Atomic fluorescence and X-ray fluorometer experiments will use high-pressure gas cylinders such as acetylene, laughing gas, and argon. For flammable gas (such as acetylene) cylinders, it must be kept away from ignition sources (including open flames, EDMs, etc.) to prevent explosions or combustion accidents. Pressure-resistant rubber pipes should be used for pipelines connecting gases to ensure that the pipelines can withstand gas pressure and avoid air leakage.
5. Workbench and ventilation settings
The instrument should be placed on a table of sufficient width and length to allow sufficient space for operation and maintenance to avoid inconvenience or collision with the instrument due to narrow space. A centrifugal exhaust fan should be installed above the workbench of the atomic fluorometer, because the atomizer will produce exhaust gas (such as vapor containing heavy metals, etc.) when working, and the exhaust fan can extract the exhaust gas in time to protect the health of the operator and prevent the exhaust gas from polluting the inside of the instrument.
6. Fire fighting equipment equipment
To deal with possible fire risks, laboratories should be equipped with carbon tetrachloride fire extinguishers and dry ice fire extinguishers. This type of fire extinguisher is suitable for electrical fires, will not damage the instrument like water-based fire extinguishers, and can minimize losses in the event of a fire.
Instrument usage instructions
Proper use of instruments is the key to ensuring reliable testing data and avoiding instrument damage, and it is necessary to strictly follow the operating specifications.
Pre-job training and manual learning
The use of various fluorescence analysis instruments is detailed in the manual, including the start-up sequence, parameter setting, sample handling, etc. Users must fully study and understand the content of the manual before operation, and can only take up their posts after passing the assessment. This avoids instrument failure or inspection data errors due to operational errors.
Instrument warm-up and condition monitoring
Before use, the instrument needs to be fully warmed according to the requirements of the manual, especially the optical components and electronic components, which can make its performance stable and ensure the accuracy of testing. For instruments that work for a long time, it is necessary to pay attention to the working status of each component at any time (such as abnormal noise, high temperature, flashing indicator lights, etc.), and once an abnormality is found, it should be stopped for maintenance immediately to prevent the fault from expanding.
The use of gas and auxiliary gas and the prevention of pollution of specimens
The gas (such as acetylene) and auxiliary gas (such as air, argon) used in atomic fluorescence analysis have certain dangers, and their use precautions (such as gas purity, pressure regulation, leak detection, etc.) need to refer to the content of professional chapters. At the same time, specimen contamination prevention measures (such as container cleaning, avoiding cross-contamination, etc.) must also be strictly followed to ensure the accuracy of the analysis results.
Instrument maintenance points
Mechanical component maintenance——The maintenance of slits and other mechanical components (such as transmission devices, adjustment knobs, etc.) should refer to the corresponding chapters, regularly check whether there is looseness or wear, and add lubricant (if applicable) in time to ensure smooth movement and accurate positioning, so as to avoid affecting the adjustment accuracy of the instrument due to mechanical failure.
Optical component maintenance——Optical components such as lenses, prisms, mirrors, gratings, parallel optical tubes, and analytical crystals are the core of the instrument's optical signal detection, and maintenance needs to refer to the professional chapter. Avoid direct touch with hands, and if you need to clean it, use special lens paper or reagents to prevent scratches or contamination and ensure the transmission, reflection or diffraction efficiency of optical signals.
Light source maintenance——Light sources (such as xenon lamps, hollow cathode lamps, etc.) should avoid overload work (such as exceeding the rated voltage, current) to prevent filament burning or shortening of service life. The high-voltage cable of the light source needs to be fixed overhead to prevent electrical leakage caused by contact with other components and endanger the safety of operators. At the same time, the entire instrument needs to be kept clean to avoid dust accumulation affecting heat dissipation and insulation performance; The electrode frame and light source generator must be reliably grounded and set up with a special ground wire to eliminate static interference and ensure the stable operation of the instrument.
summary
The precision of fluorescence analysis instruments determines their strict requirements for placement environment, operation and maintenance. From the standardized configuration of laboratory temperature and humidity, power supply, water and safety facilities, to training and warm-up before use, to the meticulous maintenance of mechanical components, optical components, and light sources, every link directly affects the operational stability, accuracy of testing data, and service life of the instrument. Only by fully implementing these requirements can the fluorescence analysis instruments maintain excellent working conditions for a long time, provide reliable support for analysis and testing work in scientific research, industry, environmental protection and other fields, and give full play to their important role in trace and ultra-trace analysis.
