1/16/2016The GC-in-a-PC 1 Pneumatic Focusing Gas Chromatography PFGC Robert O’Brien, Portland State Univ. & VOC Technologies The GC-in-a-PC Development.

05/03/23 The GC-in-a-PC 1

Pneumatic Focusing Gas Chromatography PFGC

Robert O’Brien, Portland State Univ. & VOC Technologies

The GC-in-a-PC Development funded by USEPA SBIR Phase 1 & 2 Grants

05/03/23 The GC-in-a-PC 2

The PFGC technology was developed with SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) from the US Government: NIH (National Institutes of Health) &

USEPA (Environmental Protection Agency.

The technology has 5 US patents.

PFGC Pneumatic Focusing Gas Chromatography Automated, Internet Monitoring of VOCs

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Pneumatic Focusing Gas ChromatographyPrinciples and Applications

Take a large volume air sample (e.g. 300 cc) and compress it to high pressure (e.g. 600 psi).

This concentrates the sample 30x & condenses the water, which remains in the sample loop.

Inject directly on-column, maintained at 600 psi. Build the whole thing inside a commercial PC. Connect it to the internet. Run it anywhere in the world from your office.

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PFGC Basic Principle

Separate VOCs by Pneumatic Focusing GC

Retention time (seconds)>

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Pneumatic Focusing Gas Chromatography: Features & Benefits

PFGC Completely enclosed - standard PC case

MS Windows w/ sophisticated VOCTEC OS

Data taken remotely, analyzed, transmitted--anywhere in the world via the Internet.

Easy set up & calibration. Two levels of peak identification

and integration, semi-manual & fully automated

On-line training, debugging, control and performance monitoring.

US Patent 6,865,926Below is the 1st PFGC built in a tower PC in 2001

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Portland Air ToxicsA section of 30 or so successive chromatograms.

isoPentane and Toluene have been integrated so far.

Hourly chromatograms in Portland air 1500-3600 seconds

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Pneumatic Focusing Gas Chromatography: Features & Benefits

PFGC Completely enclosed - standard PC case

MS Windows w/ sophisticated VOCTEC software

Data taken remotely, analyzed, transmitted anywhere in the world via the Internet.

Easy set up & self-calibrating. Very low cost per sample. 24/7 automated analysis & alert.

US Patent 6,865,926

Benzene from autos always present PCE rarely present

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Continuous 1-MonthToluene Record, NW Portland, Oregon USALow concentration period due to strong Pacific Ocean winds

Hourly samples, 24 per day

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Benzene/Toluene ratio for one month, showing mostly automobile sources with occasional non-vehicular source. Each point an hourly sample

Hourly samples, 24 per day

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Comparison with Commercial VOC GCMS laboratory Benzene

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Correlation of BTEX (Benzene, Ethylbenzene & Xylenes) with Toluene in Portland, Oregon US. Most comes from autos in Portland Oregon which has stationary source

controls and all BTEX have strong correlation.

Toluene (ppb)

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Correlation of BTEX (Benzene, Ethylbenzene & Xylenes) with Toluene in Boise, Idaho USA. Boise does not have stationary source controls & BTEX correlation is weaker.

BTEX = Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Xylenes(3)

Toluene (ppb)

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Same Portland data shown on same scale as Boise in previous slide. Note much lower concentrations and good correlation with automobile source when stationary VOC

sources are controlled in Portland but not Boise.

BTEX = Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Xylenes(3)

Toluene (ppb)

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Rack-Mounted (Pneumatic-Focusing Gas Chromatograph (PFGC) for VOC Measurement in Monitoring Station or

industrial plant.

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Interior of Pneumatic-Focusing Gas Chromatograph PFGC

Interior of the GC-in-a-PC

PC Power Supply

Sample Valve

Flame Ionization Detector

PC Mother Board

PFGC Oven

Hard Drive & Main Control Board

Sample Pump

Carrier & FID Gases

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Hourly daily chromatograms. Chromatograms start at midnight. A pollution episode starts about 2AM. A blank chromatogram (green) is done and then two calibrations (blue). After this the air becomes very clean again (yellow). The contamination in the blank run was due to a dirty sample line installed by the station technician. It was removed when the sample line was replace.

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Dual detector PFGC. One GC column, two detectors: FID (Flame Ionization Detector) & Agilent SCD (Sulfur Chemiluminescence Detector) To accommodate the SCD the case must be larger.

PFGC SCD Calibration Gas Computer Monitor

The computer allows the technician to operate the PFGC. The monitor is not necessary to run the PFGC over the Internet with the same screen in your office or lab.

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One day PFGC chromatograms. Alberta OilSands

1st chromatogram after midnight is calibration. Multiple VOCs at 10 ppb.

Automatic daily calibration, or on-demand over the internet.

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Specification & Applications

Concentration Range: 50ppt to 5000ppm depending on the configuration.

Chemical volatility Range: C1 to C10 (Higher C available)

Speciated VOCs or just Methane & Nonmethane

Questions?

Email [email protected]