In this interview, AZoM talks to Dr. Andre Klostermeier, product manager at ELTRA, about rapid and reliable O/N/H analysis of high sample weights.
This year marks ELTRA’s 40th Anniversary, how has the company grown during that time?
The development of the first carbon and sulfur analyzer in 1981 marked the beginning of ELTRA's success story 40 years ago. From day one, the focus was on the design of analyzers for the precise determination of C, H, N, O, S element concentrations in solids.
Over the years, the product portfolio was further expanded and refined, for example by adding thermogravimetric analyzers in 2007. Our goal has always been to design combustion analyzers which are characterized not only by high precision and detection sensitivity but are also robust enough to provide reliable measurement results under rough conditions.
The new generation of ELEMENTRAC analyzers impressively combines this claim with state-of-the-art technology and ease-of-use.
What is your latest product innovation in the field of combustion analysis?
2021 ELTRA released the ELEMENTRAC ONH-p 2 which provides reliable and fast analysis of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen in inorganic solid samples like steel, titanium, copper or ceramics.
Video ONH-p 2
Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen analyser ONH-p 2 - Short introduction - ELTRA
Video Credit: ELTRA GmbH
What features does the ELEMENTRAC ONH-p 2 have?
The ELEMENTRAC ONH-p2 is a powerful inert gas fusion analyzer which complies with all international standards like the ASTM E 1019 or DIN EN 3976.
The new innovative electrode furnace and ELEMENTS software assure rapid, reliable and easy ONH analysis over a wide range of sample weights (e.g. 10 mg up to 3000 mg) and sample shapes. The new furnace with vertical sample transfer permits the direct application of pins, wires and granulates. This makes ONH analysis fast and convenient.
Capsules are required only for powdered samples (e. g. feedstock) but without the need for time-consuming sealing. This reduces sample preparation time for powdered samples which can be challenging.
A new feature is the optional auto cleaner. This cleaner makes manual electrode cleaning obsolete and promotes a longer service life of the upper electrode. The aforementioned features ensure a reliable and economic gas analysis.
Image Credit: ELTRA GmbH
What sets the ELEMENTRAC ONH-p apart from anything else in the market?
One important detail is the short analysis cycle time. The ELEMENTRAC ONH-p2 is the fastest analyzer in the market with a cycle time below 3 minutes for common samples like copper or steel.
The time advantage is mainly based on ELTRA’s pulsed carrier gas flushing technique which enables fast and reliable elimination of atmospheric gases, like nitrogen and oxygen, which could falsify the measured element concentrations.
As mentioned above, the ELEMENTRAC ONH-p2 provides reliable ONH analysis even for high sample weights of 2000 - 3000 mg. High sample weights can improve the repeatability of ONH measurements for low gas concentrations or heterogenous samples.
Unexperienced users also benefit because the weighing step is easier with a wide range of valid sample weights.
Image Credit: ELTRA GmbH
Which industries do you think will benefit the most from ELEMENTRAC ONH-p 2?
Every industry which either needs fast analysis results or a reliable and easy powder analysis. This would be, for example, the steel industry which requires a fast oxygen analysis during the refining process, and the additive manufacturing industry which requires reliable feedstock analysis.
What does the future hold for ELTRA?
ELTRA will continuously improve the performance of its whole product portfolio. The next analyzer of the innovative ELEMENTRAC series to be launched will be the ELEMENTRAC CS-r and CHS-r which are resistance combustion analyzers with ceramic tubes and a maximum temperature of 1550°C for reliable elemental analysis of mainly organic samples like coal, coke or soil.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ELTRA GmbH.
For more information on this source, please visit ELTRA GmbH.
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