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Mass Spec Gets Cheaper Consolidated Electrodynam ics r e a d y with smaller, port a b l e mass spectrometer
V> ONSOLIDATED ELECTRODYNAMICS h a s
begun production of its low cost mass spectrometer—the 211-611 (C&EN, April 1, page 7 7 ) . Consolidated u n veiled this instrument last March at t h e Pittsburgh Conference on Applied Spectroscopy. Big push b e h i n d development of this relatively c h e a p m o d e l , Consolidated says, is mass spec's promise for jobs not needing t h e complexity of a big model b u t w h i c h d o need a physically small, y e t r u g g e d unit. Some exam ples: monitoring gases evolved from oil well drilling muds for first signs of hydrocarbons; analyzing residual gases in v a c u u m systems; clinical measure ment of lung efficiencies by breath analysis. Consolidated's 2 1 - 6 1 1 will sell for about $5500, a good b i t less t h a n t h e $9000 a n d u p price t a g on t h e com pany's process monitor unit—the 2 1 610. I t is built in t w o modules—one for the vacuum p u m p s , mass analyzer, in let system, gages, a n d amplifier; the other containing t h e electronic circuits, switches, a n d controls, including scan ning dial a n d attenuator. Control a n d analyzer can b e used i n one assembly or m o u n t e d separately and connected by cable if desired. Besides b e i n g cheaper, Consoli dated's n e w model is smaller, too. Vacuum module measures approxi mately 17 X 1 7 X 11 inches; t h e con trol module, 1 7 X 9 X 11 inches. For comparison, t h e 21-610 is 4 1 X 42 X 24 inches, not counting the cabinet for recorder and inlet system. Mass range of t h e n e w instrument is from 2 to 8 0 . Resolution is good to mass 3 2 , t h e company declares—less than 1 % of t h e peaks are contributed by adjacent masses in this range. And, a scan from mass 12 t o mass 4 0 takes only three m i n u t e s . • How Costs A r e Cut. T o make this cheaper mass spectrometer, Consoli dated used "fresh a n d novel approaches wherever applicable." T h e vacuum system, for instance, h a s a three-stage, high speed oil difiFusion p u m p backed by a two-stage oil-sealed mechanical vacuum p u m p . This eliminates vapor traps a n d chemical absorbers usually used to reduce background. Ion source a n d 180° mass analyzer are t h e same as used on the 21-600. Magnetic field, t h o u g h , is only 4000 gauss vs. 6 0 0 0 in the process monitor.
Consolidated's n e w low cost mass spec trometer is small, yet rugged enough to use in trailers for oil well drilling lests. H e r e , Arthur P . Gifford, mana ger of application engineering, checks stopcock on sample inlet glassware And, sampling system has been sim plified. T h e r e are two versions of the instrument—one for continuous sam pling a n d one for analysis of discrete samples. T h e inlet system is all metal, except for t h e sample gas container. T h e inlet valve has five positions; rotat ing it t h r o u g h these carries the sample all the w a y t h r o u g h analysis. Design ensures that t h e sample in t h e analyzing region is representative of the gas in the original sample container, Consolidated claims. Ε 1
Now-Metallic Paper M e t a l l i c microfibers c a n b e l a i d d o w n into porous sheets; p r o p e r t i e s look promising J L A P E R m a d e of steel. Or copper, aluminum, or stainless steel. This sounds strange, b u t H a n n s F. Arledter of Hurlbut Paper Co., South Lee, Mass., h a s m a d e paper of all these metals. A n d , h e says, other metals will do, too. Metal fiber papers look like uniform metal foils b u t differ greatly in con struction a n d properties. T h e y can be constructed of m a n y fiber combina tions, such as metal a n d glass, metal and cellulose, metal a n d synthetics. And, papers of 100% metal fibers have heen successfully produced. However, he adds, make-up with all fibers and no binders is tough to do.
Heat a n d electrical conductivity, chemical reactivity, magnetic proper ties, and resistance tc* extreme,tempera tures are properties that c a n b e built into the papers. Accessible pore vol ume can b e varied fr~om less than 3 5 % to more than 9 0 % . UPores can b e filled with liquids, resins, s n d chemicals. Any metal fiber thstt can b e produced in the papermaking size r a n g e can be made into a paperluke structure, Ar ledter says. T h e trrick is to incorpo rate the fibers into th-e mat so t h a t they contact each other at many points. This can be done on regular p a p e r m a k i n g equipment, but specdal techniques are needed. Arledter believes modified metal fiber papers can be ajsed t o advantage in filtration processes and in motors, transformers, and storage batteries. Laminates surfaced with resin-treated metal fiber paper show promise for heating large surface areas, he says. Most of t h e metal, fiber papers pro duced in Hurlbut's pilot plant have been made without specific uses in mind. However, ^Arledter told the Washington meeting of the Electro chemical Society, h e hopes t h a t engi neers, chemists, and physicists will find uses for his new materials. The papers are n o t in commercial production. Some tiypes are available from Hurlbut in lionited amounts for research; t h e 100% metal fiber papers are not available.
Time of Flight Analyzer Two General Electric engineers at Knolls Atomic Powe?r Laboratory have developed a new cormputer for measur ing, counting, and classifying time of flight of neutrons from a reactor. T h e unit has 2 5 6 channels—compared to the 11 available on the computer they have been using—for- recording data on energy ranges of t h e neutrons. The time of flight: analyzer was de veloped by Elmer J. Wade and Donald S. Davidson of KAPX. I t uses transis tors and printed cixcuits and is only one tenth
as big SELS the
11
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computer. And, i t uses only eight watts of power, compared to t h e 2 kw. needed for t h e earlier model. Neutron energy spectra a r e deter mined this way. • Chop with a rotating shutter a neutron beam cornirt g frem the reactor. • Count neutrons at t h e e n d of a flight path of established length, relay ing these data to thie analyzer. • Put velocity data on each neutron into one of the 256* channels, each of which represents a velocity range. After the experim ent, information in J U NE
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These two experts can help solve your methyl chloride and methyLating problems Our Messrs. Neuville and Zellner (left to right above) cover all the bases when it comes t o methyl chloride apphcation a n d the special field of methylation. They come by their particular specialties honestly. Since 1936 Ansul has been a constant and expanding source of sup ply for bulk methyl chloride in the domestic and export markets. In t h e field of methylation alone (Morrie Neuvine's specialty) Ansul has successfully methylated more than 100 compounds. The methylation laboratory at Ansul is equipped to take over a methylating problem of yours at any stage of development. Manufacturing facilities for producing
commercial quantities of a methylated compound to your specification are also available. As a major producer of methyl chloride, Ansul is pre pared to supply you with quantities ranging from laboratory containers to cylinders of 100 pounds, 140 pounds, and l,30O pounds. Tank cars of 40,000 pounds and 78,000 pounds are available. Delivery is prompt. For general information about methyl chloride and its bulk application, write to Bob Zellner. Questions or just conversation relating to methylation should be ad dressed t o Morrie Neuville. T H E ANSUL CHEMICAL COMPANY, MARINETTE, WISCONSIN.
ANSUL 98
C&EN
JUNE
3,
1957
EQUIPMFNT
the time of flight analyzer is put onto punched cards and fed into a digital computer. Out of the computer comes a graph of the neutron energy distribu tion. The whole operation takes about an hour, GE says, compared to the month that one man would need to do the job manually. Ε2
• Aluminum Co. of America has de veloped two high temperature soldering materials aimed at cutting joining costs for aluminum fabrications. One is a high zinc solder ( 9 5 % zinc, 5% alu minum ) ; the other a flux which wets aluminum with zinc at 720° F. E 3 • Filter fabrics made of PVC can now be obtained from Rhodia. These are of PVC yarns and fibers, not of PVCcoated textile, explains the company. E4
• Interchangeable electronic control lers are now in production by Manning, Maxwell & Moore, I n c . Replacement is made by merely pulling one unit out and plugging in another, the company says. £ 7
• Atomlab has come out with a new counter designed to operate either in the Geiger or proportional regions, is said to be equally efficient in counting low activity beta and alpha radiation.
• Multi-range strip c h a r t recorder has
• Victoreen Instrument has started manufacture of two neutron detector tubes for reactor control and monitor ing systems. One is enriched boron trifluoride proportional tube for count ing thermal neutrons. The other, for fast neutrons, is recoil type, has poly ethylene inner wall and ethylene fill ing' EU
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been developed by K. H . Sargent & Co. Unit records any variable which can be translated to voltage or current sig nals. Ε8 • Macalaster Bicknell Co. has intro duced a single wavelength, narrow band spectrophotometer, the Coenzometer, for use in the detection of cardiac and hepatic diseases. The instru ment is designed to measure optical density and adsorbance changes at about 350 millimicrons in samples of transaminase, L D H , blood alcohol, turbidity, and pyridine nucleotides. E9
Further useful information on keyed Equipment items mentioned is readily available . . .
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Use handy coupon on page 700 ψ
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Instruments · . · • Differential temperature controller,
June 3, 1 9 5 7
by Scaico Controls, has operating ranges from - 1 0 0 ° to 1100° F . Plain cartridge, flanged, or threaded mount ings are available. Ε 5
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