Chromatography Forum

Does anyone has any opinions/preferences on the use of gas generators vs cylinders for the delivery of hydrogen as a carrier and make-up gas to a GC-FID?

Our GCs will be moving to a different lab space and are looking into changing to gas generator rather than having the lines re-plumbed for the clyinders. Recommendations on preferred brands of hydrogen gas generators would useful too.

Cheers A

setup of a hydrogen gas line and hydrogen cylinders is pretty standard in a lab that uses FID. Just make sure that FID gases are purified for organics using charcoal traps;

If you sue hydrogen as carrier gas, you can use the same gas line, but you have to make sure you purify the H2 also for water and Oxygen. There are nice filter systems available.

Hydrogen generators are of interest, but they have a limited capacity. So if you have only a few systems under H2, it may be a nice option. Also here make sure you use filters. We have good experience with Parker, but I am sure there are several good solutions out there.


japa de zeeuw, Restek corporation

I hate moving around cylinders and would say hydrogen generators would be the best way to go. You do need a good supply of deionized water for the generators. The lab I currently work at uses Parker and they are ok. I've had the best experience with Proton's Hogen generator. Never used hydrogen as a make up gas.

I hate moving around cylinders and would say hydrogen generators would be the best way to go....

However indisputable advantage of hydrogen cylinders is their silence !

Thanks for the comments and advice!

However indisputable advantage of hydrogen cylinders is their silence !

In general are hydrogen generators really noisy or is it just an extra background noise?

Thanks for the comments and advice!

However indisputable advantage of hydrogen cylinders is their silence !

In general are hydrogen generators really noisy or is it just an extra background noise?

Peak Scientific CFH200 hydrogen generator is rather noisy and in my opinion it makes the most dominant sound in the lab (no masspecs in this room).

Fortunately sound pressure level doesn't exceed allowable 75 dB(A), so you won't get hearing loss.
But this sound is annoying and disturbing.

Have you noticed that Peak Scientific doesn't inform what is the acoustic power level of their generators ?

At least tools (eg. drills, pneumatic hammers etc.) manufacturers are obliged to publish acoustic data.

Hi I can see this is an old post, Peak scientific hydrogen gas generators have advanced a lot since then I would consider having a look at the range to see what suits you application. they just relisead a tiny quite one for GC-FID.

https://www.peakscientific.com/products ... generator/

here is the full range

https://www.peakscientific.com/products/hydrogen/