Issues using hydrogen as carrier gas on A6890 & A6850?

[Csaba]

Hi,
Does anyone use hydrogen as carrier gas on Agilent A6890 & A6850 GC in routine analysis? Is there any specific safety precaution or conversion to do on those GCs. Two local exhaust ventilations are available for each GC, today one directed to the injector and one to the detector.

I intend to use a capillary columns with 2-5 mL/min hydrogen, with split injection so there might be 120 mL/min hydrogen for a minute. The FID uses 30 mL/min hydrogen.
/Csaba

[echae]

I was at an Agilent seminar the other day where the speaker discussed using a hydrogen carrier. As far as safety goes, he said that hydrogen becomes dangerous when it reaches ~4%, which is not possible in a GC. He also showed a video where they purposely set off an explosion inside an oven to demonstrate the "explosion proof" door. What he pointed out was that they had to pump hydrogen into the oven from an outside source, and also ignite it from an outside source because it was "impossible" to do this with the GC alone. The video might be available somewhere on the web. Also, Agilent has a "Hydrogen carrier gas safety guide" available. I don't recall any equipment conversions mentioned during this talk.

[Csaba]

Thank you for information.

[Johnny Rod]

Therea re various threads on here about hydrogen, some people are more concerned about safety than others. As for the GC itself, as echae says, there is no problem there, you just need to consider if there is going to be any sample interaction, and that you are happy the split/purge flows are vented from the lab ok.

[AICMM]

I have a customer who has converted multiple 6890's to hydrogen. All have EPC (she is worried about leaks) and the facility has fantastic air exchange. No issues whatsoever. I stayed with the helium pressure settings.

Best regards,

AICMM