Chromatography Forum

Hi all,

Our lab has a Micromass Ultima LC/MS/MS but right now we are using in-house nitrogen flow. We are going to buy another API4000 Q-trap next year and we are considering changing the nitrogen feed using a generator. Do you guys have any recommendation towards a good quality nitrogen generator which can provide high enough flow and high purity at the same time? Is there any disadvantage from supplying two LC/MS with nitrogen from one nitrogen generator? Thanks in advance.

Regards,
T

Wa are using Domnick Hunter generator and don't have complaints. But it mostly depends on the local suppliers. So the best way is to ask your instrument suppliers, they usualy have contacts to local sales/service of nitrogen generators.

Most lab scale generators are designed to feed one instrument, so they can not handle two instruments. Generators capable of handling two instruments at once are of industrial scale, so will be much more expensive.

From practical point of view very important is compressor, we had difficult time with ours, as we have to keep it inside the lab, so size/ noise level is an issue. On other size, compressor recommended by Agilent rep was too weak and was breaking down every 2 years from extensive use.

I used to have both compressor and nitrogen generator, but both had to spend too many manteinances that I chose a liquid nitrogen tank to replace them. This latter has a better purity and we don´t have more problems with maintenances and breaks. Of course it worths if you have a lab that needs many sources of nitrogem like GCs, sample preparation labs, etc. I hope it helps.

regards
Marcelo

Thanks! I think I will go with the one without an internal compressor. The Vac pump of the LC/MS is noisy enough already and I would hate to have two more in the same room.