Agilent Technologies 240 Series AA User manual

Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
User’s Guide

2 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
Manual part number
8510154700
Sixteenth edition, December 2018
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© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 1997,
2000–2004, 2010–2013, 2015, 2016,
2018
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Safety notices
A CAUTION notice denotes a hazard. It
calls attention to an operating
procedure, practice, or the like that, if
not correctly performed or adhered to,
could result in damage to the product
or loss of important data. Do not
proceed beyond a CAUTION notice
until the indicated conditions are fully
understood and met.
A WARNING notice denotes a hazard.
It calls attention to an operating
procedure, practice, or the like that, if
not correctly performed or adhered to,
could result in personal injury or death.
Do not proceed beyond a WARNING
notice until the indicated conditions
are fully understood and met.
Notices
WARNING
CAUTION

Contents
Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 3
Contents
1Safety Practices and Hazards 7
General 7
Verifying safe state 8
Electrical hazards 8
Heat, vapors and fumes 9
Compressed gases and cylinders 10
Gas hoses and connections 11
Ultraviolet radiation 11
Other 12
Warning symbols 12
Color coding 13
CE compliance 14
Electromagnetic compatibility 14
EN55011/CISPR11 14
ICES/NMB-001 15
Flame operation 15
Flammable solvents 15
Compressed gases and cylinders for flame operation 17
Acetylene 17
Nitrous oxide 18
Burners 19
Nebulizer 20
Liquid trap 20
Heat hazards 21

Contents
4 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
Perchloric acid 21
Flashbacks 22
Furnace and Zeeman operation 24
Gases 25
Heat hazards 25
Vapors and fumes 25
UV radiation 25
Magnetic field (Zeeman only) 25
What to do in the Event of a Flashback 24
2Introduction 27
Instrument Overview 28
Flame instruments front view 28
Flame instruments back view 29
Zeeman instruments front view 30
Zeeman instrument back view 31
Furnace instruments front view 32
Furnace instruments back view 33
Installation requirements 33
Agilent AA documentation 34
Conventions 34
Electrical Connections 34
Gas supplies 36
3Installation 37
PC requirements 37
Installation procedure overview 38
GPIB communications 38

Contents
Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 5
Installing the USB-GPIB converter 38
Connecting and configuring an Agilent AA spectrometer DUO system 39
Setting up for DUO operation and connecting the IEEE cables 39
Configuring the IEEE addresses for Agilent AA-DUO operation 40
Configuring the SPS 4 autosampler 41
Determining the SPS 4 COM port 42
Configuring the software to use manual sampling 42
USB to RS-232 interfaces 43
Starting the SpectrAA software 44
SpectrAA Release Notes and Software Status Bulletin 44
Installing the drivers for the Tube-CAM Furnace Camera option 45
Printer setup 45
Troubleshooting 45
Service installation module 45
4Software Overview 47
Starting the SpectrAA software 47
SpectrAA windows 47
Index page 47
Worksheet window 48
Reports window 49
Administration window 50
Working with the SpectrAA software 50
Menu bar 50
Toolbar 50
Dialog boxes 50
Help 51

Contents
6 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
Searching for help 51
5Getting Started 53
Instrument setup 53
Connections 53
Power 54
Moving your instrument 55
Starting the system 55
Pre-analysis checklist 55
6Maintenance and Troubleshooting 57
Schedule 58
Daily 58
Weekly 58
Yearly 59
Cleaning 59
Instrument surfaces 59
Windows 60
Filters 60
Gas cylinders 60
Preventing flashbacks 60
Spare parts 61

Safety Practices and Hazards
Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 7
1Safety Practices and Hazards
General 7
Verifying safe state 8
Electrical hazards 8
Heat, vapors and fumes 9
Compressed gases and cylinders 10
Gas hoses and connections 11
Ultraviolet radiation 11
Other 12
Warning symbols 12
Color coding 13
CE compliance 14
Electromagnetic compatibility 14
Flame operation 15
Flashbacks 22
Furnace and Zeeman operation 24
General
Your Agilent AA instrument and accessories have been carefully designed so that
when used properly you have an accurate, fast, flexible and safe analytical system.
If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the
protection provided by the equipment may be impaired.
Operation of an atomic absorption spectrometer can involve the use of
compressed gases, flames, and hazardous materials including corrosive fluids and
flammable liquids. Unskilled, improper, or careless use of this instrument can
create explosion hazards, fire hazards, or other hazards that can cause death,
serious injury to personnel, or severe damage to equipment and property.
Information on safety practices is provided with your instrument and operation
manuals, and also referenced in your Agilent accessory manuals. Thoroughly read
these safety practices before using your instrument or accessories.
Observe all relevant safety practices always.

Safety Practices and Hazards
8 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
The safety practices described below are provided to help you operate the
instrument safely. Read each safety topic thoroughly before attempting to operate
the instrument and always operate the spectrometer in accordance with these
safety practices. Only trained operators should use this instrument.
Verifying safe state
The following general safety precautions must be observed during all phases of
operation, maintenance and service of this instrument.
To ensure continued safety of the instrument after maintenance or service
procedures verify the instrument is returned to a safe state for the user. This
includes running performance checks to verify the instruments safety systems are
functioning correctly. Check the general condition of the instrument during
operation for wear or signs of corrosion that are likely to inhibit function or safety.
Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific warnings elsewhere in
this manual violates safety standards of design, manufacture, and intended use of
the instrument. Agilent Technologies assumes no liability for the customer’s
failure to comply with these requirements.
Electrical hazards
The instrument and accessories contain electrical circuits, devices, and
components operating at dangerous voltages. Contact with these circuits, devices
and components can cause death, serious injury, or painful electric shock.
Panels and covers that are retained by fasteners which require the use of a tool for
removal must only be opened by Agilent field service engineers. Consult the
manuals or product labels supplied with your PC, monitor, printer/plotter, water-
cooling system, and vacuum pump (where required) to determine which parts are
operator-accessible.
Application of the wrong supply voltage, connection of the instrument to an
incorrectly wired supply outlet, or lack of proper electrical grounding can create a
fire hazard or a potentially serious shock hazard. This could seriously damage the
instrument and any attached ancillary equipment.

Safety Practices and Hazards
Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 9
Always use a 3-wire outlet with ground connection that is adequately rated for the
load. The installation must comply with local and national safety regulations. Use
only an Agilent supplied power cord. Replace the power cord only with a cord
equivalent to the one specified in the AA Site Preparation Guide.
Do not connect the instrument to the mains power supply until you have made
sure that the operating voltage is correctly set for the mains power supply in the
specific outlet in your laboratory to which the equipment is connected.
WARNING
Electrical shock hazard
To avoid electric shock this equipment must be disconnected from the
mains supply before servicing.
Heat, vapors and fumes
Heat, vapors and fumes generated by flame, furnace and vapor generation
methods can be hazardous to personnel.
Heat, vapors and fumes must be extracted from the instrument by an exhaust
system. The instrument must be vented into a self-contained arrangement of
collector hood, ducting, and exhaust fan. The system must be vented to the
outside air, never within the building. Locate the system outlet such that the
exhaust cannot re-enter the building through any door, window, air conditioning
inlet, or other ventilator. Construct the system in accordance with local codes and
regulations for ventilation.
The exhaust system must provide an exhaust ventilation rate of at least 6 cubic
meters per minute (200 cfm). Locate the exhaust fan at least 3 meters (10 feet)
away from the flame and as close to the outlet as possible. The motor must be
mounted away from the hot gases, and plastic parts must not be used as they will
melt. Fit a back-draft damper to the outlet end of the system. Equip the exhaust
fan power supply with an indicator close to the instrument to indicate whether the
exhaust fan is on or off. Always switch on the exhaust fan before lighting the
flame.
Use fireproof ducting that is in accordance with your local fire prevention
regulations. Locate the ducting away from fire alarms, sprinkler heads, and other

Safety Practices and Hazards
10 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)
heat-sensitive devices. Do not make solder joints in the ducting—the hot exhaust in
the duct may melt the joint.
Regularly check the system by smoke test to ensure that the exhaust system is
working.
When operating the atomic absorption spectrometer, always have the chimney in
place to ensure correct ventilation.
Compressed gases and cylinders
All compressed gases (other than air) can create a hazard if they leak into the
atmosphere. Even small leaks in gas supply systems can be dangerous. Any leak
(except that of air) can create an explosion hazard, a fire hazard, or result in an
oxygen–deficient atmosphere. Such hazards can cause death, serious injury,
asphyxiation, anesthetic effects, and serious damage to equipment and property.
Cylinders must be stored and handled strictly in accordance with local safety
codes and regulations. Cylinders must be used and stored only in a vertical
position. Secure all cylinders to an immovable structure or a properly constructed
cylinder stand. The area in which cylinders are stored must be adequately
ventilated to prevent toxic or explosive accumulations. Move cylinders only on a
properly constructed trolley. Never locate gas cylinders near a source of ignition or
in a position that is subject to direct heat.
Keep cylinders cool. This rule applies to every cylinder of compressed gas.
Cylinders have pressure relief devices that release the contents of the cylinder if
the temperature exceeds 52 °C (125 °F).
Ensure that all cylinders are clearly labeled so that there can be no doubt about the
contents. If the cylinder label is not legible, do not use the cylinder—return it to your
supplier. Always ensure that you have the right cylinder before connecting the
cylinder to the instrument.
If air is supplied from a compressor, all moisture must be extracted from the air
before it is supplied to the gas control module. Moisture can affect the internal
components of the gas control system and create a potentially hazardous
situation.
Use only approved regulators and hose connectors.
Never attempt to refill cylinders.