Agilent Technologies 6890 Series Operating instructions

Site Preparation and Installation Manual
Agilent 6890 Series Gas
Chromatograph

Agilent Technologies, Inc
2850 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19808-1610
Agilent Technologies 2000
All Rights Reserved
Reproduction, adaptation, or
translation without permission
is prohibited, except as allowed
under the copyright laws
Part No G1530-90307
First edition, Jan 2000
Printed in USA
Replaces Part No G1530-90305
Site Preparation and
Installation Manual
HP® is a registered trademark
of Hewlett-Packard Co
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Safety information
The 6890 Gas Chromatograph
meets the following IEC
(International Electrotechnical
Commission) classifications:
Safety Class 1, Transient
Overvoltage Category II, and
Pollution Degree 2
This unit has been designed and
tested in accordance with
recognized safety standards and
designed for use indoors If the
instrument is used in a manner
not specified by the
manufacturer, the protection
provided by the instrument may
be impaired Whenever the
safety protection of the 6890
has been compromised,
disconnect the unit from all
power sources and secure the
unit against unintended
operation
Refer servicing to qualified
service personnel Substituting
parts or performing any
unauthorized modification to
the instrument may result in a
safety hazard Disconnect the
AC power cord before removing
covers The customer should
not attempt to replace the
battery or fuses in this
instrument The battery
contained in this instrument is
recyclable
Safety symbols
Warnings in the manual or on
the instrument must be
observed during all phases of
operation, service, and repair of
this instrument Failure to
comply with these precautions
violates safety standards of
design and the intended use of
the instrument
Agilent Technologies assumes
no liability for the customer's
failure to comply with these
requirements
WARNING
A warning calls attention to a
condition or possible situation
that could cause injury to the
user
CAUTION
A caution calls attention to a
condition or possible situation
that could damage or destroy
the product or the user's work
See accompanying
instructions for more
information
Indicates a hot
surface
Indicates hazardous
voltages
Indicates earth
(ground) terminal
Indicates radio-active
hazard
Indicates explosion
hazard
Electromagnetic
compatibility
This device complies with the
requirements of CISPR 11
Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1 This device may not cause
harmful interference
2 This device must accept any
interference received,
including interference that
may cause undesired
operation
If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can
be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try one or
more of the following measures:
1 Relocate the radio or
antenna
2 Move the device away from
the radio or television
3 Plug the device into a
different electrical outlet, so
that the device and the radio
or television are on separate
electrical circuits
4 Make sure that all peripheral
devices are also certified
5 Make sure that appropriate
cables are used to connect the
device to peripheral
equipment
6 Consult your equipment
dealer, Agilent Technologies,
or an experienced technician
for assistance
7 Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by
Agilent Technologies could
void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment
Soun Emission
Certification for Fe eral
Republic of Germany
Sound pressure Lp < 65 dB(A)
During normal operation
At the operator position
According to ISO 7779 (Type
Test)
When operating the 6890 with
cryo valve option, the sound
pressure 74 6 dB(A) during cryo
valve operation for short burst
pulses
Schallemission
Schalldruckpegel LP < 65 dB(A)
Am Arbeitsplatz
Normaler Betrieb
Nach DIN 45635 T 19
(Typprüfung)
Bei Betrieb des 6890 mit Cryo
Ventil Option treten beim
Oeffnen des Ventils
impulsfoermig Schalldrucke Lp
bis ca 74 6 dB(A) auf

Contents
i
Chapter 1. Site Preparation
Temperature and humidity ranges 3
Ventilation requirements 3
Venting oven exhaust 4
Venting toxic or noxious gases 4
Benchtop space requirements 4
Electrical requirements 8
Grounding 8
Line voltage 8
USA fast heating oven 10
Canadian installation 11
Configuring the GC for an MSD 11
Gas requirements 11
Gases for packed columns 11
Gases for capillary columns 12
Gas purity 13
The gas plumbing 14
Supply tubing for carrier and detector gases 16
Two-stage pressure regulators 16
Pressure regulator-gas supply tubing connections 17
Traps 17
Cryogenic cooling requirements 18
Choosing a coolant 19
Using carbon dioxide 19
Using liquid nitrogen 21
Supplying valve actuator air 22

ii
Contents
Chapter 2. Installation
Step 1 Unpacking the GC 28
Step 2 Placing the GC system on the benchtop 29
Step 3 Turning the power on 30
Step 4 Connecting tubing to the gas supply tank 31
Step 5 Attaching traps to the gas supply tubing 32
Step 6 Attaching a SWAGELOK™ Tee to tubing 33
Step 7 Attaching tubing to the inlet manifold 34
Step 8 Attaching tubing to detector manifolds 35
6890 with Electronic Pressure Control 35
6890 with Manual Pressure Control 36
Step 9 Checking for leaks 38
Step 10 Attaching cryogenic liquid supplies 39
Attaching liquid carbon dioxide 39
Attaching liquid nitrogen 40
Step 11 Attaching valve actuator air 42
Step 12 Setting source pressures 44
Step 13 Connecting cables 45
Cable diagrams 52
Analog cable, general use 52
Remote start/stop cable 53
Binary-coded decimal cable 54
External event cable 55
Step 14 Setting the 7673 Automatic Liquid Sampler switches 56
Step 15 Configuring the GC 57
Configuring for the Agilent GPIB ChemStation 57
Configuring for the INET integrator 58
Using the GC with a LAN 58
Appendix Making SWAGELOK Connections....................................................... 59
Index............................................................................................................................ 63

1
Site Preparation
How to prepare your laboratory for
installation and use of the GC
Temperature and humidity ranges 3
Ventilation requirements 3
Venting oven exhaust 4
Venting toxic or noxious gases 4
Benchtop space requirements 4
Electrical requirements 8
Grounding 8
Line voltage 8
USA fast heating oven 10
Canadian installation 10
Configuring the GC for an MSD 11
Gas requirements 11
Gases for packed columns 11
Gases for capillary columns 12
Gas purity 13
The gas plumbing 14
Supply tubing for carrier and detector gases 16
Two-stage pressure regulators 16
Pressure regulator-gas supply tubing connections 17
Traps 17
Cryogenic cooling requirements 18
Choosing a coolant 19
Using carbon dioxide 19
Using liquid nitrogen 21
Supplying valve actuator air 22

2
Site preparation at a glance
Site Preparation Checklist
❐The site is well ventilated and free of corrosive materials and overhanging obstacles.
❐Site temperature is within the recommended range of 20 to 27°C.
❐Site humidity is within the recommended range of 50 to 60 .
❐Bench space is adequate for the GC with EPC: 50 cm x 58.5 cm x 50 cm (21 inch x 23 inch x 21 inch).
Bench space is adequate for the GC without EPC: 50 cm x 68 cm x 50 cm (21 inch x 26.7 inch x 21 inch).
❐Bench can support the weight of the 6890 system. See page 7.
❐Power receptacle is earth grounded. See page 8.
❐Electrical supply meets all GC’s power requirements. See page 8.
❐Voltage supply is adequate for oven type. Regular oven: 2,250 VA. Fast-heating oven: 2,950 VA.
❐Gas supplies meet the requirements of your columns and detectors. See page 11.
❐Gases meet purity requirements. All should be chromatographic-grade—99.9995 pure or better. Air should be zero-
grade or better. Detector air is not shared with valve actuators.
❐Precleaned, 1/8-inch (or 1/4-inch) copper tubing is available for connecting inlet and detector gas supplies. See page 16.
❐Inlet and detector gas supplies have two-stage pressure regulators installed.
Optional supplies:
❐High quality traps for inlet and detector gas supplies—molecular sieve trap, hydrocarbon trap, and/or oxygen trap.
❐Liquid N2 or liquid CO2 (depending on requirements) available for cryogenic cooling.
❐Supply of 1/4-inch, insulated copper tubing is available for liquid N2 supplies, OR
1/8-inch, heavy-walled, stainless steel tubing is available for liquid CO2 supplies.
❐Insulation for liquid N2 tubing is available.
❐Pressurized clean air is available for value actuators. See page 22.
Before the GC arrives, make sure your
laboratory meets the following
environmental, weight, power, and gas
requirements You should also refer to this
checklist for supplies that you need to
operate your GC, such as traps and tubing
You can find more site preparation
information in this chapter

3
Site Preparation
Site preparation involves two general steps: insuring that your laboratory is
capable of supporting the operation of the GC and obtaining supplies and tools
you will need to install the instrument A list of the necessary tools and supplies
appears at the beginning of the “Installation” chapter Most supplies are available
from Agilent Technologies See the Agilent catalog for consumables and supplies
for descriptions and ordering information You can obtain a copy of the catalog
from your local sales office
Temperature an humi ity ranges
Operating the GC within the recommended ranges insures optimum instrument
performance and lifetime
After exposing the GC to extremes of temperature or humidity, allow 15 minutes
for it to return to the recommended ranges
Ventilation requirements
The GC is cooled by convection: air enters vents in the side panels and
underneath the instrument Warmed air exits through slots in the top, rear, and
side panels Do not obstruct air flow around the instrument
Caution For proper cooling and general safety, always operate the instrument with cover
panels properly installed
Recommended temperature range Temperature range
20 to 27°C5 to 40°C
Recommended humidity range Humidity range
50 to 60 Up to 31°C, 5 to 80
At 40°C, 5 to 50
Recommended altitude range
Up to 2000 m

Site Preparation
Benchtop space requirements
4
Venting oven exhaust
Hot air (up to 450°C) from the oven exits through a vent in the rear Allow at
least 20 cm (10 inch) clearance behind the instrument to dissipate this air
WAR I G Do not place temperature-sensitive items (for example, gas cylinders, chemicals,
regulators, and plastic tubing) in the path of the heated exhaust These items will
be damaged and plastic tubing will melt Be careful when working behind the
instrument during cool-down cycles to avoid burns from the hot exhaust
If space is limited, the Oven Exhaust Deflector (part no 19247-60510) may
improve oven cooling It diverts exhaust air up and away from the instrument
You can connect it to a 10 2-cm (4-inch) exhaust-duct system, route the exhaust
to a fume hood, or vent the exhaust outside the building with 10 2-cm diameter
(4-inch diameter) furnace duct
Venting toxic or noxious gases
During normal operation of the GC with many detectors and inlets, some of the
carrier gas and sample vents outside the instrument If any sample components
are toxic or noxious, or if hydrogen is used as the carrier gas, the exhaust must
be vented to a fume hood Place the GC in the hood or attach a large diameter
venting tube to the outlet for proper ventilation
To further prevent contamination from noxious gases, you can attach a chemical
trap (part no G1544-60610) to the split vent
Benchtop space requirements
The GC with electronic pneumatics control (EPC) is 59 cm (23 inch) wide The
nonEPC model is 68 cm (26 7 inch) wide Both are 50 cm (21 inch) high and
50 cm (21 inch) deep
The area above the GC should be clear, with no shelves or overhanging
obstructions that limit access to the top of the instrument and interfere with
cooling You may need additional space for other instruments used with your
GC Figure 1 shows some common system configurations

5
Site Preparation
Benchtop space requirements
Table 1 presents the dimensions, power requirements, heat production, and
weight of the GC and other Agilent instruments often used with it Use this table
to insure that you have adequate space and power for the entire system Allow
at least 10 2 cm (4 inch) space between instruments for ventilation See Table 2
and Table 3 for GC voltage requirements

Site Preparation
Benchtop space requirements
6
Figure 1. Common GC system configurations—top views
59* cm
50 cm
50 cm
47 cm
54 cm 44 cm
40 cm
28 cm
23 cm
65 cm
17 cm
GC
59* cm
50 cm
10 cm
31 cm
GC with Agilent Automatic Liquid Sampler
GC with Agilent ChemStation
GC with 5972A Mass Selective Detector
*68 cm for non-EPC version.
Tray—30.3 cm
left of GC
ALS Controller
Injector—44 cm
above GC
Computer
Keyboard
GC
Mouse
pad
Printer
GC
7673
59* cm

7
Site Preparation
Benchtop space requirements
Table 1. Dimensions, Power, Heat Pro uction, an Weight
Instrument Height Width Depth Power (VA) Heat Weight
6890 Gas Chromatograph
EPC version 54 cm
21 inch 59 cm 23 inch 54 cm 21 inch 2,250 8,100 KJoules 7,681 Btu/hr 50 kg 112 lb
Non-EPC version 51 cm
21 inch 68 cm 26.7 inch 54 cm 21 inch 2,250 8,100 KJoules 7,681 Btu/hr 56.8 kg 125 lb
Fast heating oven,
same for EPC and non-EPC — — — 2,950 10,620 KJoules 10,071 Btu/hr —
GC Automatic Liquid Sampler
G1512A Controller (7673) 10 cm
4inch 33 cm 13 inch 38 cm 15 inch 320 max 545 KJoules 515 Btu/Hr 7.3 kg 16.0 lb
G1513A or G2613A Injector 44 cm above GC
17 inch above GC
18596 or G2614A Tray 30.3 cm left of GC
9 inch left of GC
Computer*
Computer with monitor 54 cm
21 inch 42 cm 17 inch 39 cm 15 inch N/A N/A N/A
Keyboard 5cm
2inch 47 cm 18 inch 18 cm 7inch N/A N/A N/A
5972A Mass Selective
Detector 35 cm 13.6 inch 17 cm 6.7 inch 65 cm 25.6 inch 254 max 3,158 Btu/hr, 3,000 with GC 22.7 kg 50.0 lb
7694 Headspace Sampler 31 cm
16 inch 56 cm 22 inch 39 cm 22 inch 420 max 2,215 KJoules 2,100 Btu/hr 35.8 kg 79.0 lb
Printers
Laser printer 30 cm
11.7 inch 42 cm 16.4 inch 40 cm 15.9 inch 300 max N/A 16.8 kg 37.0 lb
Integrators
3397 Series,
3396 Series III and,
3395 Integrators
13 cm
4.5 inch 46 cm 18 inch 46 cm 18 inch 50 135 KJoules 120 Btu/hr 4.3 kg 9.5 lb
35900C/D/E Analog-to-
Digital Converter 11 cm 4inch 33 cm 13 inch 29 cm 11 inch 40 216 KJoules 205 Btu/hr 4.1 kg 9.0 lb
* General specifications for a mid-size, desktop computer

Site Preparation
Electrical requirements
8
Electrical requirements
Groun ing
Caution A proper earth ground is required for GC operations
To protect users, the metal instrument panels and cabinet are grounded through
the three-conductor power line cord in accordance with International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) requirements
The three-conductor power line cord, when plugged into a properly grounded
receptacle, grounds the instrument and minimizes shock hazard A properly
grounded receptacle is one that is connected to a suitable earth ground Proper
receptacle grounding should be verified
Make sure the GC is connected to a dedicated receptacle Use of a dedicator
receptacle reduces interference
Caution Any interruption of the grounding conductor or disconnection of the power cord
could cause a shock that could result in personal injury
Line voltage
The GC operates from one of the AC voltage supplies listed in Table 2, depending
on the standard voltage of the country from which it was ordered GCs are
designed to work with a specific voltage; make sure your GC voltage option is
appropriate for your lab The voltage requirements for your GC are printed near
the power cord attachment

9
Site Preparation
Electrical requirements
Table 2. Line Voltage Requirements
The fast-heating oven requires at least 200 V Most countries’ standard voltage
meets this requirement GCs for use in the USA, Denmark, and Switzerland will
be equipped with a slow-heating oven unless they are ordered with power option
002, which specifies a fast-heating oven
Although your GC should arrive ready for operation in your country, compare
its voltage requirements with those listed in Table 3 If the voltage option you
ordered is not suitable for your installation, contact Agilent Technologies
Voltage Maximum power
consumption (VA) Power line requirement Oven type
120 V (±5 ) 2,250 20-amp dedicated Slow-heating
200 V (±5 ) 2,950 15-amp dedicated Fast-heating
220 V (±5 ) 2,950 15-amp dedicated Fast-heating
230 V (±5 ) 2,950 16-amp dedicated Fast-heating
230 V (±5 ) 2,250 10-amp dedicated Slow-heating
(Switzerland or Denmark with 10-amp
maximum service)
240 V (±5 ) 2,950 13- or 16-amp dedicated Fast-heating
Frequency range for all voltages is 48 to 66 Hz.

Site Preparation
Electrical requirements
10
Table 3. Voltage Requirements by Country
USA fast heating oven
The fast heating oven requires 240 V/15A power Do not use 208 V power Lower
voltage causes slow oven ramps and prevents proper temperature control The
power cord supplied with your GC is rated for 250 V/15A, and is a two pole, three
wire cord with grounding (type L6-15R/L6-15P) See the figure below
Country Voltage Oven type
Australia, 10 amp 240 V Slow–heating
Australia, India, South Africa 240 V Fast–heating
China 220 V Slow–heating
China, Hong Kong 220 V Fast–heating
Continental Europe, dual phase 230 V Fast–heating
Continental Europe, single phase 220 V Fast–heating
Denmark, Switzerland, 10 amp 230 V Slow–heating
Denmark, Switzerland, 16 amp 230 V Fast–heating
Israel 220 V Fast–heating
Japan 200 V Fast–heating
United Kingdom, Ireland 240 V Fast–heating
USA 120 V Slow–heating
USA 240 V Fast–heating
Receptacle
L6-15R
Plug
L6-15P

11
Site Preparation
Gas requirements
Cana ian installation
When installing a GC in Canada, make sure your GC’s power supply circuit meets
the following additional requirements:
• The circuit breaker for the branch circuit, which is dedicated to the
instrument, must be rated for continuous operation
• The service box branch circuit must be marked as a “Dedicated Circuit ”
Configuring the GC for an MSD
If you are installing an Agilent Mass Selective Detector, you must configure the
GC to properly control the heated transfer line
1 Press [Config][Aux], and select [1] if the MSD is installed in the front position
or [2] for the back position
2 Press [Mode/Type]
3 Use the scroll keys to select MSD as the Aux zone type Press [Enter]
If you do not configure the Aux zone for MSD, Warning 101, Invalid heater power
for front (back) detector, inlet, and aux 1(2), will appear on the GC display,
and the heated zones will be set to not installed
Gas requirements
Gases for packe columns
The carrier gas you use depends upon the type of detector and the performance
requirements Table 4 lists gas recommendations for packed column use In
general, makeup gases are not required with packed columns

Site Preparation
Gas requirements
12
Table 4. Gas Recommen ations for Packe Columns
Gases for capillary columns
When used with capillary columns, GC detectors require a separate makeup gas
for optimum sensitivity For each detector and carrier gas, there is a preferred
choice for makeup gas Table 5 lists gas recommendations for capillary columns
Detector Carrier gas Comments Detector, anode purge,
or reference gas
Electron
Capture Nitrogen Maximum sensitivity Nitrogen
Argon/Methane Maximum dynamic range Argon/Methane
Flame
Ionization Nitrogen Maximum sensitivity Hydrogen and air for detector
Helium Acceptable alternative
Flame
Photometric Hydrogen Hy dro gen an d ai r f or d et ec t or
Helium
Nitrogen
Argon
Nitrogen-
Phosphorus Helium Optimum performance Hydrogen and air for detector
Nitrogen Acceptable alternative
Thermal
Conductivity
Helium General use Reference must be same as
carrier
Hydrogen Maximum sensitivity (Note A)
Nitrogen Hydrogen detection (Note B)
Argon Maximum hydrogen sensitivity
(Note B)
Note A: Slightly greater sensitivity than helium. Incompatible with some compounds.
Note B: For analysis of hydrogen or helium. Greatly reduces sensitivity for other compounds.

13
Site Preparation
Gas requirements
Table 5. Gas Recommen ations for Capillary Columns
Gas purity
Some gas suppliers furnish “instrument” or “chromatographic” purity grades of
gas that are specifically intended for chromatographic use We recommend these
grades for use with the GC
Detector Carrier gas Preferred
makeup gas Second choice Detector, anode purge, or reference gas
Electron
Capture Hydrogen Argon/Methane Nitrogen Anode purge must be same as makeup
Helium Argon/Methane Nitrogen
Nitrogen Nitrogen Argon/Methane
Argon/Methane Argon/Methane Nitrogen
Flame
Ionization Hydrogen Nitrogen Helium Hydrogen and air for detector
Helium Nitrogen Helium
Nitrogen Nitrogen Helium
Flame
Photometric Hydrogen Nitrogen Hydrogen and air for detector
Helium Nitrogen
Nitrogen Nitrogen
Argon Nitrogen
Nitrogen-
Phosphorus Helium Nitrogen Helium** Hydrogen and air for detector
Nitrogen Nitrogen Helium**
Thermal
Conductivity Hydrogen* Must be same as carrier and
reference gas
Must be same
as carrier and
reference gas
Reference must be
same as carrier and
makeup
Helium
Nitrogen
* When using hydrogen with a thermal conductivity detector, vent the detector exhaust to a fume hood or a dedicated
exhaust to avoid buildup of hydrogen gas.
**H elium is not reco mmended a s a makeup g as at flow rates> 5 mL /min. Fl ow rates ab ove 5 mL/mi n shorten d etecto r life.

Site Preparation
The gas plumbing
14
Generally, all gas supplies used should be in the 99 995% to 99 9995% purity range
Only very low levels (< 0 5 ppm) of oxygen and total hydrocarbons should be
present Oil-pumped air supplies are not recommended because they may
contain large amounts of hydrocarbons
The addition of high-quality moisture and hydrocarbon traps immediately after
the main tank pressure regulator is highly recommended Refer to the next
section, “Assembling the Gas Plumbing,” for more information on using traps
Table 6. Gas Purity Recommen ations
The gas plumbing
WAR I G All compressed gas cylinders should be securely fastened to an immovable
structure or permanent wall Compressed gases should be stored and handled
in accordance with the relevant safety codes
Gas cylinders should not be located in the path of heated oven exhaust
To avoid possible eye injury, wear eye protection when using compressed gas
Follow the general plumbing diagram in when preparing gas supply plumbing
Carrier gases and capillary makeup gases
Helium 99.9995
Nitrogen 99.9995
Hydrogen 99.9995
Argon/Methane 99.9995
Detector support gases
Hydrogen 99.9995
Air (dry) Zero-grade or better

15
Site Preparation
The gas plumbing
Figure 2. General plumbing iagram
• Two-stage regulators are strongly recommended to eliminate pressure
surges High-quality, stainless-steel diaphragm-type regulators are especially
recommended
• On/off valves mounted on the outlet fitting of the two-stage regulator are not
essential but are very useful Be sure the valves have stainless-steel, packless
diaphragms
• FID, FPD, and NPD detectors require a dedicated air supply Operation may
be affected by pressure pulses in air lines shared with other devices
• Flow- and pressure-controlling devices require at least 10 psi (138 kPa)
pressure differential across them to operate properly Source pressures and
capacities must be high enough to ensure this
• Auxiliary pressure regulators should be located close to the GC inlet fittings
This insures that the supply pressure is measured at the instrument rather
than at the source; pressure at the source may be different if the gas supply
lines are long or narrow
Two-stage regulation
Main supply
on/off valve
Main gas
supply
On/off valve
Moisture
trap Hydrocarbon
trap
Oxygen
trap

Site Preparation
The gas plumbing
16
Supply tubing for carrier an etector gases
Caution Do not use methylene chloride or other halogenated solvent to clean tubing that
will be used with an electron capture detector They will cause elevated baselines
and detector noise until they are completely flushed out of the system
Gases should be supplied to the instrument only through preconditioned copper
tubing (part no 5180-4196) Do not use ordinary copper tubing—it contains oils
and contaminants
Caution Do not use plastic tubing for suppling detector and inlet gases to the GC It is
permeable to oxygen and other contaminants that can damage columns and
detectors, and can melt if near hot exhaust or components
The tubing diameter depends upon the distance between the supply gas and the
GC and the total flow rate for the particular gas One-eighth-inch tubing is
adequate when the supply line is less than 15 feet (4 6 m) long
Use larger diameter tubing (1/4-inch) for distances greater then 15 feet (4 6 m)
or when multiple instruments are connected to the same source You should also
use larger diameter tubing if high demand is anticipated (for example, air for an
FID)
Be generous when cutting tubing for local supply lines—a coil of flexible tubing
between the supply and the instrument lets you move the GC without moving
the gas supply Take this extra length into account when choosing the tubing
diameter
Two-stage pressure regulators
To eliminate pressure surges, use a two-stage regulator with each gas tank
Stainless steel, diaphragm-type regulators are recommended