Agilent Technologies 7697A User manual

Agilent Technologies
Agilent 7697A
Headspace Sampler
Operation

Notices
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2011
No part of this manual may be reproduced
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United States and international copyright
laws.
Manual Part Number
G4556-90015
Edition
Second edition, November 2011
First edition, January 2011
Printed in USA
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Wilmington, DE 19808-1610 USA
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Safety Notices
CAUTION
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.
WARNING
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.

Operation 3
Contents
1 Introduction
Introduction 8
The Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler 9
About This Manual 10
Getting Familiar with the Headspace Sampler 11
2 The Operation Workflow
Routine Operation Workflow 14
Method Development Workflow 15
3 The Keypad
The General Data Entry Keys 18
The Run Keys 19
The Component Keys 20
The Adv Function Key 22
The Status Key 23
The Info Key 24
The Supporting Keys 25
The Method Storage and Automation Keys 26
The Service Mode Key 27
Keypad Functionality When the HS Is Controlled by an Agilent Data
System 28
Headspace Sampler Status 29
Alert tones 29
Error conditions 30
Blinking setpoint 30
Status indicators 31
Logs 32
Sequence log 32
Maintenance log 32
Event log 32
4 Consumables
Consumables for Headspace Analysis 34

4Operation
5 Sample Vials
Sample Vial Types 38
Sample Vial Septa and Caps 39
Vial Labels 40
Filling Sample Vials 41
To Cap a Sample Vial 42
To Park or Unpark the Tray (111 Vial Model) 44
To Install a Vial Rack (111 Vial Model) 45
To Load a Sample into the Tray (111 Vial Model) 46
To Load a Sample into the Tray (12 Vial Model) 47
6 Methods
What Is a Method? 50
Built-in methods 50
Data system methods 51
Method Parameter Summary 52
To Create a Method 54
To Save (Store) a Method 56
To Edit a Method 57
To Load a Method 58
To Delete a Method 59
To Determine the GC Cycle Time 60
To determine the GC cycle time 60
Validating the GC cycle time 61
7 Sequences
What Is a Sequence? 64
Sequences, extraction modes, and vial punctures 64
How many sequences can the HS store? 65
Priority samples 66
Priority sample locations 66
How the HS processes priority samples 66
Priority samples using an Agilent data system 67
Sequences and Throughput (111 vial model) 68
To Create a Sequence 69
To Save (Store) a Sequence 70

Operation 5
To Load a Sequence 71
To Edit a Sequence 72
To Delete a Sequence 73
Method Sequence Actions 74
8 Running Samples
To Run a Series (Sequence) of Samples 76
To Pause a Running Sequence 77
To Stop a Running Sequence 78
To Run a Priority Sample During a Sequence 79
To View Vial and Sequence Status 81
Readiness status 81
Setpoint status 81
Vial status 82
Sequence Control with an Agilent Data System 83
9 Configuration
What is Configuration? 86
To Configure the Headspace Sampler 87
Resource Conservation 88

6Operation

7
Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler
Agilent 7697A Operation
Agilent Technologies
1
Introduction
Introduction 8
The Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler 9
About This Manual 10
Getting Familiar with the Headspace Sampler 11
This guide describes how to operate the Agilent 7697A
Headspace Sampler during typical operation.

8Operation
1Introduction
Introduction
Headspace analysis is a technique for analyzing volatile
organic compounds using gas chromatography. Headspace
analysis samples the ambient volume above a sample matrix,
where the volatile compounds exist in gaseous form at
predictable levels.
Headspace analysis is useful for situations where:
•The analyte of interest is volatile at temperatures below
285 °C (111 vial model) or 195 °C (12 vial model).
•The sample matrix is a solid, paste, or a liquid that is not
easy to inject into a GC inlet.
•Sample preparation to allow easy liquid injection is
currently difficult.
Headspace analysis provides several advantages over
traditional injections:
•Simpler sample preparation. The sample does not need to
be processed into an injectable liquid.
•Directly analyze a wide range of sample matrices (liquids,
solids, and pastes).
•Solvent peak is smaller or nonexistent compared to
traditional liquid injection GC techniques.
•Columns last longer, with less maintenance. The
headspace volume above the sample matrix is more clean
than the matrix. By injecting fewer contaminants, the
analytical column lasts longer and requires less
maintenance (trimming, bakeout, guard column
replacement, and so forth).
•High precision.

Introduction 1
Operation 9
The Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler
The Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler (HS) is a
pressure- loop headspace sampling system with either a
12- vial or 111- vial capacity. If configured for 12 sample
vials, the HS uses a single- vial oven to equilibrate the
sample at the desired temperature. If configured with the
111 sample vial tray, the HS uses a 12 vial oven for
equilibrating samples at temperature. Since the longest hold
time in headspace analysis is typically the equilibration time,
using a multi-vial oven allows the higher capacity HS to
increase throughput by equilibrating multiple vials at once.

10 Operation
1Introduction
About This Manual
This manual described the concepts and tasks needed for
routine headspace sampler operation.
For information needed to perform more advanced tasks and
method development, see the Advanced Operation Guide.