Thermo Electron Evolution 300 User manual

269-165900

Contents
Chapter 1 Welcome ............................................................................................1
Conventions used in this manual ..............................................................2
Chapter 2 Spectrophotometer Basics.............................................................3
Spectrophotometer components................................................................3
Connectors ............................................................................................4
Chapter 3 Accessories.......................................................................................7
Manual accessories ...................................................................................7
Installation.............................................................................................8
Standard rectangular cell holder .............................................................9
Adjustable microcell holder....................................................................9
Long pathlength rectangular cell holder ...............................................11
Cylindrical cell holder ..........................................................................12
Thermostatted single cell holder..........................................................12
Test tube/vial holder ............................................................................13
Rectangular cell holder.........................................................................14
Fiber optic sampling accessory .............................................................14
Smart Accessories ....................................................................................18
System accessories ...................................................................................19
Installing Smart Accessories.....................................................................20
Chapter 4 – Using the Instrument ...................................................................23
Local Control..........................................................................................23
Main Menu page..................................................................................25
Text entry ............................................................................................33
Editing numeric fields..........................................................................34
Pop-up menus......................................................................................35
File operations......................................................................................35
Scan application...................................................................................37
Fixed application..................................................................................40
Quantitation application......................................................................43
Kinetics application..............................................................................45
Multicomponent application................................................................49
Biological tests .....................................................................................51
Using UVcalc .......................................................................................62
Instrument verification tests .................................................................66
Thermo Electron Corporation Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide i

Contents
VISIONsecurity and VISIONpro.............................................................69
Chapter 5 Maintenance....................................................................................71
Routine maintenance ..............................................................................71
Cleaning instrument exterior...................................................................71
Internal printer........................................................................................72
Light sources (Evolution 600 only) ........................................................73
Deuterium lamp ..................................................................................75
Tungsten-halogen lamp .......................................................................76
Mercury lamp ......................................................................................77
ii Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide Thermo Electron Corporation

Chapter 1 Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of an Evolution™ 300 or Evolution 600
spectrophotometer from Thermo Electron! Our spectrophotometers
integrate advanced hardware features with the power and flexibility of a
wide range of Smart Accessories™.
Thermo Electron Corporation Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide 1

Chapter 1 Welcome
Conventions used in
this manual
This manual includes safety precautions and other important information
presented in the following format:
Note Notes contain helpful supplementary information. 
Important Follow instructions labeled “Important” to avoid damaging the system
hardware or losing data. 
Caution Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result
in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe
practices. 
Warning Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury. 
Danger Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury. 
2 Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide Thermo Electron Corporation

Chapter 2 Spectrophotometer
Basics
This chapter describes the major components of your spectrophotometer.
Spectrophotometer
components
The following illustration identifies some major components visible on the
outside of a typical Evolution spectrophotometer. (Some components may
not be present on your spectrophotometer.)
Zero
Run
789
456
123
0
.-
Keypad
LCD screen
Contrast
Optional printer
Floppy dis
k
drive
Sliding door
Sample
compartment
Port for optional
power supply
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Chapter 2 Spectrophotometer Basics
Connectors The following illustrations show the locations of the connectors on each
side of the spectrophotometer.
Right side
Zero
Run
789
456
123
0
.-
PRINTER KEY BD EXT ACCY RS232 DISPLAY
EXT
Printer – Use to connect a printer with a parallel interface.
Key Bd – Use to connect an English keyboard (this is supplied by Thermo
Electron to meet electrical emission requirements).
Ext – Use to connect an external TTL (or contact closure) trigger.
Accy –Uses to connect an external accessory.
RS232 – Use to connect a computer with an RS232 interface.
Ext Display – Use to connect to a computer monitor.
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Chapter 2 Spectrophotometer Basics
Left side
Port for optional
Peltier power supply
Power ON/OFF switch
Power supply
connection
Power cord
Zero
Run
789
456
123
0
.-
Danger Avoid shock hazard. Always power off the spectrophotometer and
disconnect the power supply from the wall outlet or power strip before
disconnecting the power supply from the spectrophotometer. 
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Chapter 2 Spectrophotometer Basics
Connectors inside sample
compartment
The following illustrations show the locations of the connectors inside the
sample compartment.
Evolution 300
Reference
connector
Sample
connector
Evolution 600
Sample
connector
Accessory/detector
connector
Accessory/detector
connector
Reference
connector
6 Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide Thermo Electron Corporation

Chapter 3 Accessories
This chapter briefly describes the types of sampling and system accessories
that are available for your spectrophotometer. Complete descriptions and
operating instructions are included with the accessories.
Manual
accessories
The Evolution 300 and the Evolution 600 are supplied with two standard
rectangular cell holders. All manual accessories are installed and removed as
follows:
Manual accessories are mounted on a common baseplate. This system
ensures correct alignment of the accessory within the instrument
automatically.
These accessories may be installed or removed without the need to switch
off the instrument and may be installed in the sample (front) position
and/or the reference (rear) position.
The accessory is positioned by two pins, A and B, at either side of the
sample compartment, and a spring-loaded toggle towards the front of the
instrument.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Installation
Reference position
cell holder
Sample position
cell holder
Spring loaded
toggle
Finger hole
Pin B
Pin A
Pin B
Pin A
1. Open the main lid of the sample compartment and remove any
accessory that may be present in the sample (front) position.
2. Position the accessory so that the holes towards the rear are aligned
over pins A and B in the instrument.
When properly aligned, gently push the front end of the accessory
downward until plate snaps into place under the toggle.
This positive location system ensures that the accessory is correctly
aligned in the corresponding optical beam.
For removal of the accessory:
•Grip the accessory through the finger hole in the accessory and pull
it upwards.
•For accessories with no finger hole, grip the accessory using the
handles.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Standard rectangular cell
holder
The instrument is supplied with two single cell holders (z = 8.5mm), which
may be installed in the sample and reference positions.
Adjustable microcell
holder
This accessory is recommended for use with small aperture cells. The
adjustment permits precise positioning of the cell in the beam.
1. Install the accessory into the instrument as described above.
2. Access the white light function in the operating software.
Local Control– From the Main Menu page, select Utilities, then press
the White Light function key on the Utilities page.
VISION – Select Command > White Light.
The instrument will align the monochromator so that the zero order
diffraction of the lamp(s) (white light) passes through the sample
compartment. This provides a beam of white light, which can be seen
when a business card or similar target is placed in the light path.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
3. Place the cuvette in the cell holder and loosen the securing screw A
by turning it counterclockwise.
4. Use adjustment screw B to align the cuvette so that the light beam
falls on the cell aperture.
Note Turning adjustment screw B clockwise moves the cell holder towards the
front. Turning it counterclockwise moves the cell holder towards the
rear. 
When the cell holder is aligned properly, the white light will not be
seen on the edges of the cell holder.
5. Tighten securing screw A to secure the cell holder position.
When you have finished aligning the accessory in the beam, exit White
Light mode by pressing White Light Off. This returns the
monochromator to its normal position ready to continue taking
measurements.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Securing screw A
Adjustment
screw B
Long pathlength
rectangular cell holder
This accessory is designed to accommodate rectangular cells with
pathlengths ranging from 1 to 100mm.
The capacity of the cell holder is adjusted by turning the knob on the front,
which alters the space between the gripping blocks.
Turn the knob until the space is longer than the pathlength required, insert
the cell and reduce the space until the cell is held securely.
Important Do not overtighten. 
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Cylindrical cell holder This accessory is designed to accommodate cylindrical cells with 22mm
external diameter and a pathlength of up to 50mm.
Push the cylindrical cell downwards into the cell holder so that it is secured
in the required position by the spring clip and is in contact with the
retaining ledge.
Thermostatted single
cell holder
This accessory is designed to accommodate square cells with 8.8mm
z-dimension and 10mm pathlength, and to operate at temperatures of
4 to 80°C (39 to 176°F).
Temperature control is achieved by means of an external temperature
controlled circulator bath. Refer to the Parts List supplied on CD with
your instrument for details of circulators available from Thermo Electron.
A tubing kit for Evolution thermostatted accessories is available for use
with the recirculator, which includes the necessary connection kit for the
circulator.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
The sample compartment front panel has two slits through which the
tubing can be routed. The slits are located to the left and right of the
center, and open downwards. Foam baffles fit around the tubing to exclude
light from the sample compartment.
Slits on bottom of panel
Position the in and out tubes either so that they will both pass through one
port, or so that they pass on either side. Replace the sample compartment
front panel, ensuring that the tubes are correctly located in the slit(s) and
are not being pinched between the front panel and the body of the
instrument. Ensure that the tubes do not obstruct the light beam. If
necessary, secure the tubes using the self-adhesive tubing clips supplied.
Test tube/vial holder This accessory is designed for use with test tubes or vials from 10 to 21mm
diameter and 40 to 100mm high.
Note Exceeding the recommended diameter may cause the retaining bar to clip
the light beam. 
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Rectangular cell holder This cell holder allows the use of 15mm beam height filters and flowcells in
the instrument.
Fiber optic sampling
accessory
This accessory enables samples to be measured outside of the sample
compartment.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
Versa The Versa fiber optic probe features a removable/disposable quartz tip.
This tip covers the stainless steel portion of the probe and allows the probe
to be used with strong acids.
If contamination is an issue in the laboratory, replacement tips are
available. The tip of the probe is manufactured to the same tolerances of a
standard cuvette and are available in 5, 10 and 20mm pathlengths.
VN Absolute Specular
Reflectance accessory
The VN Absolute Specular Reflectance accessory allows the absolute
reflectance of samples as small as 12.5mm to be examined. The VN
accessory has the advantage of having light only strike the sample surface
once and requires no calibrated specular standards.
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Chapter 3 Accessories
DRA-EV-600 Diffuse
Reflectance accessory
The Diffuse Reflectance accessory allows solid samples to be measured
horizontally outside the plane of the instrument. A double beam
Spectralon® integrating sphere ensures high energy throughput and
accuracy. A transmittance port is also included for making diffuse
transmittance measurements. This DRA is fully CIE compliant for making
color.
16 Evolution 300 and Evolution 600 User’s Guide Thermo Electron Corporation