Agilent 990 Micro Gas Chromatograph

The Agilent 990 Micro GC is a benchtop micro gas chromatograph designed for rapid quantitative analysis of gas mixtures and highly volatile hydrocarbons. Its compact size and weight combine with high analytical performance, making it equally effective for permanent laboratory installations, mobile labs, or industrial applications. The instrument's design is based on four independent analytical channels, each with its own micro-injector, micro-capillary column, and micro-thermal conductivity detector (micro-TCD) with a 350-nanometer cell volume. This architecture enables parallel separation and detection of components on different columns, dramatically reducing analysis time: a complete cycle for determining a typical gas composition takes 1–2 minutes. The backflush micro-injector is equipped with a built-in filter and prevents unevaporated residues or particulate matter from entering the column. Microcolumns are manufactured using silicon microlithography technology and are fixed onto the chip, ensuring exceptional repeatability from instrument to instrument. The micro-TDP maintains temperature stability with an accuracy of ±0.02°C, ensuring minimal noise and a stable baseline signal over long runs. The instrument is equipped with four removable column cartridges, each operating in its own thermostatted block with independent temperature control. The cartridges are available with the most common stationary phases: Molecular Sieve 5Å for permanent gases (H2, O2, N2, CH2, CO), PPU for C1–C6 hydrocarbons, and PoraPLOT U and PoraPLOT Q for hydrogen sulfide, sulfides, and light oxygenates. The cartridge design allows for tool-free column replacement in less than one minute. The integrated sixth-generation EPC flow control electronics regulate the pressure in each channel from 5 to 150 psi, maintaining constant pressure or constant flow. A backflush micro-injector implements a programmable protocol for purging the analytical column of heavy fractions, extending the life of the separation system when analyzing "dirty" gases (natural gas, pyrolysis gases, gas condensate). For operation in remote areas without access to a mains power supply, the instrument can be equipped with a field battery pack, providing up to 2.5 hours of battery life. Air-cooled micro-columns eliminate the need for external cryogenic systems, reducing operating costs. The OpenLAB CDS Micro Edition software provides an intuitive interface for method creation, sequence running, and automatic chromatogram processing, with results displayed in the required units of measurement (mol/%, volume/%, mg/m³). The Agilent 990 Micro GC is widely used for natural gas analysis according to ASTM D1945 and D1946 standards, for monitoring process gases in oil refining (nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene), for monitoring the purity of carrier gases and auxiliary gases in chromatography laboratories, and for environmental emission monitoring.