The design of the entire gas system is similar for all GC apparatus. The parts of the system are either directly connected or by means of a length of tubing between the components.
More details on the gas sytem can be found in the chapter on the gas system.
The common problems encountered in the gas system are listed below. Gas problems in the injector, in the detector or in the column will be dealt with in other chapters.
Parts of the gas system | Problems of the gas system |
Gas cylinder or gas generator | Gas supply: amount and storage |
Gas mains, compounds and connections | Leaks |
Pressure regulator, flow control | Contamination |
Pressure gauge | Pressure control |
Filters | Contamination |
Injector | Leaks |
Column | |
Detector | Wrong flow settings |
Detector gas systems are, with the exception of the injector and the column, comparable to carrier gas systems. There is a direct connection between flow controller/pressure regulator and the detector.