D-Torch Demountable Torch
Glass Expansion Patented* D-Torch™, A Robust, High Performance, Demountable Super Torch
We understand that dealing with aggressive sample matrices is a challenge and most 'real-world samples' analyzed by ICP laboratories contain considerable concentrations of TDS, including soils, sludges, wastewater, brines, high acid digests, and fusions. Analyzing these types of samples can pose a number of challenges for the ICP analyst, including increased frequency of torch replacement due to shortened torch life.
The combination of high plasma temperatures and salt deposits on the torch leads to the devitrification of quartz torch outer tubes. The drawback of the single-piece torch is that it is a relatively expensive consumable item, requiring the replacement of the entire torch when, in most cases, only the outer tube is affected by devitrification.
The D-Torch, provides a robust and high-performing alternative to both single-piece and semi-demountable quartz torches, ensuring greater robustness and a lower cost of ownership.
Lower cost of ownership
Compared to other demountable torches, the D-Torch is the only torch design that comes standard with a ceramic intermediate tube for greater robustness and a lower cost of ownership. With demountable torch designs offered by other manufacturers, the intermediate tube is made of quartz and fused to the quartz outer tube, which is an additional consumable whose cost can quickly add up and negate the economic benefits of the torch itself.
With the D-Torch design, the analyst most often replaces only the outer tube, rather than replacing the entire torch or a quartz torch body, ensuring a significant lower cost of ownership (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Comparative torch ownership costs versus the D-Torch (Agilent 5000 Series D-Torch)
Ceramic Outer Tube
Another exclusivity of the Glass Expansion D-Torch is an optional ceramic outer tube. For over 25 years, Glass Expansion has been the leader in ceramic torch design, offering ceramic versions of our acclaimed D-Torch for numerous ICP models. Compared to quartz outer tubes, the ceramic alternative has an extended lifespan, significantly reducing maintenance, cleaning, and downtime caused by torch failure. Incorporating a ceramic outer tube into your ICP torch has a range of benefits, particularly for the analysis of high-TDS sample matrices. The quartz torch in Figure 3 was run for only 6 hours with samples containing 10% NaCl and badly degraded. By contrast, the ceramic outer tube is not affected by salt deposits.
In certain sample matrices, where quartz outer tubes degrade within hours, the ceramic outer tube perseveres for years under identical conditions, ensuring long-term reliability and cost savings.
Ceramic outer tube is ideal for:
- Measuring high TDS samples that will quickly devitrify the quartz outer tube
- Analysis of fusion samples where the lithium salts rapidly attack quartz
- Monitoring of wear metals in engine oils, as quartz outer tubes often suffer cracking and shortened lifetimes due to thermal shock
- Analyses at the detection limit as the hotter plasma increases sensitivity
- Silicon analysis due the lower background
Semi-Demountable Torch
Comprising of a replaceable quartz torch body, a torch adaptor, an injector, and GazFit connectors. This makes the semi demountable torch more cost-effective than the fixed quartz torch.
Essentially the design of the torch for standard analyses and HF analyses is the same, with the exception of the injector material. The torch for aqueous and organics analyses comes with a quartz injector, while the torch version for HF analyses comes with an alumina injector. Hence simply interchange quartz and alumina injectors for appropriate analyses. Several internal diameters for both quartz and alumina injectors are also available.
Fixed (One-Piece) Quartz Torch
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