Agilent 490 Micro GC Solution - Data Sheet

Importance of the Topic

Accurate and rapid analysis of gas mixtures underpins key decisions in industries ranging from oil and gas exploration to specialty gas production and fuel cell development. A compact and robust micro gas chromatograph enhances process control, improves product quality, and reduces downtime by delivering real-time compositional data.

Aims and Overview of the Document

This summary reviews the Agilent 490 Micro GC Solution Data Sheet, which presents the design, performance specifications, and application scope of the fifth-generation micro gas chromatograph. The document’s purpose is to inform potential users about key benefits, modular configuration, analytical capabilities, and practical deployment scenarios.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The Agilent 490 Micro GC integrates one to four fully independent analytical GC channels, each comprising its own injector, column, pneumatics, and thermal conductivity detector (TCD). Key instrumentation and methodological features include:

• Sample introduction via a heated or ambient-temperature inlet (1/16 in stainless steel fitting with 5 μm filter), supporting up to 110 °C and 100 kPa; optional front or rear placement and syringe injection.
• Micro-machined injector with no moving parts, software-selectable injection volumes (1–10 µL) and optional backflush for column protection.
• Isothermal column oven (up to 180 °C) accommodating a variety of column chemistries (WCOT capillaries and PLOT or micropacked columns) for tailored separations.
• Dual-channel TCD (200 nL volume per channel) offering detection limits down to 0.5 ppm (WCOT) and a linear dynamic range over six orders of magnitude.
• Carrier gas flexibility: He, H2, N2, or Ar at 550 kPa input, with the possibility of using two different gases simultaneously.
• Onboard electronics for time-programmable column pressure control and micro-electronic gas handling, enabling precise timing and backflush operations.
• Communication interfaces including LAN (TCP/IP), RS232, analog inputs, and an embedded web server for remote monitoring and control.
• Software support through Agilent OpenLAB CDS platforms, offering automated sequence control, calculation of natural gas properties (calorific value, relative density, Wobbe index), and customizable reporting.

Main Results and Discussion

The Agilent 490 Micro GC achieves full chromatographic analyses in seconds rather than minutes. Typical performance metrics include:

• Detection limits: 0.5 ppm on WCOT columns; 2 ppm on PLOT and select micropacked columns; 10 ppm on other micropacked columns.
• Operating concentration range spanning from 1 ppm to 100 % with linearity of 10^6.
• Repeatability better than 0.5 % RSD for propane at the 1 % level under controlled conditions.
• Quick startup facilitated by electronic data sheets that retain operational history and last-used methods.

This speed and sensitivity enable high-frequency monitoring for continuous process control, minimizing the risk of column fouling and extending maintenance intervals through backflush and selective injection strategies.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The modular design and rugged construction make the instrument suitable for:

• Laboratory, on-line, and at-line gas quality analyses.
• Refinery gas, natural gas, and biogas composition monitoring.
• Fuel cell research and specialty gas purity verification.
• Process safety applications such as mine air monitoring and mud logging.

Rapid analysis supports improved product valuation, efficient plant operations, and timely decision making.

Future Trends and Potential Uses

Emerging developments point toward further miniaturization, integration with cloud-based analytics, and expanded multistream sampling capabilities. Advances in microfabrication and AI-driven data interpretation are expected to enhance automation, predictive maintenance, and adaptive process control. Additional detector types and higher-temperature column ovens may broaden the application scope to heavier hydrocarbons and complex vapor mixtures.

Conclusion

The Agilent 490 Micro GC represents a significant step forward in compact gas chromatography, offering unmatched speed, flexibility, and analytical performance. Its modular architecture and robust design address critical needs in diverse industrial and research settings, enabling real-time gas quality assessment and process optimization.

Reference

Agilent Technologies Inc. Agilent 490 Micro GC Solution Data Sheet, publication 5991-6034EN, November 2017.