CSULA is seeking funds to purchase a multifunctional turn-key Agilent/Bruker Gas Chromatographer-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS). This instrument is the only available system for the quantitative determination of the hydrogen gas purity for CSULA Hydrogen fueling facility. It is also a unique and robust assembly of detectors that can be used to determine trace levels of a number of air and water constituents. Students and faculty involved in the following four ongoing projects will utilize this instrument extensively: 1) hydrogen purity research for fuel cell vehicles in tandem with the hydrogen station; 2) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban environment; 3) cycling of phosphorous in the natural environment; and 4) biofuel composition for controlled combustion. To our knowledge and according to the manufacturer, only one other such system is available in California and that is in Sacramento (a long distance from southern California).
With NSF Major Research Instrumentation award, CSULA purchased a multifunctional turn-key gas chromatography mass spectrometry unit developed by Bruker and Lotus consulting. The system enables a number of multidisciplinary high-sensitivity projects that were not serviced by other analyzers available at CSULA. The main project enabled by this instrument is the assurance of hydrogen purity standards for fuel cell vehicles generated by the CSULA and other regional hydrogen fueling facilities in southern California. Due to cumulative nature of contaminant accumulation in fuel cells, the detection limits are in parts per billion in ultra pure hydrogen. Invoking its versatility, the instrument is also intended to support other environmental and alternative fuels research projects on campus. The instrument could also be utilized in training and preparing graduate and undergraduate students as the next generation of scientists. Hydrogen purity testing requires use of multiple detectors to attain detection below the required action levels, thus allowing a comfortable margin to proper assess the fuel. The instrument includes: Flame ionization detector for Total Hydrocarbons Ring-down spectrometer for Water and Formaldehyde Electron capture detector for Oxygen Thermal conductivity detector for Helium Pulsed discharge detector for Nitrogen and Argon Flame ionization detector with reduction catalyst for Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide Pulsed flame photometric detector for Total Sulfur Compounds Mass spectrometer for Total Halogenated Compounds Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
