Stable Gas Flow Control for Analytical Instruments

• Offering stable gas flow control along with industry leading accuracy and repeatability, the FLEXI-FLOW pressure and flow instrument is a great investment for analytical purposes
• The Bronkhorst FLEXI-FLOW is a compact, yet powerful gas flow and pressure meter and controller designed for use in analytical processes
• Low flow gases can easily be switched on the FLEXI-FLOW, which is imperative for many analytical processes such as inductively coupled plasma processes and helps reduce the required amount of instrumentation in laboratories

Bronkhorst FLEXI-FLOW for Pressure and Flow Measurement and Control

Gas mass flow controllers are key components in many analytical techniques, like mass spectrometry, chromatography, atomic spectroscopy, and combustion analysis. Stable gas flow control is crucial for processes such as in an ICP-MS setup where compact gas flow instruments are used for feeding gases to a collision cell (reaction cell).

The FLEXI-FLOW gas mass flow controller from Bronkhorst is a perfect fit for these processes as it provides stable gas flow control, compactness, short and long-term stability, and compatibility with multiple gases.

Analytical Instruments Require High Accuracy, Stability, Repeatability

A common factor in many analytical applications is the need for a very low, stable gas flow (in the range of 1-1000 mln/min). Since the gas flow and its variations are directly visible in the measurement, flow stability is important. At the data sheet level, this requires good short-term repeatability and control stability, as well as good long-term stability over years of use.

When gas flows are switched, the response time of the control at low flow becomes important, requiring small internal volumes in the gas supply system. As laboratory space becomes more and more expensive, the compactness of flow meters for desktop instruments is also something to consider.

Flexible, Reliable Low Flow Instrumentation

• Wide gas compatibility
• Repeatable and long-term stable flow control
• Fast switching of low gas flows 
• Compact size flow instrumentation

Wide Gas Compatibility and Flow Range Instrumentation

The FLEXI-FLOW gas flow controller is an instrument that is applicable for a wide range of different gas types. This gas flow meter is suitable for analytical desktop instruments that have a low gas flow rate, like 1-1000 mln/min of process gas and up to 20 ln/min of cooling gas (like Argon or Nitrogen).

Stable Gas Flow Control Instrumentation

In analytical equipment, a carrier gas flow directly influences the measurement result. For example, the retention time of a substance in the column of a chromatograph directly depends on the stability of the flow. When the flow fluctuates, so does the measurement. The FLEXI-FLOW features short and long-term control stability and gives the same performance on the first day of use as it will one year later. 

Fast Switching of Low Gas Flows

The FLEXI-FLOW can be easily and quickly switch for use between different gases, which is an important feature for feeding gases to a collision cell, as part of an ICP-MS setup. In these collision cells, unwanted compounds react with an additional gas in order to eliminate them. Switching of gases is then necessary. When measuring low flow rates, in the range of 1-10 mln/min, the switching time is related to the internal volume of the mass flow controller. As the FLEXI-FLOW is very compact, the response time is shorter then a few seconds.

Compact Design for Benchtop / Tabletop Applications

The small size of the FLEXI-FLOW will make it a device of choice for compact benchtop analytical instruments. In locations like analytical and research laboratories, workspace is limited, so it’s crucial to use instrumentation with minimal space requirements.

In addition to its compact design, the ability to switch flow easily and quickly between gas supplies can reduce the number of required flow meters and controllers in the workspace.