In fact, people have always been exploring what the meaning of life is. I have also thought about it for many years. Until recently, I seemed to have found some clues. It turned out to be from the development history of online chromatographs and analysis huts. 

In 1903, Russian botanist Tsvit invented chromatography while studying the composition of plant pigments. Later, through experiments, he separated chlorophyll, carotene and other components in plant pigments, and proposed and applied this separation technology based on adsorption differences for the first time.

In 1921, the world's first thermal conductivity detector was invented.

In 1941, British chemist Martin and British engineer James proposed the theory of distribution chromatography, the theoretical basis of gas chromatography. This theory provided the scientific basis for the subsequent development of gas chromatography.

In 1947, the world's first laboratory chromatograph was invented.

In 1954, the thermal conductivity detector (TCD) was successfully applied to a gas chromatograph for the first time.

In 1957, the capillary column was invented.

In 1958, the flame ionization detector (FID) was invented.

Beginning in 1960, with the rapid development of electronic technology, online gas chromatographs gradually emerged. After undergoing multiple product iterations, they have become increasingly miniaturized and intelligent.

翻译结果

翻译结果

After its development, online chromatographs were quickly adopted in industrial process analysis. To effectively utilize an online chromatograph, it requires power, carrier gas, standard gas supply, heating (in winter), and cooling (in summer). Furthermore, a sample pretreatment system is required to ensure that samples entering the online chromatograph are stable, pure, and free of impurities. This gave rise to the emerging industry of integrated analysis huts. In essence, the analysis hut provides a home for the online chromatograph, with the online chromatograph as its master. A complex system integration project is required to ensure its long-term, continuous operation and service for various chemical and environmental production equipment. The chromatography hut is a home that has everything you need, including air conditioning, floor heating, a sink, a rain shelter, drainage pipes, lighting, switches, a distribution box, a telephone, access control, fingerprint recognition, audible and visual alarms, a desk, chairs, a computer, fiber optic communication, and more. The chromatography hut has doors and windows, and can be customized to any configuration, with the number of doors and windows planned in advance. Extra-long analysis rooms can even be configured as a two-bedroom, one-living room unit with a chromatograph, a pre-processing room, and a vestibule, adding a central HVAC system. The room's dimensions are primarily determined by the number of analyzers to be installed, including whether the analyzers face south or north. The entire room's orientation must be planned in advance to facilitate on-site installation of piping and bridges for power, gas, cabling, and sampling lines.

Of course, chromatographs are generally equipped with UPS (uninterruptible power supply), making on-site power outages unlikely. However, you must never disconnect the gas supply without carrier gas. Without carrier gas, the chromatograph will not function properly and analyze data.

Carrier gases for chromatographs include hydrogen, nitrogen, and helium, with hydrogen being the most common. The safety of these gas cylinders is therefore crucial. Both 40L carrier gas and 8L standard gas are classified as hazardous materials because they contain dangerous gases and are under extremely high pressure. Leakage is strictly prohibited and requires careful and professional transportation and management.

Currently, in small and medium-sized analytical rooms, carrier and standard gas cylinders are typically mounted on the exterior walls of the room, as shown above. They are secured with cylinder brackets and chains to prevent collapse and potential hazards. The cylinder outlets are connected to pressure reducing valves using dedicated metal hoses to supply the chromatographs.

For very large analytical rooms with numerous chromatographs or plant-wide hydrogen demand, some chemical plants utilize the multi-unit hydrogen cylinder system shown above for centralized hydrogen supply. This addresses the issue of high gas volume, facilitates cylinder replacement, and facilitates lifting and transportation. In short, the online chromatograph and the analysis room are interdependent. They are inseparable from each other. Ultimately, it comes down to people. The online chromatograph and the analysis room are both machines. Without power and gas supply, they will be cold and inert. Only when people concentrate on managing and maintaining them can they continuously complete automatic analysis and provide meaningful data to the DCS.