G4 PHOENIX DH – High Performance Analyzer for diffusible Hydrogen

Hydrogen-induced damage is a wide-spread and dreaded phenomenon. It manifests in such a manner that a component fails under the influence of mechanical stress - even without visible indication. Thus, hydrogen in steel or welds is critical to assess because of embrittlement, hydrogen induced or assisted cracking (HIC/HAC) or hydrogen delayed fracture among other damaging effects. Obtaining precise information about the hydrogen concentration in the material is crucial for quality control and the development of new materials

The G4 PHOENIX DH, utilizing the carrier gas hot extraction method, enables a rapid and automatic determination of diffusible hydrogen in a wide variety of matrices. The evolved diffusible hydrogen is detected with a sensitive and long-term stable thermal conductivity detector (TCD). Simple and reliable calibration is guaranteed by the integrated, automatic gas dosing unit with 10 different volumes.

The analyzer is equipped with a rapid heating (and cooling) infrared-heated clamshell furnace (up to 900°C). The quartz tube diameter of 30 mm enables the analysis of large samples like steel sheet strips as well as weld coupons according to ISO 3690 and AWS A4.3. The versatile infrared furnace also enables the use of temperature programs and ramping to assess information about different forms of trapped hydrogen.

For higher temperatures, especially for the determination of diffusible and residual Hydrogen, e.g. in steel, the G4 PHOENIX DH can be equipped with an additional wire-heated tube furnace, which can be operated at temperatures up to about 1100°C.

The revolutionary new technique of coupling a mass spectrometer to the carrier gas hot extraction analyzer G4 PHOENIX DH leads to a substantially improved detection limit for the determination of ultra-low hydrogen concentrations e.g., in high strength steels. This Thermal Desorption Mass Spectrometry (TDMS) technique improves the detection limit by more than one order of magnitude compared to a TCD.

Application

The G4 PHOENIX DH is versatile for diffusible hydrogen applications in a wide variety of materials, like steel, welds, and many others. The infrared furnace offers extensive analytical functionality by providing temperature programming and ramping.

Software

The intuitive analysis software of the G4 ICARUS HF provides a clear user interface. Different tasks from the user’s workflow like measurement, method setup, calibration and data evaluation are clearly divided into different views. 

Features & Benefits

• Rapid heating (and cooling) infrared tube furnace offers extensive analytical functionality in temperature programming (ramps and steps)
• Quartz tube diameter of 30 mm enables the analysis of large samples such as steel sheet strips and weld coupons according to AWS A4.3 and ISO 3690
• Automatic and reliable gas calibration with hydrogen or helium by means of the integrated gas dosing unit with 10 different volumes
• Optional quadrupole mass spectrometer improves the detection limit by more than one order of magnitude, thus enabling evaluation of ultra-low hydrogen concentrations and the study and characterization of hydrogen traps in steel