Systematic Troubleshooting

Gans, M., Systematize Troubleshooting Techniques, Chemical Engineeiing Piogiess, April 1991, 25-29. (Equipment malfunction examples)... 

Part II shows you how to make the best use of the common columns and how to keep them up and running. (Chapter 6 on column healing should pay for the book in itself) It discusses the various pieces of HPLC equipment, how they go together to form systems, and how to systematically troubleshoot system problems. We will take a look at the newest innovations and improvements in column technology and how to put these to work in your research. New detectors are emerging to make possible analysis of compounds and quantities that previously were not detectable. 

Immunoassays developed along the recommendations provided above should perform consistently and generate reliable data over time. However, occasional failures happen variations in laboratory environmental conditions, reagent quality, operator skill, and instalment performance, for example, make systematic troubleshooting skills invaluable in discerning the cause for assay failures. 

Reproduced from Norman P. Lieberman, Troubleshooting Process Operations (2nd ed., PennWell Books, Tulsa, 1985). This case history is a classic example of how to perform a systematic troubleshooting investigation. The permission of PennWell Books and Norman P. Lieberman for reproducing this material is gratefully acknowledged. 

Corrosive wear can usually be identified by a pitted, worn surface. The best solution to corrosive wear is to eliminate the corrosive component from the compound. However, this is often not possible for other reasons. In this case, one has to use corrosion-resistant materials of construction, such as stainless steel. Inconel, Hastelloy, etc. In order to select the best material of construction, one should know the chemical species that are causing the corrosive attack. Various metal handbooks contain information about the chemical resistance of many metals against a number of chemical species. Figure 11.12 shows a flow chart that allows systematic troubleshooting of wear problems. 

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