Argon Testing

Argon is widely used as a packaging gas. Argon is present in air with several contaminants. The most widely occuring contaminants in argon are water and traces of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. For industrial and commercial use argon undergoes purity test to put pure argon into use.

Water Test
For testing the amount of water contaminat in argon,

• Pass 24, 000ml of the gas sample through a water absorption tube.
  
  
• Regulate the flow of the mixture so that about 60 minutes are required for the passage of the gas.
  
  
• The gain in weight of the absorption tube does not exceed 1.0 mg.

Oxygen, Nitrogen, Hydrogen Test
The amount of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen is the mixture or in argon is determined by the use of gas chromatography.

• Individually inject oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen gases.
  
  
• Adjust the injecting volumes and operating conditions.
  
  
• Adjust in a way such that the analyzer is able to separate and detect the named components with a sensitivity of 0.1 µl/l
  
  
• Analyzer is calibrated at approximate intervals by use of individual calibration gas standards.
  
  
• Then inject the mixture of gas.
  
  
• In the chromatogram the total area of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen should not exceed 1.0% of the total volume of the gas to be examined.