TSI Instruments 3772 - Draining Butanol from the Butanol Reservoir

8-4 Model 3772/3771 Condensation Particle Counter
Drain i n g B utanol f r om the B u t a nol
Reser v o i r
Butanol must be drained from the butanol reservoir prior to removing the
saturator base and wick from the bottom of the CPC. To drain the butanol
reservoir:
1. Connect butanol drain bottle (from the accessories) to the drain fitting
on the back of the CPC using the mating quick-connect fitting.
2. Place the drain bottle on the floor.
3. The Drain can be initiated by using the “SDRAIN” firmware command
on 3771 or by using the User Settings menu on the 3772. Detailed
instructions for initiating the manual Drain for the 3772 are provided in
Chapter 4.
4. The butanol drain valve will open. Often there is not a significant
column of liquid in the butanol drain line to initiate flow from the butanol
reservoir. Tipping the instrument toward the drain port and squeezing
the butanol drain bottle will sometimes help start flow. When releasing
the squeezed drain bottle, plug the hole on the bottle cap to create a
vacuum and to initiate draining.
5. A special vacuum drain bottle cap is
provided in the accessory kit to facilitate
butanol draining using a vacuum
source. Figure 8-1 shows the special
cap, which consists of a vacuum port
and a Balston filter. The Balston filter
provides a bypass flow path. Connect
the external vacuum source to the
vacuum port. Connect the drain line to
the Drain port on the CPC. When drain
valve is open and vacuum is applied,
the vacuum helps to pull excess
butanol from the internal butanol
reservoir and the wick. Exhaust from
the external vacuum source contains
butanol vapor and must be directed
away from work spaces.
6. The butanol reservoir in the 3772 and
3771 CPCs is much smaller than the
reservoir in predecessor models 3010,
3760, or 3762. The total volume
drained from the reservoir and tubing
is typically less than 7 ml. During
draining, Auto-Fill is automatically
turned off.
Figure 8-1
Vacuum Drain Cap Assembly
Note: When draining is stopped, the Auto-Fill must be turned on again
by selecting this option from the User Settings menu for 3772 or
through “SFill” firmware command for 3772 and 3771.
Restarting the CPC can also turn Auto-Fill on.