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Absence of a beam during infusion process, indicating a potential flow issue.
No liquid flow observed when trying to infuse from bottles with PEEK disconnected.
Liquid flow is apparent when infusing wash solution after purging.
Ensure PEEK tubing reaches the bottom of the fluidics bottle to draw sample instead of air.
Purge the fluidics system multiple times to clear any air or blockages and check for flow.
Absence of a beam during infusion process, indicating a potential flow issue.
No liquid flow observed when trying to infuse from bottles with PEEK disconnected.
Liquid flow is apparent when infusing wash solution after purging.
Ensure PEEK tubing reaches the bottom of the fluidics bottle to draw sample instead of air.
Purge the fluidics system multiple times to clear any air or blockages and check for flow.
This document describes a troubleshooting guide for Waters mass spectrometry systems, specifically addressing a "no flow from fluidics" issue on Xevo, SYNAPT, and Vion instruments. It outlines symptoms, environmental factors, the root cause, and a detailed fix or workaround.
The Waters mass spectrometry systems, including the Xevo, SYNAPT, and Vion series, are advanced analytical instruments designed for high-performance mass spectrometry applications. These systems are used across various scientific disciplines for identifying, quantifying, and characterizing chemical compounds. The fluidics system is a critical component responsible for delivering samples and wash solutions to the ionization source, ensuring accurate and reliable data acquisition. When the fluidics system fails to deliver liquid, it directly impacts the instrument's ability to perform analyses.
The troubleshooting guide applies to a wide range of Waters mass spectrometry instruments, indicating a common fluidics design or component across these platforms. The affected instruments include:
A common component mentioned is the "30-mL Nalgene fluidics bottle," which holds the sample or wash solution. The "orange PEEK tubing" is the conduit through which the liquid is drawn from this bottle to the instrument's source. PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) tubing is commonly used in HPLC and mass spectrometry systems due to its chemical inertness, high pressure resistance, and smooth inner surface, which minimizes sample adsorption and carryover. The "finger-tight fitting" is a common connection mechanism in fluidic lines, allowing for easy manual connection and disconnection without tools, while maintaining a leak-free seal. The distinction between "reference syringe" and "sample syringe" PEEK tubing indicates a dual-channel fluidics system, where one channel is dedicated to a reference standard for mass calibration or internal standard addition, and the other for the actual sample.
The primary usage feature addressed by this document is the reliable delivery of liquid samples and wash solutions to the mass spectrometer's ionization source. When this flow is interrupted, the instrument cannot perform its intended analytical function. The symptoms described highlight this:
The environment section lists the specific instrument models, indicating that this issue and its solution are applicable across a wide range of Waters' current and legacy mass spectrometry platforms. This suggests a standardized fluidics design or a common point of failure across these systems.
The document provides a clear, step-by-step maintenance procedure to resolve the "no flow" issue, focusing on a simple mechanical adjustment:
The root cause, "The orange PEEK tubing does not reach down to the bottom of the 30-mL Nalgene fluidics bottle; therefore, air is drawn instead of sample," points to a simple, yet critical, physical misconfiguration. This issue can arise from various factors, such as improper initial setup, tubing shifting over time, or replacement of bottles with slightly different dimensions. The solution is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it an accessible maintenance task for instrument operators. The guide effectively empowers users to perform basic troubleshooting and maintenance, reducing downtime and reliance on service engineers for minor issues. The "Additional Information" section is present but empty, suggesting that the provided steps are comprehensive enough for this specific problem.
General| Brand | Waters |
|---|---|
| Model | Vion IMS QTof |
| Category | Laboratory Equipment |
| Language | English |
