Startup and Calibration

1. Fill and install hydrogen tank, attached probe/readout assembly, turn on analyzer
and hydrogen supply valve.

Hydrogen Filling Station with TVA Cylinder Attached

2. Wait 4-5 minutes for proper hydrogen flow, then press 1 (Run). The unit will
ignite and display readings. If flame out message appears, clear the message
(press exit), wait another minute and repeat step 2. If the unit has not been
properly calibrated, you will receive a “bad calibration parameter” error – go to step
3 below.

3. Press EXIT until you return to Main Menu. Now you will perform a calibration. For
best results, allow unit to warm up for 20 minutes, then press 2 (Setup).

4. Press 1 (Calib)

5. Press 2 (SpanConc)

6. Select the detector that you want to enter the span concentration for, then press
the up or down arrow to select the correct unit of measure for the span gas. Enter
the span calibration value and press the ENTER key. Repeat steps 5 & 6 for the
second detector.

7. Next step is to zero the instrument. Press 3 (Zero) from the Calib Menu to start this
process.

8. Press 1 (both) for dual detector units or ENTER for single detector units.

9. Introduce zero air (< 1 ppm total hydrocarbon) into the analyzer through the probe.
Gas must be introduced from either a tedlar gas bag, or directly from the
cylinder at 2.5 liters per minute with a bypass tee installed.
 Filling a Tedlar gas bag Sampling from a Tedlar gas bag

Bypass tee assembly Sampling from a bypass tee

10. Press ENTER to start (assumes manual calibration mode – factory default).

11. Wait for minimal change in values (about 15 seconds). Typically, the sample is
stable when the first 2 digits of the reading do not change for 4-5 seconds. Both
FID and PID zero will typically fall between 3000 and 5000 detector counts.

12. Press ENTER to accept, then press 1 to save.

13. The next step is to calibrate with the span gas. Press 4 (span).

14. Select the detector that you want to calibrate and press the ENTER key to start
(assumes manual calibration mode – factory default). Follow the screen prompts.
Wait for the readings to stabilize (typically 10-15 seconds). Enter 1 to save and
repeat steps 13 & 14 for the second detector.

FID calibrated to methane will typically fall between 175 and 250 counts per ppm
methane.

PID calibrated to isobutylene will typically fall between 3500 and 6000 counts per
ppm isobutylene.

15. Press 5 (RF) to verify proper response factor.

16. Confirm that response factor says “RF0: DEFAULT”. If not, set to this value.

17. Press EXIT twice to return to MAIN MENU.

18. Press 1 (Run).

19. Reconnect zero and calibration gas in order to confirm ppm values.

This completes the primary calibration for the analyzer and you are in the survey mode.
You should read the rest of the manual to perform more sophisticated operations,
preventative maintenance and maximize the effectiveness of the unit.

Calibration Standards
Accurate measurement with portable instruments, such as the TVA 1000B, requires
careful calibration and control of operating parameters. In order to provide the most
accurate and reliable data, an instrument should be calibrated using one or more
standards that simulate the actual sample as closely as possible. For example, if the
instrument will be used to detect and measure propane leaks, the best choice of a span
gas would be propane in air at a concentration slightly above the level that the user
would consider to be a significant concern.

Compressed Gas Cylinder Standards

Standards of both zero air and one or more span gases used for calibration may be
purchased from scientific gas supply companies. It is imperative that all span gases be
made in air, since the incoming air sample provides the oxygen for the support of
combustion in the flame detector. Commercially available standard cylinders of gaseous
materials in air offer the most convenient method of calibration.

Methane in air was chosen as the reference standard for factory calibration of the TVA
1000B’s FID. Isobutylene in air was chosen as the reference standard for the PID.
Thermo Scientific offers calibration kits that include all of the necessary cylinders and
apparatus required to perform 100ppm methane and 100ppm isobutylene calibrations.
 TVA 1000B FID Calibration Kit

There are three important considerations when introducing standards or samples

directly from a compressed gas cylinder to the TVA 1000B. First, the sample
must be at atmospheric pressure and not forced into the instrument. Second,
there must be an excess flow of the standard so that it will not be diluted by
ambient air. Finally, the water trap filter must be in place during all calibrations
and measurements, as it affects the sampling rate of the instrument. A simple
bypass tee is typically used when sampling from a compressed gas cylinder.

Bypass tee allows cylinder sampling at atmospheric pressure

Bag Standards (Methane and other gases)

Bag standards can be prepared in a laboratory, and in general are reasonable

ways of calibrating the TVA 1000B. However, it is important that these standards
be used shortly after their preparation to reduce the significance of any
adsorption problems. Static standards prepared for calibration of the TVA 1000B
are best prepared in collapsible Tedlar bags, as opposed to a fixed volume
container. The bag delivers the standard to the TVA 1000B at atmospheric
pressure. A 10 liter Tedlar bag is a convenient size to use for the preparation of
static standards.

A tube is inserted into the open end of the bag and the bag opening is then
sealed around the tube. The tube should have a shutoff valve or some other
means of closing the volume of the bag. The volume of air introduced into the
bag must be measured using a wet test meter or soap film bubble meter. A
source of air flowing through a flow meter can be used if the flow can be held
constant, then time is a measure of the air in the bag. All air should be expelled
from the bag by completely collapsing it prior to connection to the source of air. It
is then connected to a wet test meter or flow meter via a short length of rubber
tubing hooked to the plastic tube of the bag. If, for example, the air flow into the
bag is 5 L/min, it would take approximately 2 minutes to fill the bag.