MEI Research is
an engineering firm based in St. Louis Park, MN, that develops technologies to
support research in nutrition and weight management.
Challenge
One of MEI's goals is to improve
the design and construction of whole-body respiration calorimeters. These
instrumented systems calculate energy expenditure by precisely measuring the
amount of oxygen that the body converts by metabolism to carbon dioxide during
periods from minutes up to several days. Calorimeters comprise sealed living
areas, atmosphere controls and gas analyzers. Because the living areas contain
thousands of times more air than respiratory volume the accuracy of the
analytical systems that measure carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2)
concentrations is critical to overall performance.
Solution
Highly precise gas
analyzers are at the heart of respiration calorimeters. Six Siemens analyzers
will be installed at the Translational Research Institute (TRI) for Metabolism
and Diabetes, a partnership between Florida
Hospital and Sanford- Burnham, in Orlando, Florida. These rooms are actively ventilated using ‘medical' air and two
mass flow controllers. The analyzers have dedicated sample lines plumbed to
each room outlet, allowing them to rapidly capture changes in the concentration
of O2 and CO2.
Engineers at MEI chose
Siemens ULTRAMAT/ OXYMAT 6 after reviewing several process analyzers. The
oxygen channel is capable of measuring to an accuracy of +/- 50 ppm. The
customer stated that precision was paramount to their application and found
that the Siemens system was superior. The menu-driven user interface was
substantially easier to use and troubleshoot than other devices used in the
past. Further, the ULTRAMAT/OXYMAT 6 can combine O2 and CO2 cells into one rack
mount enclosure, which allowed MEI to dramatically reduce the size of the
analytical rack. Additionally, the increased reliability of the flow-through
paramagnetic cell design contributes to the long planned life of the
laboratory.
In addition to the product
features and performance, MEI was impressed with the excellent support provided
by Siemens and the local representative. After purchasing the six analyzers for
TRI and additional units for internal use, a Siemens service engineer went to
the customer's site for an entire day of training. During that time, he tore a
unit entirely apart and reassembled it with the customer, explaining
preventative maintenance procedures and answering all questions to a high level
of detail.
Additionally, the service
manager and the Siemens product manager helped MEI get in touch with the
engineering team in Germany
to answer a series of highly technical and specific questions related to the
analyzer signal processing system. MEI, the local Siemens representative and
the engineering team in Germany rewrote open source code for Labview software
so that it can query up to 10 analyzer channels each second through the ELAN
network used by the analyzers for serial communication. This allowed the
analyzers to communicate with the computer system at a higher resolution than
would be possible using the standard analog outputs, and prevented the
possibility of electrical noise affecting readings in long cable runs. Because
LabVIEW is the control system platform MEI has chosen at the beginning of the
project, integration with the Siemens ULTRAMAT/ OXYMAT 6 analyzers was
critical.
Benefits
- Improved accuracy: The
oxygen channel is capable of measuring to an accuracy of +/- 50 ppm.
- Easier to use: The
Siemens analyzers are more user friendly than other products because of the
menu driven interface.
- Unique product
features: The increased reliability of the flow-through paramagnetic cell
design contributes to the long planned lifetime of the product.
- Customer service: Service
and support are available in your neighborhood. Siemens extensive global
coverage means you get support when and where you need it.
About the ULTRMAY/OXYMAT 6
Analyzers
ULTRAMAT 6
Most frequently used for demanding
applications, the ULTRAMAT 6 must meet high standards with regard to
reliability and measuring quality. The ULTRAMAT 6 Series analyzers can measure
up to four infrared active components in a single unit. The use of optical
couplers and the optional use of optical filters to increase the selectivity
mean that, in many cases, the analyzers can be used for measurements even in
complex gas mixtures. This also guarantees measurements of lower concentrations
and lower detection limits. Appropriate materials in the gas channel allow the
analyzers to be used even for measurements in gas mixtures with corrosive
elements or corrosive measuring components.
OXYMAT 6
Most frequently used for
demanding applications, the OXYMAT 6 must meet high standards with regard to
reliability and measuring quality. The OXYMAT 6 measures oxygen using the
paramagnetic alternating pressure method. This guarantees perfect linearity and
allows parameterization of minimal measuring ranges of 0 to 0.5 % (detection
limit 50 ppm) up to 0 to 100% in a single device, and even 99.5 to 100%.
The sensor in the detector
does not come into contact with the sample gas thus allowing the measurement of
corrosive gases. Corrosive resistant materials are used in the gas path.
For further information visit
www.siemens.com
Subscribe to any of our newsletters for the latest on new laboratory products, industry news, case studies and much more!
Request your free copies HERE
Popular this Month
Top 10 most popular articles this month
Today's Picks
Looking for a Supplier?
Search by company or by product
Please note Lab Bulletin does not sell, supply any of the products featured on this website. If you have an enquiry, please use the contact form below the article or company profile and we will send your request to the supplier so that they can contact you directly.
Lab Bulletin is published by newleaf marketing communications ltd.