The Vapor Volume Calculator determines the expansion volume of a GC sample solvent at a given inlet temperature and pressure for a specific liner. Performing this calculation ensures that the liner is not overloaded, which can cause backflash. This phenomenon can result in poor reproducibility, sample loss, ghost peaks, carry-over, split peaks, tailing peaks, loss of resolution, and system contamination. The calculator provides a quick visual indication of whether the liner capacity will be exceeded. Users can add solvents and liners. Learn how easy it is to use the Vapor Volume Calculator by watching this brief instructional video.

The Pressure Flow Calculator uses the dimensions of a known column, oven temperature of interest, and detector outlet pressure to calculate either the pressure required to achieve a target flow, or the flow that would be provided to the system at a target pressure. This calculator can be used to see the impact of changing to different column dimensions, evaluate behaviors of a method when different carrier gases are selected, or see how the pressure/flow relationship changes when the detector is changed, for example from an FID to an MSD.  

The Solvent Vent Calculator helps you determine reasonable starting conditions for your large-volume injection (LVI) method. Large-volume injections, supported on MMI and PTV inlets, increase the amount of sample on column. Because the injection is comprised mostly of solvent, too much of which can affect the analysis, the excess solvent should be vented. Several common GC solvents are pre-populated in the tool to provide the most accurate physical properties for the calculations. By entering a few method details, such as inlet pressure and temperature, a user may evaluate different injection parameters to model the inlet behavior at various injection volumes and vent flows.

The Method Translator Software allows you to port a current GC method to another GC while ensuring that relative retention order is maintained, i.e., peaks elute in the same order. Use this tool whenever you want to speed up an analysis or change detectors (e.g., from FID to MS), carrier gas type, column dimensions, phase ratio (film thickness), column outlet pressure, or carrier gas flow rate. The tool rapidly calculates required head pressures, oven temperature program rates, and relative run times. 

The Capillary Flow Technology (CFT) Setup Wizard (standalone version) guides a user through the configuration process with valuable instructions and visual flow path diagrams available at every step. A configuration file can be created offline and imported into the chromatography data system to avoid manual transcription errors (see GC driver requirements in the next section). The wizard can be used to define workflows for CFT splitters and Deans switch devices.

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Capillary Flow Technology (CFT) Setup Wizard

The Agilent Capillary Flow Technology Setup Wizard is integrated into Agilent and third-party chromatography data systems. It guides a user through the configuration process with valuable instructions and visual flow path diagrams available at every step. When complete, all setpoints can be uploaded to the CDS method editor with the click of a button to help avoid manual transcription errors.

The wizard requires GC driver version starting with 4.3 or higher for OpenLab CDS, OpenLab ChemStation, OpenLab EZChrom and GC/MS MassHunter Acquisition. It also requires 8890 GC firmware version starting with 3.1 or higher, or 7890B GC firmware version starting with B.02.07 or higher.

Use SubscribeNet to download the driver for your Agilent data system. The firmware can downloaded here.

For non-Agilent software, please visit the vendor web site to obtain the appropriate driver.

A standalone version of this CFT wizard is downloaded as part of the GC Tools mentioned in the section above. A configuration file can be created and imported into data system. This requires GC Driver 4.4 or higher for full functionality.

Legacy Capillary Flow Technology (CFT) Calculators

These are the legacy standalone spreadsheet-based calculators.

The Effluent Splitter Calculator calculates the dimensions of fused silica restrictors needed to obtain a desired split ratio of column flow exiting an analytical column when using CFT splitter modules. Using this calculator will enable the user to accurately split column effluent between multiple detectors, such as an FID, ECD, FPD, or mass spectrometer at different operating temperatures using different carrier gases. The calculator is applicable to current GC instruments including the 8890 and 8860 systems, as well as older models such as the 7890 and 6890.

The Deans Switch Calculator uses the desired method parameters (column dimensions, temperature, flows, etc.) and calculates the required restrictor length and pressure setpoints to operate the Deans Switch. The software works in conjunction with the CFT Deans Switch hardware.

Download Legacy CFT Calculators.

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