Did You Know that Particles Contain Quite a Lot of TOC? That is why Filtration and Sample Pretreatment Falsify Measurement Results Significantly.

Water analysis is of great importance for numerous industries. Accurate measuring results help to control and optimise production processes which in turn leads to huge cost savings. Thus, most operators require analysers, that enable accurate TOC (total organic carbon) measurements. Depending on the application, water loads and water composition are subject to high fluctuations. Due to their measuring technique, common analysers block very fast. Therefore, pretreatment and/or filtration are necessary. However, one must be aware of the fact that any pretreatment or filtration will affect the analysers' measuring results. As any removal of particles will result in a less representative sample, the measurement will be inaccurate as well. In contrast, specialised analysers are needed that avoid any blockage.

The LAR (Germany) FlowSampler is an innovative and patented sampling device that uses the anti-isokinetic sampling technique. Samples are siphoned-off from the sample stream against the main flow direction of the stream. Due to the flow speed, big solid particles will not be sucked into the sampling device. Instead of the big solids, all small organic particles that are relevant for the TOC measurement are captured. Thus, samples will enter the analyser unaltered, even if there are complex challenges such as high particle density. Therefore, the taken sample corresponds 98% to that of a grabbed sample.

Additionally, LAR analysers use the ultra high temperature combustion method at 1,200°C guaranteeing the complete oxidation of all carbon containing molecules including the particles within a sample. Not only is the total organic carbon detected by the QuickTOCultra analysis method but due to the sampling technique of the LAR FlowSampler no carbon is lost in the sampling process. Hence the results really do show the TRUE TOC.

In brief, the FlowSampler is an innovative maintenance-free sampling system for all applications.