Create custom blends from any three gasses
The GSM-3 Programmable Gas Mixer takes up to three input gasses and produces user-defined mixtures using these gasses. Up to four different mix programs can be defined and stored at any one time. These mixtures are stored in non-volatile memory, so they don’t have to be re-entered the next time the instrument is used. The GSM-3 uses high-accuracy mass flow controllers (MFC’s) to set the flow for each gas channel.
Each mixture is defined by a Total Flow, and the percent concentration of each gas in the mixture. The resulting flow for each gas, in ml/min, is computed and displayed on the LCD display. Any of the four stored mixture programs can be selected and run (or stopped) with a pushbutton press. Although the GSM-3 can be operated solely with the front-panel controls, it is most efficiently controlled by the supplied GSM-Comm software.
Because the GSM-3 is suitable for such a wide range of applications, each unit is customized with the most appropriate flow controllers for the intended application.
Rear panel of the GSM-3, showing the three gas inputs and one output. All gas connections are One-Touch press-in connections for use with 1/4″ OD pneumatic tubing. In addition, analog outputs are available corresponding to the actual flow of each gas. These outputs are handy for monitoring on a data acquisition system, where they will indicate actual mixture changes.
GSM-Comm software
A powerful remote control software application is supplied with the GSM-3 Gas Mixer. This software runs on any version of Windows, and allows user-defined timed sequences to be created. These sequences automatically switch between any of the four pre-programmed mixtures at specified intervals. These sequences can run once and stop, or repeat indefinitely. This capability eliminates the need to manually switch gas mixtures to follow a particular experimental protocol. These timed sequences can be named, stored, and repeated as needed. Sequencer setup is shown in the image below. Each step in the sequence is programmed with a TIME (in seconds), and a FUNCTION selected from a drop-down menu (Mix 1, Mix 2, Mix 3, Mix 4, REPEAT, STOP, or NONE).
The main GSM-Comm screen allows mixture parameters to be defined exactly as they would be from the front panel controls of the GSM-3. Each mixture (MIX 1 – MIX 4) has a selected Gas, Total Flow and individual gas concentrations. Error checking and reporting prevents the user from attempting to set up an invalid mixture. Any set of programmed mixtures can be named, saved, and retrieved for later use. Most applications use one or two active gasses (e.g., O2 or CO2) and a background gas (usually N2). This background, or Fill gas, is selected by the user and is automatically computed to make up the balance of the gas mixture. For example, if the user sets the mixture to be 20.9% O2 and 5.0% CO2, the Fill gas will automatically be set to 74.1%. This ensures that the mixture always equals 100%.
Technical Specifications / Features
- Programmable gas mixer for up to three input gasses
- User-defined mixtures with up to four stored programs
- Non-volatile memory for mixture storage
- High-accuracy mass flow controllers (MFCs) for each gas channel
- LCD display shows computed flow for each gas in ml/min
- Front-panel controls and remote control via GSM-Comm software
- Customizable flow controllers for application-specific needs
- One-Touch press-in connections for 1/4″ OD pneumatic tubing
- Analog outputs for monitoring actual gas flows
- GSM-Comm software for Windows with programmable timed sequences
- Error checking and reporting for mixture setup
- Automatic calculation of fill gas to ensure 100% mixture