041222 Chapter 9 Maintenance Page 9 - 191

9.7.3 Goniometer Flow Detector Maintenance

The user can carry out a number of maintenance tasks on the goniometer flow detector. These include:
• Changing the detector anode wire.
• Changing the entrance window.
• Changing the exit window.
To carry out these tasks, some of the following spare parts will be required:
50µ detector wire 5322 694 15016
1µ entrance window PW2417/11 9430 024 17111
2µ entrance window PW2417/12 9430 024 17121
6µ entrance window PW2417/16 9430 024 17161
6µ exit window PW2417 9430 024 17161
Some of the detector anode wire is delivered with the system. More wire and the windows can be ordered
from your normal PANalytical representative.

9.7.3.1 Removing the Detector Assembly

To remove the detector assembly, refer to Figure 9.26:
1. Switch off the HT.
2. Set the goniometer to 90° 2θ.
3. Switch the chamber to an air medium, using the analytical software or the TDS.
4. Remove the two centre front covers.

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5. Unscrew and remove the upright chassis bar from in front of the crystal chamber.
6. Disconnect the lead to the crystal changer motor from its socket, above and to the left of the
crystal chamber.
7. Undo the 3 Allen headed screws securing the plate onto the front of the crystal chamber.

Figure 9.26 Removing the Detector Assembly

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8. Lift the cover plate away from the chamber and lay it on the internal base plate of the
spectrometer.

CAUTION: Extreme care must be taken while working inside the crystal chamber, to
avoid damaging any of the crystals or collimators.

9. Cut and remove the ty-wrap, nearest the detector assembly, from around the hoses.
10. Undo the Allen headed screw holding the detector assembly to the detector mounting bracket.
11. Support the detector assembly and remove the long bolt holding it to the mounting bracket.
12. Carefully, withdraw the detector assembly from the crystal chamber.
13. Remove the two flow gas hoses, by loosening the spring clips and then pulling the hoses off.
The detector assembly is now clear of the crystal chamber and can be fitted to the special detector
support bracket (supplied) which can be mounted outside the chamber for service.

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Figure 9.27 Detector Assembly

9.7.3.2 Replacing the Entrance Window

This section details how to replace the flow detector entrance window.

CAUTION: Care must be taken when handling the windows as they are extremely
fragile.

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9.7.3.2.1 Removing the Old Entrance Window
To remove the entrance window from the flow detector:
1. Loosen the 2 recessed Allen headed bolts that secure the flow detector housing to the detector
assembly.
2. Carefully, lift off the flow detector housing.

CAUTION: Extreme care must be taken when removing the housing from the detector
assembly as this exposes the, extremely fragile, detector wire.

3. Undo the 2 large Allen headed bolts that hold the entrance collimator and the housing together.
4. Lift the collimator off the housing, this now gives access to the entrance window.
5. Lift the window off the detector housing.

9.7.3.2.2 Checking the Flow Detector Collimator

If the window has mechanically broken down the collimator must be checked for the following:
1. The blades and distance pieces must be in contact with the brass mask, i.e. the blades at the
window side must be positioned equally high!
2. The blades and distance pieces must not have shifted with respect to each other and the
distance between the blades must be equal.
3. The distance pieces must not be visible in the window of the brass mask.
4. The edges of the brass mask and the collimator blades must be free of burrs.
5. The blades must be flat and parallel to the long edge of the mask.

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If any of the above faults are present, the collimator must be repaired or replaced. The collimator can
only be repaired by following the repair procedure of C.S. in Eindhoven.

9.7.3.2.3 Unpacking the New Window

1. Open the vacuum sealed aluminium bag at one end, with a pair of scissors (see Figure 9.24).
2. Remove the flow detector window in its glass sandwich and place it on a table, with the visible
brass frame facing down.
3. With a sharp knife, cut through transparent tape on one side and open the sandwich by lifting
the top glass plate away, it is hinged by the remaining tape.
4. Remove the cardboard frame, then wait a few minutes for the foil to loosen from the glass.
5. With a sharp knife loosen both ends of the brass window frame, by scraping with the sharp edge
of knife firmly over the glass.
6. Remove the flow detector window from the glass plate.

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Figure 9.28 Opening the Detector Window Package

9.7.3.2.4 Mounting the New Window

1. Carefully remove any dust from the surface of the flow detector housing and collimator, with a
clean, dry brush.
2. Clean the collimator blades, if necessary, by blowing clean and dry compressed air ALONG the
blades.

CAUTION: Do not touch the collimator blades and do not blow the compressed air
ACROSS the blades.

3. Fit a new O-ring into the groove in the flow detector housing.

CAUTION: Do not grease the O-ring.

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4. Ensure the positioning bushes are mounted in the detector housing and place the window
gently onto the flow detector housing, with the brass frame facing the collimator (see Figure
9.29).
5. Place the collimator carefully on the window.
6. Replace the 2 large Allen headed screws that secure the collimator to the detector housing.

Figure 9.29 Flow Detector Window

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IMPORTANT - (For <2µ windows)
Slight variations in the thickness of the windows are unavoidable during the manufacturing process. This
may lead to intensity variations, especially for the light elements where absorption of radiation in the
window is significant. The spectrometer must be re calibrated after changing the flow detector
window or anode wire.

9.7.3.3 Changing the Detector Wire

While the flow detector housing is removed from the detector assembly, the flow detector wire is
accessible. The wire can be replaced as follows:
1. Undo the 3 Allen headed screws from the end plate of the detector assembly.
2. Carefully disconnect the push-on HV connector from underneath the connection post, inside the
detector assembly (see Figure 9.30).
3. Lift off the plate complete with the wire and connection posts.
4. Using a pair of tweezers, remove the tapered pins from the top of the connection posts.
5. Remove the old wire.

CAUTION: Do not touch the part of the new wire that will be stretched between the
mounting posts. This must be clean!

6. Take a straight piece of the new detector wire.

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Figure 9.30 Flow Detector HV Connector

7. Place the new wire into the groove in the top of one connection post.
8. Replace the tapered pin to secure the wire into the post.

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9. Pull the wire taught across the top of the second connection post.
10. Replace the second tapered pin, to secure the wire.
NOTE: The wire should be reasonably tight between the 2 connection posts.
11. Cut off the excess wire as close to each post as possible.
It is recommended that the entrance window is also changed, when the wire is replaced.

9.7.3.4 Re-assembling the Goniometer Flow Detector

When the required parts (wire and/or window) have been changed the flow detector can be
reassembled, as follows:
1. Place the wire mounting plate back onto the detector assembly (if removed).
2. Carefully, fit the flow detector housing, over the wire, onto the detector assembly.

CAUTION: Extreme care must be taken that the wire is not damaged as the housing is
replaced.

3. Tighten the 2, recessed, Allen headed screws, that secure the housing to the assembly.
4. Refit the push-on HV connector to the underneath of the wire connector post, using a pair of
tweezers (if removed).
5. Replace the detector assembly end-plate (if removed).

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9.7.3.5 Changing the 6µ Exit Window
The exit window for the flow detector provides the input to the optional sealed detector, which is mounted
in tandem to the flow detector. If this option is not fitted a metal plate is fitted in place of the window at
the rear of the flow detector.

Figure 9.31 Flow Detector Exit Window

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To change the flow detector exit window:
1. Unpack the window.
2. Undo the screws securing the sealed detector to the detector assembly.
3. Lift the sealed detector slightly and disconnect the HV connection, between the detector and
the amplifier.
4. Remove the sealed detector (see Figure 9.27).
5. Remove the screws which hold the collimator and rear side of the flow detector in position.
6. Remove the rear side of the flow detector.

CAUTION: Be extremely careful not to damage the window support on the plate.

7. Remove the old window and the O-ring.

8. Carefully remove any dust from the surface of the flow detector housing, with a clean dry brush.
9. Ensure the positioning bushes are mounted in the detector housing.

CAUTION: DO NOT grease the new O-ring.

10. Fit the new O-ring into the groove in the flow detector housing.
11. Place the new window in position, with the copper side facing the window support plate.
12. Fix the rear side and collimator to the flow detector housing with the mounting screws.
13. Re-connect the HV to the sealed detector and fix the detector back onto the detector assembly.

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9.7.3.6 Mounting the Detector Assembly
The detector assembly can be replaced in the crystal chamber as follows:

CAUTION: Extreme care must be taken when fitting the detector assembly, into the
crystal chamber, to avoid damaging the crystals or collimators.

1. Fit the detector assembly over the locating pins on the detector mounting bracket, in the crystal
chamber.
2. Fit the Allen headed screw, that secures the assembly to the mounting bracket.
3. Replace the long bolt through the detector assembly.
4. Ensure both of the securing bolts are tight.
5. Re-clip the 2 flow gas hoses to the flow detector.
6. Secure the hoses, close to the detector assembly, with a new tie wrap.
7. Replace the plate on the front of the crystal chamber, securing it with the 3 Allen headed screws.
8. Reconnect the motor drive lead.
After replacing the detector assembly the HV and crystals must be aligned for optimum performance.
Refer to the PhleX-ray Operation manual for details of how to carry out these procedures.
9. Replace the front covers.
10. Switch the spectrometer and HT on.
11. Calibrate the goniometer, as detailed in Section 9.4.
Wait until the temperature has stabilised before carrying out measurements.

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