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Mercury Porosimeter Pascal 140

Pascal 140 for sample preparation and low pressure analysis
(up to 400 kPa)

Pascal 140 is a low-pressure porosimeter suitable to measure the porosity in macro and ultramacroporous materials and powders. The high level of automation, which simplifies the operator's work and assures a very high reproducibility of results, characterizes the Pascal 140. The upper control box can be removed and a longer connection cable will permit the instrument to be operated remotely, allowing the smaller analytical unit to be enclosed inside a fume hood/cupboard. The automation, together with unmatched analysis speed and ease of use, makes this instrument ideal for any analytical purpose both for quality control and research applications.

Features:

  • Soft-start for vacuum generation avoids risks of fine powder dragging

  • Vacuum display during sample degassing for optimum pre-treatment

  • 11 minutes to get a penetration curve up to 400 kPa

  • Automatic mercury filling with a special system avoids any risk of ambient pollution

  • Penetrated volume detection by capacitive electrode provides highest resolution

  • Simple, easy to handle and inexpensive dilatometers are suitable for any kind of samples

  • Built-in memory data buffer stores the analysis data freeing the PC during the run

  • Multi RS232 connection permits up to 4 different instruments to be connected to a single serial port

  • Automatic calibration routine for periodical check of the instrument status

  • Separately selectable speeds to increase and decrease pressure minimize hysteresis effects

  • Extremely high resolution (up to 2500 data point per analysis)

  • Choice of operation via control panel or PC assures high versatility of use

  • 'PASCAL' pressurization method eliminates the dead times automatically assuring equilibrium condition

  • 'PASCAL' pressurization method does not require any prior knowledge about the sample characteristics

  • Stand-alone module provides extreme system flexibility and money saving

Automated sample preparation, mercury filling and analysis

The Pascal 140 has a dual role: it prepares the sample and the dilatometer for the analysis and carries out low-pressure porosimetry measurements. Both operations are done automatically thus freeing the operator for other tasks. Thanks to its modular concept, it can be used alone or together with the other porosimeters. As the sample preparation and low-pressure analysis are done, the dilatometer can be placed in one of the high-pressure porosimeters (Pascal 240 or 440) for the determination of the mesoporosity. The results of porosity detected at low and high pressure are then combined in a single distribution spectrum by the dedicated software.

The sample preparation process starts by degassing the sample under vacuum. A special proportional valve, designed for this instrument, produces a "soft-start" that avoids any risk of powders being dragged out. The degassing continues until the required degree of vacuum is attained. A gauge, whose signal is displayed on the instrument control panel in real time, measures the vacuum. When the maximum vacuum degree is reached, the transducer for the analysis is automatically zero calibrated at every run and the system proceeds with the mercury filling operation up to a pre-selected volume level. Once the filling operation is completed, the analysis begins and the pressure is increased from vacuum at the rate determined by the PASCAL system within the range selected by the operator. When reaching maximum pressure, the sample is depressurized at the rate determined by the PASCAL system. The depressurization speed range selected by the operator may differ from the pressurization speed range for a better interpretation of the extrusion curve without any hysteresis effect. For powder samples a second run can be made to assure there is no aggregation between particles thus permitting a correct particle size distribution measurement. The experimental data are memorized by the on-board microprocessor and kept in the internal memory buffer. At any time during the analysis the operator can check the status of the analysis and/or transfer the equilibrium data to the PC. The low-pressure analysis performed by the Pascal 140 can be made alone or in conjunction with the high-pressure analyses performed by the Pascal 240/440.