NH4/NO3/SO4 Inlet flow and Leak Check

Purpose: This check confirms that the SO4 system and the NH4NO3 system are leak tight and that the MFCs for each system are registering the proper flow rates.

Required Equipment: Bios with high cell and low cell

Reference: SOPMAN

Leak Check

1. Open “Set Flags” from the Tools dropdown window on Site Manager and down SO4 and NH4NO3.

2. Remove the cyclone from the NH4/NO3/SO4 inlet and place a 3/8” red plastic cap over the inlet.

3. Allow the system a minute or two to draw the vacuum and then record the reading for the SO4 MFC; NO3 CH1 MFC; NO3 CH2 MFC and NO3 CH3 MFC from the DAS. All of these readings should be at 0.00 lpm +/- 0.02

4. Remove the vacuum side of the MFCs being analyzed and record the flow rate from the DAS. These readings should match those with the inlet capped. If the MFC is showing a reading higher than 0.00 +/- 0.02, then the calibration is off. Refer to the “MFC Calibration SOP”

Flow Check

1. From the Flow Checks menu in Site Manager select Flow Audit – the Flow Audit form will open in a window.

2. In the Instrument box select SO4/NH4/NO3 and click the Input Parameters button.

3. Connect your BIOS directly to the MFC using the low cell and get 3 stable 10-point average flow readings. Enter the last of the 3 readings into the BIOS MFC Flow Rate blank in units of liters per minute (LPM). These readings should each be 1.25 lpm.

4. Connect your BIOS to the NH4/NO3/SO4 inlet using the high cell and get 3 stable 10-point averages. Enter the last flow rate into the BIOS Inlet Flow Rate blank in units of liters per minute. This flow should total 5.00 lpm (1.25 lpm/MFC * 4 MFCs)

5. Review all your entries for correctness and click the Calculate button.

6. Review the calculation result and if all looks ok click the “Yes” under Save Data. If you had an entry error, click “No” under Save Data and correct the error.

7. If you need to check another flow controller click the Yes button under Change Device. If not click Exit to end the check.

8. If the flow or leak check fail and you are unable to fix the problem, then close the SM ticket after recording all results in the flow audit form and open an operations ticket stating the issue and everything that you have done so far.