[elango86]

I am currently using a HP 5890 with a TCD to analyze the composition of my Syngas (H2+CO) mixture .But the problem is im getting a very good peak for H2 but the peak for CO is vey tiny and is hard to be determined by using sandards.Right now the carrier gas is N2.

Is there any way i could improve the sensitivity of the coulmn so that i could get a good peak for CO also ?

[Stepan]

You can use He as a carrier gas, but you loose sensitivity for H2.

25 years ago I was using He as a carrier, was measuring CO, CO2, N2, CH4, and C2H6, and was assuming the H2 was a balance. For more accurate measurements, I used N2 (which was always present as an impurity in CO) as an internal reference: if N2 signal goes up the gas volume reduces.

Also you may consider a different detector.

 

[elango86]

I dont have the choice of using a different detector , so i would try using a different carrier gas as you mentioned.

Will i be able to determine the N2 in the mixture if i use He as a carrier gas since i dont want to make the assumption that the rest is N2 when i use that as carrier gas ?

[Stepan]

depends on you column, you will see a H2 peak as a small negative peak (approximately 100-1000 times less than you have now), then you will have Ar, O2, N2 (if present a single peak or 3 peaks) as Positive peaks with good sensitivity (approximately as sensitive as you have H2 with N2 as a carrier gas), then CO, then CH4, then C2H6, then CO2 and H2O and then C3+.   Order can be different - it all depends on your column. If you use Zeolite column you will likely loose CO2 and H2O, also Zeolite can change retention time if it is clogged with H2O, CO2, and heavier hydrocarbons; Polymer adsorbents are not very good in separation of N2/O2/Ar. I used to use Carbosieve-like adsorbents (it was before Carbosieve).