Teflon AF® Model 403 Degassers

Film degasser systems are an effective—and cost-effective—solution to the challenges of degassing HPLC solvents. The Model 403 Series uses a planar membrane sandwiched between a flow channel and a vacuum plate fixed at its ends with a compression fitting. (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Schematic of a Single Film Planar Degasser

The double-sided planar degasser series uses the same principle but with a unique internal architecture. A central flow plate separates two parallel pathways, each with a Teflon™ AF membrane and vacuum chamber. The eluent flows down one face of the flow plate and back along the other face (see Figure 2). This provides a large interaction area resulting in highly effective de-bubbling and very efficient degassing.

Figure 2. Schematic of a Dual-Film Planar Degasser

Advantages of Film Degassers as Replacements

Film degassers are also a cost-effective replacement for degassers which use tubular Teflon™ AF 2400 membranes. Since pump cavitation becomes more serious at higher flow rates, it is advantageous that the degassing efficiency curves of the planar degassers are flatter than those of degassers based on a tubular degassing membrane. (See Figure 3)

Figure 3. Degassing Efficiency in Methanol: The range of degassing efficiencies available from a series of Model 403 vacuum degassing chambers. All of these results are from the same degasser body having a dead volume of 530 microliters. The different efficiencies result from changes in the membrane configuration and do not involve any change in backpressure or pressure drop across the degasser. The curves are labeled with each model’s part number.

Model 403 Degasser Series

VICI Metronics 403 Series Degasser Brochure