New fusion system for Genalysis

IMP have recently installed the latest generation automated fusion and TGA system for Intertek in Perth. This is the third system of its kind purchased by the Intertek group.

The latest system now incorporates separate heaters for the fusion system and for the casting dishes. Separating these induction heaters has proven to significantly increase the life of the casting dishes.

The system has been installed at the Genalysis Maddington facility and will be used primarily to service the iron ore industry. The system will add a further 800 samples per day capacity for Genalysis.

The system works fully automatically with up to 200 samples in vials being loaded in 100 position trays into a sample input magazine. The rest of the process is fully automatic. The system incorporates automatic weighing of aliquot for fusion, adding the flux, mixing the sample, adding a release agent if required, fusing the sample and presenting the sample to the XRF for analysis. The crucibles and casting dishes are automatically cleaned in heated ultrasonic baths with citric acid after which they are rinsed in water followed by a demin water wash before being dried in hot air and presented back to the fusion machine.

The weighing station also weighs out an aliquot for LOI analysis into TGA crucibles. The system automatically sends these crucibles into four TGA's each operating at a different temperature in order to meet the stringent iron ore requirements.

The entire process is fully automated requiring minimal operator intervention other than sample registration.

Using this fully integrated high-technology equipment drastically improves precision and accuracy and is set to place Intertek in the forefront of the XRF analysis in Perth.

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