To know the difference between one purification column and two purification columns in a glove box, first understand the function of the purification column:
Main function: The purification column can efficiently adsorb oxygen, moisture, and other active gases inside the glove box through internally filled adsorption materials (such as molecular sieves, activated carbon) and catalysts (such as copper based catalysts).
Circulating filtration: The purification column is linked with the gas circulation system of the glove box to continuously filter impurities in the gas inside the glove box, maintaining the purity of the atmosphere inside the box.
Dynamic equilibrium: During the transfer of glove box samples, the purification column can quickly adsorb trace amounts of oxygen and moisture that infiltrate from the outside, maintaining environmental stability.
Economy: Compared to directly discharging the polluted gas inside the glove box and supplementing it with new gas, the recycling mode of the purification column can effectively save the amount of inert gas used.
What are the differences between glove boxes with 1 purification column and 2 purification columns？
The glove box purification system is sometimes equipped with one purification column, commonly known as a single column; Sometimes equipped with two purification columns, commonly known as double columns.
The working principle and operating mode are different
The purification task of a single column glove box relies entirely on one purification column. When the adsorption of impurities in the purification column reaches saturation and regeneration is required, the entire circulation system needs to press the "pause button". This is because the purification column cannot simultaneously perform gas purification during the regeneration process. After the regeneration is completed and all indicators return to normal, the circulation system can be restarted to continue purifying the gas inside the box. For example, it's like a critical equipment in a factory that needs to produce products and undergo regular maintenance. During maintenance, production can only come to a halt.
The double column glove box adopts two parallel purification columns, which is a very clever design. During normal operation, one purification column operates at full capacity to deeply purify the gas inside the glove box, while the other is "ready to go". Once the working purification column needs to be regenerated, the system will quickly switch and seamlessly connect with the backup purification column to continue maintaining the circulation purification of the glove box. This is like having two devices working simultaneously in a factory, with one temporarily suspended for maintenance and the other immediately installed to ensure uninterrupted production processes. The double column glove box can improve purification efficiency and ensure the stability of glove box operation.
2. Each applicable scenario has its own emphasis
The single column glove box is more popular in the laboratory because it interrupts the circulation system during the regeneration of the purification column. The experimental projects in the laboratory are usually flexible and phased. For some basic material research experiments, the experimental time can be long or short, and there is also ample interval between experiments. During the regeneration period of the purification column, researchers can fully utilize it to organize experimental data, prepare materials for the next round of experiments, and continue the experiment after the purification column regeneration is completed without much impact on the entire process.
The double column glove box is more suitable for industrial production due to its uninterrupted working characteristics. For example, in the electronic chip manufacturing workshop, the production of chips requires extremely high environmental standards, especially in terms of controlling water and oxygen content. If a single column glove box is used, the oxygen content in the box may fluctuate during the regeneration of the purification column, which has a significant impact on the yield of the chip. The double column glove box does not have this problem. When one purification column is regenerated, the other purification column can continue to work, ensuring a stable environment inside the box and enabling the chip production line to operate efficiently and stably.
There are significant differences in the working principle, operating mode, and applicable scenarios between glove boxes with one purification column and two purification columns. When choosing a glove box, it is necessary to determine the number of purification columns based on one's actual needs, so as to select the glove box that suits oneself.
