BetaCAP Dilutor Series
The BetaCAP series of diluters and in particular the progenitor BetaCAP30, is based on some intuitions, matured and consolidated over the months to become part of the product. For this purpose, several revisions were necessary for which we assumed the entire costs, providing our Customers with various updates, mainly regarding the firmware.
The products developed later, while satisfying more sophisticated needs, use the same original techniques that we had tested on more mature products from the beginning of development. In order, the key elements of the project are: “Equal capillaries”, electronic control of the pressures at the ends of the capillaries, regulation setpoints calculated on the basis of the analytical representation of the diluter and the associated physics. Last but not least, the construction method with solid blocks and crossing holes.
BetaCAP30
It is the first born of the BetaCAP series and, at the time, it was not even foreseen that it should give the kick off to an activity in the field of gas dilution. In fact, some people having tested the produt liked it and the story began.
Not all the features that have become peculiar to the BetaCAP series were present from the first prototype: the current BetaCAP30 is the result of repeated revisions and implementations, both in hardware and firmware.
In fact, today, despite being the simplest product in the series, it offers a complete set of sophisticated functions at an attractive price.
It offers 30 dilution steps, but also an uninterrupted range of dilutions between 0.5/30 and 29.5/30, including zero and 100%
BetaCAP30X100
It is the lucky combination of two autonomous and related modules: BetaCAP30 has already been described in the previous chapter, while the second module CAP1A100 is the main subject of this chapter. CAP1A100 was not created by chance: its main function is to dilute two gases or mixtures in a fixed ratio of 100 to 1: by connecting the two modules in series (CAP30 dilutes with one of the 30 ratios the gas pre-diluted by CAP1A100) extreme dilution ratios are achieved (up to 6000:1), which are particularly interesting in the world of air quality.
To produce concentrations in a few tens of ppb, with BetaCAP30X100 it is possible to start from concentrations of a couple of hundred ppm, otherwise the costs and stability of the mixtures become problematic.
Furthermore, even in emission applications, it could be interesting to evaluate the opportunity of diluting pure gases: these offer a purity uncertainty absolutely better than uncertainty of the mixtures.
BetaCAP60-3G
Although it uses the same inspiring principles as the previous models, it clearly distinguishes itself in two aspects:
- from a functional point of view, it offers the possibility of carrying out two correlated dilutions, and this allows the execution of cross sensitivity tests (in fact, the norms don’t suggest to test cross sensitivities just with a null set of the measurand).
- From a technological point of view, it uses more sophisticated electronic components (8 bit processors are replaced with 16 bit ones) which allow higher calculation speed and resolution as well as better resolution of the sensors and of controls. The user interface with color graphic display and touch screen is also more “friendly”.
- Finally, due to its particular functional constitution it has made possible the conception of an original self-calibration procedure which, although controversial in its acceptability, is rigorous in theory and complying in results. Even if you want to limit the scope to non-legal verification, it can provide valuable help in diluter quality management.
BetaCAP60X100
This dilutor also makes use of different modules: the CAP60 module is the basic module as already described for BetaCAP60-3G, the CAP1A100 module is the 100: : 1 fixed dilution pre-dilutor, already described as the BetaCAP30X100 module and finally the CAL60 module, a multi-scale, not traceable flow meter, necessary for the optional implementation of the self-calibration (or self-check) function.
Better described in the dedicated chapter, it allows you to create 60 dilution steps covering the range from zero to 100% (no dilution). It also makes available an uninterrupted range of dilutions (setting diluted gas concentrations) between 0.5/60 and 59.5/60, including zero and 100%…..
All the technical details are provided on the specific page
InfoCAP3000
This software package was born considering that during a test campaign (typically QAL2, but in general) 90% of the time dedicated by the technician who carries them out is WAITING…. waiting for the analyzer to stabilize its measurement based on the concentration produced by the dilutor. In addition to being frustrating for an active technician, these long waiting periods are a waste of resources, given that a simple PC with the right software handles these tasks even better. and cheaper
Info CAP3000 is designed to operate with all 4 diluters types described above. It requires a specific configuration for each test (the configuration is generally done on site) and in the field, once the test circuit is connected, all that remains is to activate the configurations already set up and start. When the test ends, changing test gases and may be the analyzer, it’s possible to activate the next one. The test reports can be customized, also depending on the number of steps to be carried out, immediately available at the end of the test, also for use at subsequent times.