D-Torch Demountable Torch

Glass Expansion Patented* D-Torch Demountable Torches

Download our D-Torch flyer PDF

Download our Agilent ® 5100/5110 & 5800/5900 D-Torch Flyer PDF

D-Torch Video Installation Guide

Application Notes

The D-Torch is a revolutionary new demountable torch design. It provides the benefits of a fully demountable torch at a significantly lower cost. The benefits of the D-Torch include:

The Benefits of a Ceramic Torch

Glass Expansion pioneered the design of ceramic torches more than 25 years ago with the PT2000 demountable torch for the ARL Maxim ICP-OES. Since then we have provided ceramic versions of our PT2000 and ABC demountable torches for several ICP models.

Ceramic outer tubes are now available for the D-Torch. In general the ceramic outer tube has a much longer lifetime, greatly reducing interruptions and downtime due to torch failure. The ceramic outer tube is of particular benefit for:

a) The analysis of wear metals in engine oils, where quartz outer tubes often suffer from a short lifetime.
b) Si determinations, where quartz outer tubes often produce high background signals.
c) Fusion samples or samples with high levels of dissolved solids which cause quartz tubes to devitrify.

Case Study 1: 10% NaCl samples

A combination of high temperature and salt deposits causes a quartz torch to devitrify. Higher concentrations of salt in the samples lead to more rapid devitrification. The quartz torch in the photo was run for only 6 hours with samples containing 10% NaCl and is already badly degraded.

By contrast, the ceramic material does not devitrify and is not affected by salt deposits. The ceramic D-Torch in the photo was run for the same period and with the same samples as the quartz torch but shows no degradation at all.

Case Study 2: Lithium borate fusion samples

The D-Torch ceramic outer tube in the photo below has been running lithium borate fusion samples for three years at 5 - 7 days per week and 20 - 22 hours per day.

Ceramic tube after 3 years of use compared with new ceramic tube

This ceramic tube is showing clear signs of wear and tear but it has been running very demanding samples for approximately 20,000 hours. And at the time this photo was taken it was still operational. As a comparison, before the ceramic D-Torch was installed, a standard quartz torch was lasting only about 100 hours. So the ceramic torch has outlasted 200 standard quartz torches, SAVING THE USER AT LEAST $40,000.

The D-Torch is now available for the following models:

Manufacturer Model
Agilent Technologies ® 5100/5110/5800/5900
Agilent Technologies ® 700-ES Series Axial, Vista Axial
Agilent Technologies ® 700-ES Series Radial, Vista Radial, Liberty 100/120/150/200/220
Horiba ® 24, 38 & 138 Series, Ultima, Activa
Nu Instruments™ Nu Plasma
PerkinElmer ® AVIO 200/500
PerkinElmer ® Optima 8x00 Series
PerkinElmer ® Optima 4300V, 5300V, 7300V
PerkinElmer ® NexION 1000/2000
PerkinElmer ® NexION 300, 350
Spectro™ (Ametek ®) SpectroBlue™ EOP
Spectro™ (Ametek ®) SpectroBlue™ SOP
Spectro™ (Ametek ®) EOP (Modula, CIROS, Genesis, ARCOS)
Spectro™ (Ametek ®) SOP (Modula, CIROS, Genesis, ARCOS)
Thermo Fisher Scientific ® PRO Duo
Thermo Fisher Scientific ® PRO Radial
Thermo Fisher Scientific ® 6000/7000 Duo
Thermo Fisher Scientific ® 6000/7000 Radial

We will soon be releasing the D-Torch for other ICP models. Please contact enquiries@geicp.com for information on the availability of the D-Torch for your ICP.

* The D-Torch is covered by US Patents 7,847,210 B2 and 8,232,500 B2

Customer comments

The quartz outer on the D-Torch lasts much longer than the OEM model, but a ceramic is still definitely worth it. The ceramic has been great for the iCAP® that we purchased from you and will probably get another for our other iCAP® too. (In reference to the D-Torch with ceramic outer tube)

Contract laboratory - New Zealand

The D-torch is working great! I'm very pleased with it and will let the other ICP users know about it.

Chemical manufacturer - USA

We have worked with your ceramic D-Torch since three weeks and the results and the sensitivity are so far very well and I would therefore recommend that torch to other users of ICP-OES.

Materials research laboratory - Germany

Our fully ceramic D-torch is in place since august 2013 and it seems to be in good shape, no major sign of deterioration.

Mining laboratory - Canada

(In reference to the D-Torch with ceramic outer tube) It works like a champ, and the base line on my Si has never been as clean as this.

Contract laboratory, petroleum industry - USA

We have been using the D-Torch on our PerkinElmer ® ICP for about a year, and have had great success with it. We definitely see lower costs, and better Si stability.

Automotive industry supplier - USA

The D torch is good value.

Oils laboratory - New Zealand

(In reference to the D-Torch) The torch has been excellent. We have been using it for 2 months so far and very little to no carbon buildup. Have only had to dismantle once during this time.

Oils laboratory - Australia

We have also been running with a full ceramic torch on all of our instruments for over a year now and have found them to be very reliable.

Oils laboratory - UK

(The D-Torch) performs really well and we have had no problems with it. It performs just as well if not better than the single piece torches and obviously saves a lot of money in replacement parts.

Environmental laboratory - Australia

The torch has been running like a Swiss watch ... The ceramic torch has shown no signs of deterioration, with 80 hrs/week running. The intensities on the 7300DV have also been elevated between 10-20%.

Contract laboratory - Australia

The Ceramic torch is quite excellent, mostly from a maintenance standpoint, it forms much less deposits on it and that which forms is usually very easy to clean ... I do think we'll continue buying ceramic torches mostly because they last much longer and are so much easier to keep clean.

Environmental laboratory - Sweden

I am quite pleased with the D-Torch. It's stable and rather easy to maintain and clean. ...Another upside is the D-torch is also much easier to push in and take out of the torch block, quartz torch tends to get stuck in the o-rings and require quite a lot of force to pull out, but the D-torch is much smoother. It's also quite excellent for analyzing silica in a hydrofluoric digestion, I noticed my blanks for that were much lower and stable.

Contract laboratory - Sweden

The D-Torch is performing very well. The ceramic outer has been in almost constant service 22 hours a day, 6 days a week since we purchased it and we have had no issues...We are due to purchase a replacement ICP and will certainly be purchasing another D-Torch to go along with it.

Lubricating oils laboratory - Australia

The D-Torch we have for the Elan 9000 ICP-MS works very well.

Government food and agriculture laboratory - New Zealand