Tabexpo Exhibitor Profile: Sodim Instrumentation, Stand No: C263

Source from:  worldtobacco.co.uk 02 October 2007 10/08/2007

Sodim Instrumentation recently launched a CO2 diffusivity tester. The diffusion meter is designed to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide diffusing through a small area of paper and to compute the paper thickness-dependent diffusion capacity of the paper. Although the instrument is designed to measure diffusion capacity of conventional cigarettes papers, it is especially well suited for testing of the printed bands of low-ignition propensity paper typically used on cigarettes that are to meet such self-extinction standards. This measurement is complementary to the permeability measurement made by the mean of conventional permeability meters. Indeed, static burn rate is largely determined by performance characteristics of cigarettes papers. The degree of oxygen diffusion through the paper during smoulder alters cigarette burn rates. Porous cigarette papers are known to permit diffusion gases with low molecular weight such as oxygen carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Hence, the CO2 measurement represents an accurate complementary measurement. The instrument's design is simple. A paper sample is positioned in a diffusion cell between two chambers: an upper chamber for carrying nitrogen and a lower chamber for carrying carbon dioxide. Equal pressure is maintained in each chamber and there is a flow communication between the chambers and through the paper. Carbon dioxide flows through the lower chamber, diffuses through the paper sample and into the upper chamber. Carbon dioxide that diffuses through the paper is entrained in nitrogen flowing through the upper chamber. The concentration of carbon dioxide in nitrogen exiting the upper chamber is proportional to the diffusion capacity of the paper sample. The apparatus structure comprises a measuring cabinet and a PC. Measuring cabinet provides measuring head with foot pedal, CO2 analyser, control electronic devices, flow control valves, sensors for atmospheric pressure, temperature and differential pressure. External PC with Windows operating system performs the measurement of the paper diffusion capacity, calibration of mass flow control valves, checking of flow rates through the mass flow control valves, diffusion cell standardization and guidance during the analyser calibration. In the meantime, Sodim Instrumentation has launched new instruments in the field of smoking topography. One, SPA-D for "smoking puff analyser - with Duplication capability", and one SPA-M for "smoking puff analyser - with Memory card", both for cigarettes and cigars. The SPA-D is a modern version of its former instrument developed several years ago. More compact than the original one - dim 115 x 63 x 30 mm-, the electronic device can now be connected to any kind of PC via USB port. It includes software to control the system, pressure transducers for measurement of pressure drop, flow and atmospheric pressure, a clock generator to drive a duplicator and a cigarette holder made from alimentary material. The SPA-D performs the recording of flow and pressure drop profiles in real time with complete data processing. Various parameters are calculated or recorded, such as: Number of puffs per cigarette, volume of each puff, total cigarette volume, mean volume per puff with or without first and last puff, puff duration, total puff duration, mean, flow peak, interval between puffs, total interval between puffs, smoking duration, work per puff, total work, start smoking date and time, atmospheric pressure, etc…. At the end of smoking, results are automatically recorded in a smoking profile file for further analysis or duplication purpose. There are two levels of operations to ease and secure the use of the instrument: operator and administrator. The operator can change the project, read the cigarette holders' calibration coefficients and system setup, measure and duplicate profiles. In addition, the administrator can create a new project, calibrate a sample holder, create sinusoid or square smoking profiles and change system set up options. Once the cigarette holders calibration coefficients are input in the instrument, it is possible to perform calibration of atmospheric pressure, pressure drop, flow or volume as well as K coefficient. The K coefficient takes into account the influence of aerosols and temperature of the smoke on the respond of the diaphragm used to measure the flow. The instrument sampling rate is 50ms and recording time is 800s for cigarettes and 1600s. for cigars. Beside recording function, the instrument integrates the capacity to duplicate profiles by means of a dedicated smoking machine. Two instruments are actually compatible: Sodim 2 ports smoking puff duplicator and Tricity Machine Works 5 to 20 ports smoking machine. The user can hence effect further chemical analysis on real human being profiles. The SPA-M is a compact and ambulatory version of the SPA-D. Thanks to a memory card, it records human being smoking topography for both cigarettes and cigars. The user can hand-carry the instrument anywhere and smoke in real ambient conditions. Once recorded, all data is transferred via USB port to a PC equipped with the smoking puff analyser data acquisition software. This software will allow the reading of the recorded data and effect duplication on a dedicated smoking machine. Three access levels are accessible to ease and secure the use of the instrument, especially if studies are sub-contracted to external laboratories: laboratory, agency and smoker. Menu navigation is simple thanks to a touch screen and a simple control menu. Sampling rate is selectable between 20, 25, 40 or 50ms and the recording autonomy is 60 smoking behaviour of 3min. each. Recording capacity is 600 files recorded at a 50ms. Sensors resolution is 24 bits. The instrument runs with 4 x AAA rechargeable batteries. Enditem