Butterworth Laboratories Relies on Reliable Compressors for Metal Analysis

Butterworth Laboratories Ltd is a fully independent UK contract analytical laboratory that has been providing quality control testing, method development & validation and stability study storage & testing to the pharmaceutical and related industries for 40 years.

Butterworth’s analysis of numerous metallic and non-metallic elements is highly sensitive so, when testing and determining the particles per billion content of a sample, a pressurised clean air source is required. As Butterworth’s Laboratory Support Manager Kevin Fullarton explained: “Gast Group’s Jun-Air compressors are perfect for the job. We approached BCAS Ltd with a specification for flow rate and pressure and they recommended Jun-Air. Their compressors are known throughout the industry for supplying quality, oil-free compressed air and, as a point-of-use source was required, they are also quiet in operation.”

With analytical tests being carried out five days a week and using an automated test facility, the reliability of the Jun-Air compressors has become fundamental in Butterworth’s Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP) tests.

Clean, oil-free compressed air from the Jun-Air compressors is used for various analytical techniques. One of the compressors is used for the microwave digester, where gases are used for cooling. The remaining compressors are used for AAS, where air is mixed with acetylene to provide flame combustion, and ICP where it is used as a shear gas to keep the heat of the plasma plume off the optics. It is estimated that compressed air from the Jun-Air compressors is used on a fifth of the most popular tests carried out at Butterworth Laboratories Ltd.

“We couldn’t afford breakdowns or analytical systems tripping out due to overheating, as it wastes too much time and money. Compressed air is one of our biggest user requirements, so we needed very reliable compressors and therefore had no hesitation in specifying Jun-Air,” said Kevin.

Steve Pritchard, Sales Manager for BCAS Ltd said: “We supplied Butterworth with three Jun-Air oil-free compressors – one OF302-15B and two 2xOF1202-40MQ6 – which replaced existing compressors that were under-sized and unsuitable for the continuous duty requirements of the laboratory’s instrumentation systems. Compressed air is critical to this customer, we have every confidence in the Jun-Air brand and ensure we support the customer with both the supply of a quality product and in BCAS Ltd providing excellent specialist after care and maintenance for optimum performance.”

Commenting for Gast Group, European Sales Director Andre Goodson said: “This contract with Butterworth is another success that can be attributed to the creation of the partnering agreement with BCAS Ltd, which covers the supply and service of Gast and Jun-Air ranges in London and the south of England.”

With decibel ratings starting as low as 47 dB(A) when housed in an attractive soundproof cabinet, models in the oil-less OF range have the lowest noise levels available, making them ideal for installations within laboratory environments and even in or near individual workstations.

To ensure the highest air quality throughout the lifetime of the compressor, receivers are internally powder-coated to avoid corrosion; and adsorption dryers remove moisture to ensure 100% dry, clean oil free compressed air with pressure dewpoints of -40°C. The dryer is located upstream of the receiver so the receiver only stores dry air. Units feature a unique cooling system and wear-resisting piston rings, and are designed for 100% continuous operation up to 10 bar maximum pressure.