Butterworth Laboratories Relies on High-quality 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.”

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.

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.