Get the most easy-to-use capillary flow porometer available
Quantachrome’s 3G porometers represent state of-the-art in capillary flow porometry: exceptional performance in a compact bench-top unit, controlled by powerful PC-based software. The four models offered, representing different pressure (i.e. pore size) and flow rate ranges, allow the best match between material properties and instrument performance (sensitivity, accuracy, reproducibility) for a wide variety of applications. Each Porometer 3G is a complete measuring system consisting of pressure control, pressure and flow sensing, sample holder, control and data acquisition software, even a builtin coalescing particle filter, and a comprehensive accessory parts kit.
3G micro
The Porometer 3G micro is our entry level capillary flow porometer with small-to-medium pore size capability, and customizable flow rate options. The 3G micro is especially suitable for a wide variety of woven and non-woven materials having narrower pore size distributions.
3G z
The Porometer 3G z is a compact, automatic, broad size range capillary flow porometer, customizable with a wide range of available flow rate sensors. The 3G z is therefore the ideal porometer for samples of controlled geometric size and through-porosity since these parameters, not just pore size, significantly
control absolute gas flow through the sample.
3G zh
The flagship porometer has the widest pore size measurement range in the series, with both low and high flow rate sensing capability as standard. The pressure capability of up to 500 psi allows for pore sizes from 500 μm down to as small as 13 nm to be measured quickly and reproducibly. Its measurement flexibility means that the 3G zh is appropriate for research applications.
Capillary flow porometry, or just Porometry (also known as the liquid expulsion technique) uses the simple principle of measuring the gas pressure required to force a wetting liquid out of through pores. Both pressure and the flow rate of gas through the emptied pores are recorded to yield through-pore size distributions. Through pores are simply those that connect from one side of a material to the other. Typically sheet or cylindrical samples are measured. The pressure at which through-pores empty is
inversely proportional to the pore size. Larger pores require a lower pressure than do smaller pores. The first applied pressure is chosen so as to not empty any pores but do so as the pressure is increased. Smaller and smaller pores are progressively emptied. Empty pores allow the pressurizing gas to flow through them and this gas flow is recorded to provide a measurement of the quantity of pores while the pressure gives the size of the pores.
The Porometry method was developed as an extension of the single point classic “Bubble Point” measurement. It simply measures the maximum pore size by determining the pressure at which the first stream of bubbles is detected through sample that is covered with a wetting liquid. It has been in use for many years and has been detailed in several standards such as the Bubble-Point Test Method detailed in ARP901A (Society of Automotive Engineers). The Bubble Point method yields only the largest pore size whereas the Porometry method extends it to provide a complete pore size distribution.
The standard, ASTM F316-03(2011) describes a test method for pore size characteristics of Membrane Filters by Bubble Point and Mean Flow Pore Test. The Quantachrome Porometer 3G series implements this method and yet provides much more information.
| Model | 3G micro | 3G z | 3G zH |
| Pore size minimum | 0.07 µm | <0.03 µm | <0.02 µm |
| Pore size maximum | 100 µm | 500 µm | 500 µm |
| Pressure controllers | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Controller #1 | 0 psi to 100 psi | 0 psi to 30 psi | 0 psi to 30 psi |
| Controller #2 | n/a | 0 psi to 300 psi | 0 psi to 500 psi |
| Pressure sensors | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Sensor #1 | 0 psi to 5 psi | | |
| Sensor #2 | 0 psi to 100 psi | | |
| Sensor #3 | n/a | 0 psi to 250 psi | 0 psi to 500 psi |
| Flow sensors | 1 | 1 or 2 | 2 |
| Sensor #1 | 0 L/min to 100 L/min | 0 L/min to 100 L/min | 0 L/min to 10 L/min |
| | | (standard) | |
| | | 0 L/min to 200 L/min | |
| | | (optional) | |
| Sensor #2 (optional) | n/a | 0 L/min to 5 L/min or | 0 L/min to 200 L/min |
| | | 0 L/min to 10 L/min | |
| Flow sensor switching | n/a | manual | auto |
| Pressure sensing accuracy | ±0.05 % f.s. |
| Pressure resolution | 16 bit A/D equivalent |
| Flow sensor type | Precision thermal mass flow |
| Flow sensor settling time | <2 seconds |
| Flow sensor temperature coefficient | <0.05 %/oC (15 °C to 45 °C) |
| General specifications | | | |
| Main control unit | 40 cm x 45 cm x 19 cm (15.8 in x 17.8 in x 19 in) |
| dimensions (H x D x W) | | | |
| Sample holder block | 24 cm x 32 cm x 15 cm (9.5 in x 12.6 in x 6 in) |
| dimensions (H x D x W) |
| This table shows standard configurations. Different pressure and flow rate ranges are available |
| for some models. | | | |
| | | |
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