EasyH2O®

Thermo-coulometric water determination

1. Measuring principle

The Berghof easyH2O combines the thermal evaporation of water with a selective, electrochemical water sensor in a new and innovative procedure for water detection.

The water is evaporated from the test sample in a programmable oven and passed over the sensor in a stream of carrier gas.

Since this gas is simply ambient air which is sucked in and dried no special chemicals are required for operation. Controlled by software, the whole process runs automatically

2. Coulometric P2O5 sensor

The sensor’s layer of hygroscopic phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) binds the water carried in the stream of carrier gas. The water is broken down electrolytically into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). The charge required for this is proportional to the quantity of water and is determined by

Faraday’s Law.

The sensor is self-regenerating by reforming the P2O5 layer during the measurement. The unit thus remains ready for operation at all times.

3. Selective water determination  

The Berghof EasyH2O registers the water in the sample selectively. The result is not (as is the case with gravimetric water analysis techniques) falsified by materials evaporated from the sample along with the water.

It therefore delivers reproducible and precise results and makes it possible to separately verify surface and capillary water as well as bound water.

 Even strongly bound water is released by temperature programs up to 400°C.

Environmentally-friendly analyses

For the operation of the phosphorus pentoxide measuring cell no special or toxic chemicals are required, making the system environmentally friendly.

The user benefits from the following adventages:

• reduced operating and disposal costs
• operating personnel do not need to be specially trained
• reduced blank value entry with chemicals