The FISCHERSCOPE® XAN® LIQUID ANALYZER is directly connected to the plating bath via a tube. There, the solution is taken from the bath by a pump and directed to the flow cell inside the measuring device.
In the measuring cell, the solution analysis takes place by X-ray measurement. In this process, high-energy X-rays – the primary radiation – are sent from the X-ray tube to the sample. These X-rays strike atoms in the solution and ionize them. This means that an electron close to the nucleus is removed from the atom. Since this state is unstable, an electron from a higher shell fills the gap, emitting fluorescence radiation. The energy level of this radiation is like a fingerprint – characteristic of the element in question.
A detector captures the fluorescence and digitizes the signal. After the signal has been processed, a spectrum is created: the energy of the detected photons is plotted on the x-axis, and their frequency, the so-called count rate, is plotted on the y-axis. From the position of the peaks in the spectrum, the elements present in the solution can be identified. The height of these peaks provides information about their concentration.
After successful measurement, the solution is collected in a wastewater treatment tank or returned to the sampling point.
