Thermo Fisher Accela HPLC System with FL Plus Configuration

Overview

The Thermo Fisher Accela HPLC System (FL Plus configuration) is a high-performance liquid chromatography platform engineered for method robustness, gradient fidelity, and seamless compatibility with sub-2 µm particle-packed columns. Built on U-HPLC architecture, it operates at pressures up to 15,000 psi—enabling both conventional HPLC and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography workflows within a single, unified platform. Its core design principle centers on minimizing system dispersion and dwell volume while maximizing thermal stability and detection sensitivity. The system employs Couette-flow-based pump hydraulics, low-dead-volume fluidic pathways, and integrated temperature control across the autosampler, column compartment, and detector flow cell—ensuring retention time reproducibility ≤ 0.05% RSD and peak area precision ≤ 0.5% RSD under GLP-compliant conditions.

Key Features

• Accela Quaternary Pump with 65 µL total delay volume—optimized for rapid gradient equilibration and precise solvent composition delivery across complex multi-step methods.
• Accela Autosampler featuring needle-in-loop injection, 100 µL fixed loop (expandable), and active wash station with dual solvent capability to minimize carryover (< 0.005%).
• Accela PDA Detector equipped with LightPipe™ optical path technology—delivering 5× higher photometric sensitivity versus conventional diode array detectors, with 190–800 nm spectral range and 1 nm resolution.
• Finnigan Surveyor Plus Fluorescence Detector with variable excitation/emission wavelength selection (200–700 nm), programmable gain, and low-noise PMT amplification for trace-level quantitation of native or derivatized analytes.
• Total Temperature Management™ architecture—maintaining column oven, autosampler tray, and detector flow cell within ±0.2 °C of setpoint across ambient fluctuations, critical for retention time stability in regulated environments.
• Pre-configured for direct coupling to Thermo Scientific mass spectrometers including LTQ XL, TSQ Quantum Access, MSQ PLUS, and LTQ Orbitrap systems via standard ESI or APCI interfaces.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The Accela FL Plus system supports reversed-phase, HILIC, ion-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography using columns with internal diameters from 2.1 mm to 4.6 mm and particle sizes down to 1.7 µm (e.g., Hypersil GOLD™ aQ, Syncronis, or Accucore series). It meets mechanical and software requirements for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, USP , ASTM D7214, and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 when deployed with validated ChromQuest™ or Chromeleon™ CDS versions supporting audit trail, electronic signatures, and user role management. All refurbished units undergo full functional verification per Thermo Fisher service protocols—including pressure leak testing, gradient accuracy validation, baseline noise assessment, and wavelength calibration traceable to NIST standards.

Software & Data Management

The system ships with ChromQuest™ 5.0 or Chromeleon™ 7.2 Chromatography Data System (CDS), installed on a dedicated Windows 10 Professional workstation. Software features include method editor with real-time gradient simulation, peak integration with customizable baselines and threshold logic, report generation compliant with ALM (Analytical Laboratory Management) templates, and automated system suitability testing (SST) execution per ICH Q2(R2) guidelines. Raw data files (.RAW) are stored in vendor-neutral format with embedded metadata (instrument parameters, sequence logs, calibration records), enabling long-term archival and third-party reprocessing. Audit trail functionality records all user actions—including method modifications, result deletions, and calibration events—with immutable timestamps and operator IDs.

Applications

This Accela FL Plus configuration is routinely deployed in pharmaceutical QC laboratories for assay, dissolution, and stability-indicating assays per ICH Q1–Q5; in environmental labs for EPA Method 8330B (PAHs), 8082A (PCBs), and 549.2 (pesticides); in food safety testing for mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A), vitamins, and preservatives; and in academic research for metabolomics profiling where PDA spectral deconvolution and fluorescence selectivity enhance compound identification confidence. Its low dwell volume and thermal uniformity make it especially suitable for fast gradient separations of polar compounds using HILIC or charged surface hybrid (CSH) phases.

FAQ

What is the refurbishment standard applied to this Accela system?
All units undergo Thermo Fisher-certified refurbishment: complete disassembly, component-level inspection, replacement of wear parts (pump seals, injector rotors, lamp assemblies), recalibration against factory specifications, and 48-hour continuous operational stress testing.
Is the system supplied with original documentation and certificates?
Yes—each unit includes scanned copies of the original Certificate of Conformance, factory calibration reports, and a SpectraLab Scientific Revalidation Certificate documenting post-refurbishment performance verification.
Can this system be upgraded to support newer CDS versions or remote monitoring?
Chromeleon 7.2 supports optional upgrades to Chromeleon Cloud Connect for secure remote diagnostics and instrument status monitoring, subject to network infrastructure and licensing.
What consumables and spare parts are included in the base package?
Standard package includes one set of pump seals, two PDA lamps, one fluorescence detector lamp, and a full complement of stainless steel and PEEK capillaries pre-cut to OEM specifications.
Does the 6-month warranty cover labor, parts, and on-site service?
Yes—the warranty includes all parts, labor, and travel for on-site service within North America, Europe, and APAC regions serviced by SpectraLab’s authorized field engineers.