We received the following FYI note on 15 May 1999:

To: shimadzu-sux@bigfoot.com
From: identity withheld
Subject: Shimadzu GC Goes KABOOM

We use hydrogen gas as the internal carrier instead of helium or nitrogen due to the increase in mass transfer characteristics. With proper internal regulation, this is not a safety hazard. Guess who's GC exploded because of gas regulation problems and poor heat source shielding?


Well, we immediately asked for more details and here's what we learned:

....Essentially, the GC could not sense the loss of back pressure in case of a leak [....oops!] It would then dump hydrogen gas into the GC oven until it reached an explosive air/gas ratio [....whoa!] When a heating element came on to heat the GC.... KABOOM! It blew the door off the hinges [....ouch!] I remember seeing it during a training presentation [some training session huh?] The explosion occurred on-site after switching to hydrogen carrier gas.


Still searching for more dirt on Shimadzu, we received the following response on 13 June 1999:

Here is the design flaw:

The problem occurs with GC models that are head pressure regulated (like Shimadzu) instead of back pressure regulation like the HP. When a column breaks internally, the head pressure models increase the flow of carrier gas in an attempt to drive up the pressure in the column. This is dangerous precedent if a hydrogen carrier is used. More and more carrier gas is driven into the oven chamber till an explosive level is reached. Since the ovens in the Shimadzu are not gas tight, when the heating element fire to maintain the temperature, an explosion may occur!

n.b. This is really scary.... now you have Shimadzu equipment that explodes on-site without warning! Are you ready to deal with flying Shimadzu shrapnel in YOUR lab? The contributor reports that the GC involved was either a GC-9 or a GC-17 series gas chromatograph! Shimadzu is no longer making the GC-9 (although you can probably buy one) but the GC-17 is in it's third version! Will there be a forth reincarnation because of another as-yet-undiscovered fatal design flaw? RUN.... don't walk from Shimadzu!

n.b. Hewlett Packard is the run-away undeniable leader in the GC marketplace with better than 50% market share according to most reports. Shimadzu claims to be number 2 (ie. the "other" worthless GC company) but it is a distant second (if that) with only about 5% GC market share. Why would you buy second worst when you can have first best with HP? Besides, who will sell you the bodily injury/property damage insurance that you'll need to protect against flying Shimadzu GC shrapnel?

n.b. Looking for some fun.... maybe you can couple your Shimadzu GC with that defective Class VP software package (with GC control) and program the entire mess to blow-up on December 31, 1999 at 12 o'clock midnight. Then you could start the new millennium anew with rugged analytical instrumentation from a reputable vendor!