Application: Automated Parallel Synthesis for Process Development
Quatech Products Used: Quatech QSU-100IND four port USB to RS-232 Serial Adapter with Surge Suppression

Quatech QSU-100IND Four port USB to RS-232 Serial adapters with Surge Suppression are being used as part of a real-time reaction analysis system. The system is designed to both identify reactants, products and intermediates in a chemical reaction and to track the course of the reaction with a single automated system. The system is comprised of four reactors, each of which can be individually controlled and conditioned, with a probe integrated into the base of each. Modulated infrared radiation is passed to each of the reactors in turn, and a spectrum is measured and passed to a Windows NT-based PC via a surge protected serial to USB interface. Up to thirty spectra per hour are obtained from each reactor and used by the system to derive concentration profiles. This application was originally implemented with standard USB to serial adapters, however results were unpredictable and inaccurate. After much testing, our customer found that the added protection of Quatech's "IND" surge suppression package was the only USB to Serial solution that would work in their systems.

Application: Natural Gas Well Monitoring
Quatech Products Used: Quatech QSU-100 four port USB to RS-232 Serial Adapter

Quatech's QSU-100 is used by a major natural gas producer to implement a well monitoring system. Each well is monitored by an electronic gas meter. Each group of wells uses telemetry and a master radio to transmit data. Each master radio requires a dedicated serial port on the polling computer, and Quatech's QSU-100 supplies the additional serial ports required.

Interesting note: This customer attempted to use a low-cost generic PCI bus card to implement this system, but after "less than desirable results" turned to Quatech for our fast, easy , and reliable USB connectivity solution.