At ASMS 2024 Thermo released the Stellar MS. You can read about it here. It's an ultra fast ion trap system that can provide nominal mass (say +/- 0.5 Da, normally? something like that?) in what sounds like an affordable package.
One thing that I think hasn't got much notice is that it uses a whole lot less power than you'd expect. I don't have a full specification sheet, I was told it would be online soon, but it looks like the vacuum pump has a lot to do with it.
I went down a rabbit hole for a project I'm working on and it makes me wonder why everyone hasn't switched to more modern roughing pump/forepump designs.
Every mass spec I've ever used as been an oil filled rotary vane pump, I'm pretty sure. I expect those to require around 700-1000W on their own.
Apparently dry scroll pumps have become a lot less expensive recently and the reason for switching is pretty clear --
260W? That's a lot less than 700W!
The SogeVac SV65 I see a lot is capable of 0.5 mBAR at 700W. The little Edwards can beat that at 0.2 mBAR with 260W power draw. Now, I know how much power you use doesn't matter to most mass spectrometrists, but for startups cutting your power usage in half or to a third can be a big deal. I do know people who really do care about the $1000/month in power a couple of mass specs need while their trying to eek out a living existing in cost margins.
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