#96 - Pictures of Extreme Cold Weather Analyzer Package

Outside Nova facility after
Dec 27, 2012 snowfall.

Last night’s snow storm that hit the North-Eastern US / Toronto / Niagara regions reminds me of our ‘extreme cold weather package’.

 

Gas analyzers and many other scientific instruments usually do not like the cold. If a gas sample has condensable moisture in it, there is a possibility of ice build-up in the wetted sample train. The electronics, valves, and detectors all prefer to function at approximately room-temperature or slightly higher.

 

Periodically, we have had requests from companies who are operating outdoors in the cold northern areas of North America and Europe. To cope with this reality, we came up with our Cold Weather Package a few years ago. The package includes a durable outdoor cabinet with a windowed door, cabinet insulation, and internal heaters. We generally specify this design for outdoor temperatures as low as -20°C (-4°F). We recommend that the analyzer be sheltered from the wind and sun. This will help stabilize the cabinet temperature and reduce temperature swings.

 

Every once in a while, we have customers who want to operate in even colder temperatures. We meet these requests by installing our ‘Extreme Cold Weather Package’. This package also has an outdoor cabinet, insulation, and heaters. We just add more of everything. The cabinet door is modified to replace the large window with a smaller window and insulation. We generally specify this design for outdoor temperatures as low as -32°C (-25°F). However, we have seen some of these packages installed on sites as low as -40°C (-40°F). We’re not sure how well these units are working. For some reason, no one ever wants to go outside and check on them when it gets that cold!

 

One thing that is really important on cold sites is heat-traced tubing. The input sample line, vent line, and drain lines should all be heat-traced to prevent ice build-up. Obviously, ice build-up in the lines will cause low flow conditions and other problems.

 

Pictured below is a cold weather unit that we sent recently to a Canadian site in Terrebonne, Quebec.

 

'Extreme Cold Weather Package' protects analyzer
from cold outdoor temperatures.



Gas analyzer display is still visible with cold
weather cabinet modifications.

 

Cold weather operation brings challenges. No doubt about that. However, we can manage those challenges by adding heat and insulation to the design.

 

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.

 

1-800-295-3771

sales at nova-gas dot com

websales at nova-gas dot com

http://www.nova-gas.com/

https://twitter.com/NOVAGAS

http://www.linkedin.com/company/nova-analytical-systems-inc-

http://www.tenovagroup.com/

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#95 - Multi-Point Conditioning Systems for Mass Spectroscopy in DRI Plants

One of the unique projects we have worked on this year has been the development of conditioning systems for mass spectrometers at steel plants. The specific application is DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) plants, where iron ore is directly reduced to iron without the typical processes involving blast furnaces, coke ovens, basic oxygen furnaces, and other support plants. The DRI product can be used in electric arc furnaces (EAF) as a flexible additive to provide additional control over the end product or where the price and availability of scrap metal requires it.



DRI plants are quite large. The DRI product is fed into
bins which are positioned to feed directly into electric arc furnaces.

Mass spectroscopy is used by some steel makers to obtain analysis of their process gases. The main advantage of this technique is that it is versatile in terms of analytical capability. Numerous types of gases may be measured by a mass spectrometer.

Two challenges in coupling mass spectroscopy and steel processes such as DRI are the location and condition of the gas samples. Steel plants are usually sprawling industrial complexes with distances to some sample points being more than 250m (820ft). The condition of the sample is frequently hot, dusty, and under high pressure. For best analysis, the sample should be left intact, while managing the unwanted conditions.

Our solution to this dilemma has been to establish a primary conditioning system and a secondary conditioning system.

Primary Conditioning System

The initial task is to extract the sample while regulating it to a manageable pressure. Next, the sample needs to be filtered to remove particulate while it is still near the process temperature. A probe, flange-mounted isolation valve, and heated filter will accomplish these tasks.

Most projects have multiple sample points throughout the plant that require analysis. A primary conditioning cabinet needs to be mounted at each sample point.

Each sample line running from the primary conditioning cabinets needs to be maintained at a temperature above the dew point of the sample.

Secondary Conditioning System

The various sample streams must be collected, finish filtered, and distributed to the mass spectrometer. The entire cabinet and each sample line running to the mass spectrometer must be heated & temperature controlled. Each sample stream must have individual flow control and be alarmed for Low Flow condition.

In many cases, the entire system must be suitable for hazardous rated areas. Some systems must have provision to have each sample stream shut off in the event of a shelter atmosphere alarm.

The system configuration we have developed is designed for 8 simultaneous sample streams. We can accommodate more streams by adding cabinets as needed. The highest number of streams we have worked on so far is 13.

 

CUSTOMER: Al Nasser Industrial Enterprises

PLANT LOCATION: Abu Dhabi, UAE

 

Cooperating with us is HYL, a partner of Nova’s in the Tenova Group. HYL actively develops projects for direct reduction plants worldwide under the Energiron brand name. They started up the world's first successful direct reduction plant in 1957. Over 40 DR modules have been supplied worldwide since then.

 

 

 

http://www.tenovagroup.com/companies_hyl.php?id_company=2

 

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.

1-800-295-3771

sales at nova-gas dot com

websales at nova-gas dot com

http://www.nova-gas.com/

https://twitter.com/NOVAGAS

http://www.linkedin.com/company/nova-analytical-systems-inc-

http://www.tenovagroup.com/

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#92 - Metamerism – Part 2

Last time, the topic of metamerism as related to the coatings industry was discussed. We don’t really have any issues with metamerism in manufacturing gas analyzers, but the whole idea reminded me of some challenges that we do face in the analysis of atmospheric gases.

Analytical Interference

Various methodologies lend themselves to analysis of different gases. Some methods are more or less specific than others, and there is usually no ‘magic bullet’ sensor/detector for any one gas.

Hydrogen – At Nova, we offer analysis of percent hydrogen by thermalconductivity detector. Hydrogen has a high degree of thermalconductivity, and this property can be used to measure it. However, other gases also have various degrees of thermalconductivity. The presence of several other gases in a mixture can interfere with the effectiveness of a thermalconductivity measurement. For hydrogen applications, we need to know what other gases are in the sample and the low/normal/high levels of each.

Methane & Hydrocarbons – At Nova, we offer infra-red analysis of hydrocarbons. The most common infrared analysis requested of us is methane. If the sample contains methane and enough other mixed hydrocarbons, some of the non-methane constituents will also produce a response on the infra-red detector. This is because many hydrocarbons have similar or overlapping IR spectra.

The methane reading may be compromised to an unknown degree by the non-methane hydrocarbons. For methane applications, we need to know what other gases are in the sample and the low/normal/high levels of each. We may be able to offer a methane-specific detector. In some cases, we may be able to compensate for the problem using certain calibration gas blends. Sometimes we can ignore the whole problem if the effects are not sufficient to be of concern to the end-user.

Electrochemical Sensors – At Nova, we offer analysis of various gases, including oxygen, using an electrochemical sensor. Electrochemical sensors are reactive by nature and are frequently affected by gases other the one of interest. For example, the gases carbon monoxide and hydrogen will often provoke a strong response on the same electrochemical detector. For electrochemical applications, we need to know what other gases are in the sample.

All of this really isn’t metamerism, but the ideas and potential consequences do bear some similarities. When discussing your analytical needs with Nova, we may request that you fill out an Application Questionnaire. This form is intended to assist you to provide us with critical data that may influence the type of equipment that is feasible in your application.

Nova Application Questionnaire
http://www.nova-gas.com/appq.html

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
https://twitter.com/NOVAGAS
http://www.linkedin.com/company/nova-analytical-systems-inc-
http://www.tenovagroup.com/

IR Spectrum:

NIST Chemistry WebBook (http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry); COBLENTZ SOCIETY; Collection (C) 2009 copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the United States of America. All rights reserved.

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