Mettler Toledo Process Analytics TDL Analyzers No Downtime from In-Situ O₂ Measurement

February 2018, MARIETTA, GA ~ When there is a risk of explosion in production vessels, oxygen sensor accuracy and speed of response are paramount. For a leading producer of performance additives, an in situ O2 analyzer is providing high performance with almost zero maintenance.

Phosphorus pentasulfide is an inorganic compound used in the production of lu­bricants, pesticides and flotation agents. It is extremely flammable, which is why an inert atmosphere must be maintained during its production.

A closed extractive measurement system and paramagnetic analyzer can be used to monitor O2 levels inside production line equipment. Keeping moisture in the gas sample at a very low level avoids negative effects on analyzer response time and performance.

Italian company needs fast, accu­rate O2 measurement
Italyʼs Italmatch is a leading supplier of performance additives for the lubricant, plastics, water and oil industries. They required an improved oxygen analyzer and sampling system to reduce measure­ment time and increase accuracy for phosphorus pentasulfide production in their Spoleto plant.

Advanced technology provides measurement confidence
Tunable diode laser (TDL) gas analyzers use laser light, tuned to a specific fre­quency, to rapidly detect the quantity of a target element in a gas stream. METTLER TOLEDOʼs growing GPro® 500 series of analyzers offers TDLs with a wide range of process adaptions. This gives the series exceptional flexibility in respect to appli­cation suitability and installation possibilities.

Other than annual verification and peri­odic cleaning of the analyzerʼs optics, GPro 500 sensors require no maintenance, so they can be relied on to provide continuous, reliable measurements throughout production processes. The GPro 500 is installed in situ when process conditions allow, or is connected to an extraction system if the gas stream has a very high particle load and moisture content, as is the case at Italmatch.

Six months without maintenance
A demonstration of the GPro 500 at Italmatchʼs Spoleto facility convinced the instrumentation team that the analyzerʼs ease of use, speed of response, and low maintenance would meet all their needs. In addition, they appreciated the two alarm thresholds on the connected M400 transmitter that would signal when a lower and higher O2 level in the production equipment had been breached; something that was not possible with their paramag­netic analyzer. A GPro 500 with an extractive cell adap­tion was duly installed to a new extraction system. Since its commissioning, the Spoleto plant has been very impressed with the GPro 500ʼs measurement accuracy, rapid measurement and problem-free operation. The site manager said, “Iʼm delighted with the analyzer. It was surpris­ingly easy to install and since turning it on six months ago weʼve had no downtime from it whatsoever. I wish weʼd known about it years ago.” At Italmatch, confi­dence in the accuracy of production vessel O2 levels has been well and truly restored.

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