On-line mass spectrometry steels a lead from the lab
15 Jan 2000
Traditionally a lab-based analytical technique, mass spectrometry has gone `on-line' in a big way at British Steel. At the company's Scunthorpe works it is currently commissioning its eighth Prima 600 process mass spectrometer from VG Gas Analysis Systems.
Destined for a coke oven application, this latest installation complements the others which are being used for blast furnace gas analysis. According to VG, British Steel's decision to opt for process mass spec is due to the speed of measurement - typically 10s per analysis - combined with a precision of better than 0.1 per cent relative.
Data from the Prima instruments is used in a variety of ways: on-line measurement of N2, Ar, CO, CO2, H2, O2, H2O and O; mass balance calculations; water leak investigation; and optimisation of production.
The precision of the CO/CO2 data is now considered so good that thermal calculations are performed directly from the mass spec data, rather than the traditional methods using infrared and thermal conductivity instruments.
VG says that recent improvements to mass spec systems, in terms of ruggedness and reliability, have given confidence to many of its iron and steel customers that such systems can be used confidently out on the plant.
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