Oxygen sensor for safer pharma, chemicals operations
12 Oct 2012
London – Pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals are typically produced in batches by mixing several components in a reactor.
When the ingredients are mixed with solvents, the void between the top of the reactor and the liquid level can be filled with highly flammable vapours. When combined with oxygen and a potential source of ignition, there can be a risk of explosion.
One way of ensuring that the mixture of air and solvent vapours stays below flammable levels is to use a nitrogen purge.
By accurately monitoring the oxygen level in the reactor, the nitrogen feed can be shut down when the O2 level is safe. By ensuring that this level is not exceeded, operational costs are reduced while ensuring that safe operation is maintained.
Michell Instruments is highlighting how its XTP601 oxygen sensor fits the bill for this application. Based on thermo-paramagnetic technology, it is designed for determining the level of oxygen in a range of background gases.
The sensor will operate under various environmental conditions and is said to have good response time characteristics, no consumable parts and to offer good accuracy, for example, 0.02% O2 over a range of 0-1%.
The sensor has a low drift and, with no moving parts, maintenance is minimised. While the initial purchase price is slightly higher than sensors based on electrochemical cell technology, life cycle costs are much lower, Michell claims
