New Aurora Trace Laser moisture analyser from GE
30 Oct 2012
BILLERICA, MASS. — GE has unveiled the new Aurora Trace moisture analyzer, which uses high definition laser absorption spectroscopy (HDLAS) to measure moisture levels in natural gas. Aurora’s precision measurement capabilities provide readings in real-time with up to 30 times more resolution than existing laser absorption analyzers.
Aurora Trace introduces a new level of accuracy and reliability to the critical trace moisture measurement required for the natural gas liquefaction process.
It also can be used for a wide range of applications across the petrochemical industry where water detection is important. Its fast response quickly alerts and documents when moisture concentrations exceed acceptable levels.
Once process upsets are corrected, the fast response assures that the process gas meets required specifications and contractual requirements.
The high definition technique scans a laser diode across a narrow frequency band. Water, even in minute amounts, causes a loss of laser light at specific light frequencies.
The loss of laser energy is directly related to the concentration of water. What differentiates Aurora is the incorporation of two fundamental innovations to increase sensitivity and resolution.
The first is a multi-pass optical cell to bounce the laser beam back and forth between two specially curved mirrors. This increases the path length of the laser beam so that it encounters more water molecules in its passage through the gas.
The second is the application of vacuum in the measurement cell. This decreases the interactions between the water and carrier gas molecules, which interferes with the measurement of moisture at trace levels. The measurement resolution is significantly increased and signal-noise ratio is improved.
“By leveraging HDLAS, GE’s new laser moisture analyzer dramatically increases sensitivity to water molecules within the gas, thereby overcoming limitations of conventional moisture analyzers,” said Ken Soleyn, product manager — measurement & control for GE Oil & Gas.
“Additionally, by applying a vacuum to the measurement cell, interactions between the water and carrier gas molecules decrease, thus enhancing resolution and improving precision, reducing interference and maintaining trace moisture measurement precision.”
GE’s Aurora Trace is certified for use in hazardous environments, optimizing safety and operability. The analyzer operates without maintenance for more than five years and does not require field calibration or zero gas baselining.
In addition to measuring moisture concentration, dew/frost point, temperature and pressure, Aurora Trace also continuously monitors “instrument health” parameters to assure ongoing measurement integrity. An optional verification system also is available.
Aurora Trace is field programmable by a magnetic stylus, eliminating the need for a hazardous area “hot permit.” The remote software and digital interface options further reduce maintenance costs and simplify operation.
Data acquisition from the Aurora Trace data is transmitted as three programmable 4-20 mA signals or digitally via RS-232/485 with Modbus RTU. Ethernet and Foundation Fieldbus also are available.
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