Yokogawa’s TDLS analyser helps maintain safety, maximise efficiency and reduce costs

The uncontrolled ignition of flammable components such as methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H2) in the presence of combustion supporting oxygen (O2) can make chemical processing a hazardous activity, particularly in combustion.

It is essential to minimise hazards while complying with emission regulations, including ensuring there are no leakages in the heat exchanger or pipelines.

Chemical processing is based around three main objectives: maximising production, minimising cost, and ensuring safety is not compromised. The limitations of conventional technologies impact the capabilities of operators, maintenance and instrument engineers to meet these challenges.

A safe solution

Rather than saving money, hazardous operations and working processes cost much more due to production inconsistencies and downtime, and because of their limitations, conventional technologies have prevented operators from running processes in the safest manner.

Yokogawa’s Tunable Diode Laser Spectrometer (TDLS) analyser is a step change in operating safely, allowing O2 control while maximising efficiencies and minimising costs. It provides reliable, real-time, non-contact O2 measurement with minimum downtime, assured improvements in safety and negligible delay time to detect.

Data you can trust – in real time

Conventional gas detection analysers are constrained by time-delaying processes, including the identification and analysis of chemical elements, which can hold up response.

By delivering trustworthy, real-time data for the identification and control of O2, the TDLS ensures safety with 30 m line of sight, open path and free space measurement. It is also capable of being maintained in the field.

TDLS units can be run throughout the furnace firing process and identify hazardous conditions before, during and after firing. Its accuracy enables automation of the control system based on the response of the analyser – something less reliable conventional technologies cannot offer.

Timely monitoring and analysis of gases is critical in reducing potential for incidents and achieving optimal performance. Analysers currently rely on highly complex and costly sampling procedures that slow down data retrieval.

TDLS has no contact with the gas and has no moving parts, making it reliable, fast and accurate in identifying hazards. It also eliminates frequent and extensive maintenance and downtime.

A smart way to ensure safety

The TDLS analyser consists of a laser that produces infrared light, optical lenses to focus the light through the gas and on to a detector. Electronics control the laser and translate the signal into data to determine gas concentration.

Unlike conventional analysers, TDLS uses a gas molecule measurement based on absorption spectroscopy, making it less sensitive to changes in conditions.

Safety under control

The flow of gas fluctuates in pipelines, making concentration analysis difficult. However, TDLS allows steady and stable gas flow by creating an ‘air curtain’.

TDLS analysers are contained in a strong, corrosion-free, flameproof casing with the option of a sapphire window for corrosive environments.

Safety at every stage

TDLS can be maintained without being removed from the installation point. Its modular structure provides flexibility on site, and all parts are interchangeable, with no need to recalibrate the system after a changeover, ensuring accurate measurement.

Yokogawa’s TDLS technology represents a step change in reducing the threat of hazardous incidents while enabling maximised output and minimised costs in chemical facilities.

For more information on what the TDLS can do for you, visit https://go.yokogawa.com/UK_safety_ebook_entry.html?id=IA_HE_OnlineNews_UK_Safe

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/09032020/yokogawas-tdls-analyser-helps-maintain-safety-maximise-efficiency-and-reduce-costs/