The U.S. analytical instrument market is on the move. Advanced technologies, growing linkages between different supporting technologies, advances in various long-standing product development programs, the increasingly competitive marketing environment and the growing demand for high-quality instrumentation are just the tip of the iceberg when talking about the next generation of analytical instruments. In a market fast approaching saturation, vendors have been forced to adapt new technologies to stay competitive. And it has worked.
New opportunities for process analyzers have opened thanks to the imposition of multiple regulations related to safety, environmental issues and quality control in the chemical and petrochemical industries. Many process plants are spending millions on process optimization and advanced process controllers, only to find that at the end of the control loop, a single unreliable online process analyzer can throw away their profit. The market finds this unacceptable.
Tom Griffiths, product manager for analytical instruments at Honeywell Process Solutions, remarked that “responding to user demands, online analyzers are becoming easy to install, easy to set up and easy to use. Users tell us what they want to know and when they want it. Infrared communication tools allow offline configuration, further reducing setup time. New diagnostic tools save time with calibration and maintenance.”
According to a study from www.marketresearch.com, “The technologies that make up the analytical instrument industry are so rich and complex that new types of devices with new capabilities will continue to be invented and commercialized for the foreseeable future; they are just going to keep on coming. It is well recognized by a number of suppliers that a number of novel instruments take years to become established in the marketplace.”
Product Roundup:
MONITOR DEW POINT TRENDS
DRYCAP dew point transmitter Series DMT340 for industrial dew point measurement has a numerical and graphic display with multilingual user interface. The display allows users to monitor measurement trends and keep up to a one-year history. Four models are available covering measurements down to -60 ºC with an accuracy of +/-2 ºC. Vaisala; 781/933-4500 or 888/824-7252; www.vaisala.com
CONTROL KEY PROCESS VARIABLES
UDA2182 analyzer measures and controls key variables including pH and ORP, conductivity/resistivity or concentration and dissolved oxygen. One unit accepts single or dual inputs from pH, ORP, contacting conductivity and dissolved oxygen sensors in any combination. Graphic LCD display provides continuous readout of results. Honeywell Process Solutions; 215/641-3798; www.honeywell.com
ACID GAS FEED ANALYZERS
PIR3502 process multiwave photometer provides monitoring of acid gas feed streams in refinery sulfur recovery plants. It measures hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, total hydrocarbons and water vapor in acid gas streams. As a result, the analyzer maximizes efficiency of the sulfur recovery, protects crucial catalysts and ensures environmental regulations are met. ABB Inc. Analytical Products; 203/750-2200; www.abb.com/analytical
STREAM SELECTOR SYSTEM
SSV series stream selector system delivers a representative sample from multiple sample streams to a single analyzer. These modular assemblies are ANSI/ISA 76.00.02-compatible and accommodate multiple process streams in a limited amount of space. A double-block and bleed (DBB) module controls each stream to eliminate cross contamination and maintain sample integrity, Swagelok; 440/349-5934; www.swagelok.com
ANALYZERS/SOFTWARE COMBO
Industrial FTIR gas analyzers provide real-time, multi-component extractive gas phase analysis for process optimization/control and specialty gas QC applications. AutoQuant Pro software provides quantitative gas phase analysis and simultaneous display of trend charts, IR spectra and concentration tables, as well as fully automated control of sample stream manifolds. MIDAC; 714/546-4322; www.midac.com
INTELLIGENT LIQUID ANALYSIS
Model Xmt two-wire, multivariable liquid analytical transmitter, capable of intelligent Foundation fieldbus communications for liquid analysis, measures pH, conductivity or amperometric measurements, such as dissolved oxygen, chlorine and ozone. It operates with the PlantWeb digital plant architecture when connected to the AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager software. A multilingual display is included. Emerson Process Management; 314/533-2000; www.EmersonProcess.com
TOXIC GAS PROTECTION IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
TS Series hydrogen sulfide gas detectors use an electrochemical cell sensor technology to provide protection against deadly hazards of hydrogen sulfide gas in refining, mining, wastewater treatment, wood-pulp processing and more. They monitor H2S over a 10 ppm to 100 ppm range and can be remotely mounted up to 2000 ft. General Monitors; 949/581-4464; www.generalmonitors.com
PROGRAM FOR pH, ORP, CONDUCTIVITY
PHUCN600 pH, ORP and conductivity controller and transmitter is housed in a NEMA 4X polycarbonate enclosure. It can be powered up for the first time and be programmed for pH, ORP or conductivity metering that can be changed at any time. An LCD display allows calibration, adjustment and troubleshooting. Omega Engineering; 203/359-1660; www.omega.com
PORTABLE EMISSION MONITORING
Greenline 8000LBH portable mass emissions monitor and combustion gas analyzer simultaneously measures stack gas concentrations, velocity and temperature. The 800LBH takes the measured gas parameters and calculates, records, graphs and reports mass emission in lbs/hour for multiple gases including CO, NO, NO2, true NOX, SO2, CO2 and H2S. E Instruments Group; 215/750-1212; www.einstrumentsgroup.com
LC/MS DETECTION SYSTEMS
MSQ Plus LC/MS detection system offers fully automated system security, secure data integrity, built-in audit trails and electronic signatures and signoffs, enabling 21 CFR Part 11 compliance in drug development and discovery, QA/QC, food and beverage and research laboratories. Scan rates are up to 12,000 amu per second. Thermo Fisher Scientific; 866/463-6522; www.thermo.com/lc
AVERGING OXYGEN ANALYZER
O2mation Model AV550 modular, multichannel, averaging oxygen analyzer uses channel cards that can be changed without powering off the analyzer. It is expandable up to 8 zirconia detectors. Detectors that are in alarm, calibration or are not in service are automatically removed from the average output. Analyzer comes with color touch screen operation. Yokogawa Corp. of America; 770/254-0400 or 800/888-6400; www.us.yokogawa.com
PORTABLE VOC DETECTION
2020PROPlus photoionization detector now has an operating range to 10,000 ppm with 0.1 ppm precision to 100 ppm and 1 ppm precision up to 10,000 ppm. Used in a variety of TVOC survey application, including OSHA compliance, confined space pre-entry, emergency response, site characterization and fugitive emissions, the detector displays readings in ppm, ppb or mg/m3. Photovac; 781/290-0777; www.photovac.com
GAS MONITOR
Gas-Max monitor is available in toxic, LEL and dual-monitor configurations. The model with dual configuration allows for both a toxic sensor and an LEL sensor to be incorporated into the same unit, thus reducing space and simplifying installation. Global Detection Systems; 409/927-2980; www.gdscorp.com
MEASURE TEXTURE IN FOOD PRODUCTS
LFRA texture analyzer offers a complete system for performing the “gelatin bloom strength test.” It consists of two baths and one refrigeration unit plus Bloom bottles meeting the required test specification. Typical food applications include texture measurement of butter and cheese products, sauces, doughs and baked goods, vegetables, meat products, candies and more. Brookfield Engineering Laboratories; 508/946-6200 or 800/628-8139; www.brookfieldengineering.com
WORLD’S SMALLEST ICP
Compact 63000 and 6500 ICP emission spectrometers are equipped with a high-power, solid-state RF generator capable of handling all sample types. They are suited for the general and elemental analysis laboratories in the environmental, petrochemical, metal food and beverage, geo-chemical and cement industries. Thermo Electron; 800/532-4752; www.thermo.com/elemental
TWO YEARS MAINTENANCE-FREE GAS DETECTION
Altair single-gas detector features three sensor options: carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and oxygen. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide versions can operate for over two years without maintenance. A triple-alarm system has two LEDs, a piercing audible alarm and a vibrating alarm to assure that no alarm conditions go unnoticed. MSA Instrument Div.; 800/MSA-2222; www.MSAnet.com
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