As users transition to alternative energy sources and strategies, sensors and analyzers are shifting to measure more and different parameters—while delivering the required data cost-effectively at the same time.
“The natural gas (NG) market is evolving, with global producers injecting hydrogen and biogas from landfills, animal-based oils and waste becoming more prevalent, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) emerging as well,” says Michael Palacios, global product manager for chromatographs at Emerson. “Gas chromatographs (GC) could already measure these applications five years ago, but today’s users are more price conscious, and they need a GC to meet their needs in these new roles and emerging markets.”
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To serve in all these new applications—and do it cost-effectively—Emerson is launching its Rosemount 470XA compact, flexible, expandable and explosion-proof GC to simplify NG analysis custody transfers, CCUS and other traditional and non-traditional gas and process applications. Rosemount 470XA can be used in diverse applications because its space-optimized oven and analyzer design is based on the widely applied Rosemount 770XA GC. 470XA also uses the same TCD detector, XA-series valves, solenoids, and columns as 770XA.
For the NG market, Rosemount 470XA’s measurements can help perform standard C6+ BTU/CV analyses of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, propane, butane and pentane. For the renewable NG (RNG) market, 470XA can do C3+ analyses for lower-energy natural gases. And, for processes seeking CO2 purity, it can detect and report on amounts of standard impurities. Its isothermal, airless heat-sink oven with flexible gas path configurations enables applications beyond C6+.
“NG users need to measure amounts of natural gas components like methane, ethane and butane to determine the energy value of the NG, and CO2 users are interested in the purity of the CO2 gas. Many users can therefore deploy 470XA as a commercial, off-the-shelf GC because applications like these are standard options available right from the catalog. It can also be engineered to order (ETO) to customize to customers’ specific applications.”
“To verify its design lived up to customers’ performance expectations and our design goals, 470XA was subjected to some of the most extensive, rigorous, and long-term testing ever performed on a Rosemount GC design,” adds Palacios. “Prototype units underwent long-term factory testing for more than a year with performance data collected and evaluated daily.”
Other highlights of 470XA include:
- Full-color, LCD, local operator interface (LOI).
- Supported by Rosemount MON2020 software that simplifies configuration, maintenance, data collection and remote access, and reduces the need for specialized training by guiding operators through common tasks, such as module replacement, changing calibration gas and auto-valve timing.
- Low power consumption of 55 Watts at startup, and less than 25 Watts in steady-state mode.
- Allows users to select hydrogen or helium as carrier gas, and pick air, nitrogen or helium as actuation gas to optimize gas selection and costs.
- Reduced calibration gas usage with Cal-Gas Saver automatic validation routine.
- Doesn’t require a shelter to run in most environments, and 470XA combines its critical, functional parts in one assembly, which allows quick and easy replacement or repairs. An optional enclosure is available for extreme environmental conditions.
