Context

The control of emissions from combustion engines requires accurate results and precise measuring equipment, especially at high temperatures. Exhaust gas analysis is essential for many industrial processes, such as power generation, oil and gas refining and chemical manufacture. Each industry requires bespoke equipment tailored to its own situation.

Manufacturers of gas analysis equipment provide the tools necessary to measure and monitor emissions that enable operators to stay within the levels stated in national regulations.

Stack emissions analysis

Protea is a leading manufacturer of FTIR gas analysers and bespoke sampling and analysis systems for process, emission and environmental monitoring. As part of a recent design project the company needed to develop a heated multi-stream selection unit to enable a range of heated sample streams to be fed to a single analyser, for a range of analysis applications.

To keep response times fast, sample gas streams are channelled to a control valve unit. For the majority of the time the sample gas goes to a bypass vent without passing through the analyser. When a sample is required the respective valve directs the gas stream for analysis. In any other application the control task could be easily performed by a standard, 3-way solenoid valve but in this case the whole process, and hence the valves, needs to be maintained at 180°C.

High temperature solutions

As part of the design, Protea required a more reliable solenoid control valve which could operate at the high temperature, not just of the medium but the surrounding environment as well. The coil, electrical connections and process connections all had to withstand at least 180°C.

Having already used Bürkert solenoid control valves in other applications, Protea was aware of the high build quality and long term reliability of their products. A high temperature variant of the Type 355, 3-way solenoid valve, constructed in stainless steel and incorporating PTFE seals was ideal for the project.

Having agreed on the specification of the solenoid valve, the Protea engineers designed a mounting block that would allow four solenoid valves to be positioned together and also help to maintain the temperature within the analysis pipework at 180°C.

Feedback

“The work to create the prototype of this analysis system has certainly paid off because we have since received two further orders for very similar equipment, albeit for entirely different applications. The analysis and monitoring of exhaust systems is very important for companies to ensure they comply with regulatory standards and so it is essential that the equipment is both accurate and reliable. The fact that Bürkert will guarantee the performance of their solenoid valve up to 250°C is very important to the reliability of our equipment.” Chris Muten, Design Engineer at Protea.

High temperature control for exhaust analysis

Gas measurement - projects from other companies

Gas measurement - companies

Sign up to receive the free ENVIROPRO bulletin