Quantitech has supplied Catalyst Environmental with multi-parameter gas analysers.
The advantages of multi-parameter gas analysers are shown by the variability in materials being incinerated at some of the UK's main waste-to-energy plants and the need to measure extremely low concentrations in the resulting off-gases.
Waste materials are combusted at very high temperatures.
A range of abatement equipment then removes contamination from the resulting exhaust gases and a continuous emissions-monitoring system (CEMS) provides regulatory evidence that pollutant concentrations do not exceed prescribed limits.
Catalyst Environmental was recently contracted to undertake compliance monitoring on an incinerator stack for a broad range of parameters and, at the same time, to conduct a QAL 2 calibration of the CEMS, following the requirements of BS EN 14181.
James Harmer, technical manager of Catalyst, said: 'Over a period of four days we collected data using a Gasmet DX-4000 analyser to enable us to perform the calibration of the onsite CEMS as well as taking further samples for the routine compliance testing, which included Dioxins and Furans, PCBs, PAHs and heavy metals.
'We operate two different multi-parameter gas analysers from Quantitech: the Horiba PG-250 and the Gasmet DX-4000, both of which are fully portable and Mcerts certified.
'The decision as to which analyser to employ depends on the range of parameters to be measured and the required resolution.
'In this instance, we chose the DX-4000 because it is able to measure a much broader range of parameters and because it meets the resolution requirements for this site's permit.' The PG-250 is a portable stack-gas analyser that can simultaneously measure up to five separate gas components using the same standard reference measurement methods employed in permanently installed CEMS.
These include NDIR for CO, SO2 and CO2; chemiluminescence for NOx; and a zirconium oxide cell for O2 measurements.
The Gasmet DX-4000 is also a portable Mcerts-certified multi-parameter gas analyser.
However, employing advanced FTIR technology, it can measure up to 300 parameters, and other gases can be added for future applications at little or no extra cost.
This means that monitoring performed with the DX-4000 is 'future-proof', because historical monitoring data can be analysed at any stage to measure new parameters.
