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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

#45 - Portable Hydrogen Purity Analysis for Power Generators

Most power generating plants use hydrogen gas to cool the electrical windings within the turbine generator. This improves operating efficiencies by lowering the losses due to the resistance of the windings. This is commonly known as windage losses.

In order to control these losses and keep efficiencies high, the hydrogen purity must be maintained. Even a slight contamination of the hydrogen by oil vapor, water or air will increase the windage losses in the generator. For example, a 1% reduction in hydrogen purity creates a 12% increase in windage loss. A decrease in purity from 99% to 92% can reduce generator output by as much as 2100 kW. Obviously, this reduction in generator efficiency results in higher fuel costs and power replacement requirements.

The other factor to consider of course is safety. Hydrogen in Air mixtures of less than 74% are explosive, so the Nova 380K helps ensure that the impurity level never drops to this point.

The Nova Model 380K Tri-gas analyzer is designed specifically for monitoring hydrogen purity in the hydrogen feed to a power generator and to monitor the purging procedure during generator shut down.

The analyzer can measure the following gases by switch selection:
  • Range 1: 0-100% Hydrogen in Air
  • Range 2: 0-100% Hydrogen in CO2
  • Range 3: 0-100% Air in CO2
The Model 380K contains an oil vapor absorbing filter, thermal conductivity cell, digital readout, range switch, gas pressure regulator, built in sample pump and flow indicator.

Model 380 in our on-line catalog...


We make gas analyzers for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and many other atmospheric gases. We provide gas analysers for syngas, landfill gas, purity gas, biogas, and others.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

#44 - Plans for growth – Part 4

Last time on Plans for Growth, we were introduced to the Nova 400 Series process analyzer. Through a series of misapplications, it was sentenced to a life of hard labor in a landfill. And now, the thrilling conclusion.

Over the years there were many features & improvements added to Nova process methane analyzers to enable them to survive in a landfill gas application and make accurate measurements.

Some improvements included:

  • conversion to stainless steel tubing in place of flexible polymer tubing
  • positive pressure system added to cabinet to keep out ambient H2S, thus minimizing the corrosive effects on electronics & sensors
  • un-heated detectors & sensors were changed to heated & temperature controlled
  • sealed infrared detectors were replaced by modular, cleanable detectors
  • thermo-electric chillers were replaced by alternate systems that do not require air, cool water, or replaceable cooling elements
  • vacuum gauge & valve were added to minimize flow effects from sample point
  • three distinct methods of calibration were developed – manual, one-touch & full auto
  • outdoor weather packages were developed to allow analyzer operation in very cold temperatures
  • basic CH4 / O2 / CO2 measurements were expanded to offer optional H2S & BTU
  • data options grew from analog only to include RS-232, RS-485, MODBUS & Ethernet
  • isolated 4-20mA outputs went from optional to standard
  • low flow alarm went from optional to standard

By this time, we had noted that there was a growing disconnect between the regular process 470 analyzers and the modified-for-landfill versions. This lead to customer confusion when ordering correct equipment. So we re-numbered the modified 470 / 4170 Series as the 900 Series. And after additional improvements, we recently renumbered the 900 Series to the 910 Series.

The 470 / 4170 models are available today for clean, friendly, non-corrosive process applications only. Current 470 / 4170 analyzers are absolutely unsuitable for landfill gas and biogas applications. Were you to put a current process version into a landfill application, we doubt it would survive long.

However, if you have a Landfill gas or Bio Gas application, we readily recommend our 910 Series as our current offering. It is attractively configured, competitively priced, and based on several years of continuous improvement.

I guess all of this was essentially a reactive development because feedback from the field and the realities of the application prompted changes in the equipment. But it was partly proactive because once we learned something about the application and market we took additional steps for future growth.

So that’s the basic growth story of our landfill / biogas analyzer product line. This also concludes our long-winded and multi-part post regarding plans for growth. We narrowly missed having too many sequels and prequels like a bloated movie franchise.


If your next project involves landfill or biogas analysis, we invite you to speak to Mike or Dave at Nova.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

#43 - Monitoring Oxygen and Carbon Monoxide for Maximum Boiler and Furnace Efficiency

Most fuel engineers know that low excess air firing on a boiler or furnace is far more efficient than the high excess air firing normally recommended by manufacturers of these processes. The high excess air is to ensure against stack smoking due to burner air and fuel distribution tolerances and changing weather conditions, etc. Because of this, many plants are operating with far more excess air than is required to burn the fuel, resulting in wasted energy and fuel dollars. In addition, high excess air can result in boiler tube and radiant tube failures.


Maximum fuel savings is achieved by reducing this excess air and the proportionate volume of flue gases going out the stack by increasing the CO content to about 120 PPM. This will result in a corresponding oxygen reading anywhere from about 0.6% O2 to 7% O2 depending on fuel used, burner condition and firing rate.

When operating the burners with the overall CO level between 100 and 200 PPM, there is also a significant reduction in emissions. The opacity will usually be less than 3%. NO levels can be reduced from 350 PPM at 20% excess air to 275 PPM at 3% excess air. SO3 reduction is directly proportional to excess air and can be reduced from 40 PPM to 6 PPM when reducing excess air from 20% to 3%.

The NOVA Model 360K and 360TK Portable Combustion Analyzers have been designed to detect and digitally display flue gas oxygen and CO. In addition, a high range switch on CO allows the operator to continue to observe high CO levels that may have over ranged the 0-2000 PPM low range scale.


In the 'T' versions, a special thermocouple probe and separate temperature readout are supplied to quickly determine combustion efficiency from a graph supplied in the operator’s manual. This can also be accomplished with any model with the use of a separate stack thermometer.

Model 360 brochure…

We make gas analyzers for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and many other atmospheric gases. We provide gas analysers for syngas, landfill gas, purity gas, biogas, and others.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/NOVAGAS
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

#42 - Floating Cities and Ambient Air Analysis

The debate over anthropogenic global warming does not seem to be cooling off. There are many opinions offered from both sides. There are also many credibility accusations made from both sides.


Couple of general thoughts:
  • Polar ice melting may or may not be a cyclical event that occurs naturally due to cyclical climate changes. However, I would be really surprised if noticeable changes of this kind have historically happened in less than 100yrs.
  • The ice ‘system’ on earth is really big. Getting to move in a particular direction in such a short time would require a sizable push. A big part of the key would be to prove a large portion the ice is really melting, and where this ‘push’ came from.
  • It is standard practice for big industry to downplay environmental impacts & effects.
  • Downplaying global warming would definitely serve the interests of many combustion- and petroleum-based industries. Many thinking people are therefore very wary of popular industry-influenced efforts to down-play or deny anthropogenic warming effects.

Anyway, if all of the forecasts about ice melting and ocean levels rising are true, that brings up inevitable questions about where all of the water-displaced people are going to live. The fine folks at eVolo have encouraged their contributors to think about this issue as a starting point for some novel architectural designs. Similar designs have emerged from other sources also. Even Thomas Dolby is interested in floating cities.


Nova does not have any capability in architectural design; especially underwater structures. However, as environmental issues have come to the forefront in many countries, we have noticed a high level of interest in portable ambient air monitoring. The analytical performance of portable instruments is less than one would expect from larger continuous systems. However, the performance of portable instruments is frequently adequate for establishing site baselines and evaluation of known atmosphere constituents in the ppm (parts per million) range.

The Nova 600 Series Portable Multi-gas Ambient Air analyzers are intended for analysis of a few specific gases in ambient air. The original intent of these analyzers was to monitor the safety of breathable air. The analysis ranges in this series generally reflect the levels associated with permissible exposure limits (PEL) in occupational environments. However, as mentioned above, we have seen an increasing number of environmental applications of this product line.

The gases and ranges available in this analyzer series are:
  • Oxygen (O2): 0-25.0%
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO): 0-200ppm
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2): 0-5000ppm
  • Nitrogen Oxide (NO): 0-100ppm
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): 0-20ppm
  • Relative Humidity & Temp: 0-100% RH / -40°C to +40°C
  • LEL Combustibles: 0-100% (as CH4 usually)
  • Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S): 0-20ppm
  • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): 0-20ppm
  • Chlorine (Cl2): 0-20ppm
  • Ammonia (NH3): 0-20ppm
  • Hydrogen Chloride (HCL): 0-20ppm
 

Nova 600 Series in Nova on-line catalogue... (Some of the specs and features have been modified since the website went live, but the catalog covers the basic idea.)

We can usually do up to four gases in one analyzer. This depends on the gas mixtures and levels expected in the sample. If you are interested in this type of gas analysis, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.

1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/NOVAGAS
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for us under Companies and follow us if you want.

Ice melting pics:
Top right – Upsala Glacier photo copyright Archivo Museo Salesiano / Green Peace
Bottom right - Upsala Glacier photo copyright Green Peace / Beltra
Top left – Muir Glacier photo by William Field
Bottom left – Muir Glacier photo by Bruce Molnia
http://www.whiteearth.org/WhiteEarthScience.html

Floating city pics:
Left Side
Water-Scraper: Underwater Architecture
http://www.evolo.us/competition/water-scraper-underwater-architecture/
Right Side (from top)
Wetropolis: Towards a Post Diluvian Future
http://spluspba.weebly.com/a-post-diluvian-future.html
Lilypad, A Floating Ecopolis For Climate Refugees - Vincent Callebaut Architectures
(http://vincent.callebaut.org/page1-img-lilypad.html)
Gyre-Seascraper
http://zigloo.ca/gyre-seascraper/
Underwater Architecture – Taiwan Skyscraper
http://www.evolo.us/architecture/underwater-architecture-taiwan-skyscraper/


  .

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

#41 - Plans for growth – Part 3

I wouldn’t exactly call the gradual development of Nova’s landfill gas analyzers a precisely planned sequence of continuous improvement. There is no ‘golden age’ space program story to tell here. When we look back, we seem to have ‘fallen into it’ from initially unintended beginnings.


It began a few years ago when inquiries starting coming in for methane analysis. Oxygen and carbon dioxide were also frequently of interest. The application would always be somewhat vague, with information about the actual sample gas make-up usually not provided. Keep in mind that we had more experience with clean process applications. So we would treat these new inquiries as such and recommend the equipment that we were accustomed to providing.

Nova’s Model 470 started out as a process methane analyzer which was intended for clean, dry, and noncorrosive process gases only. Clearly, landfill gas / biogas does not always fit that description. But we didn’t fully appreciate all of the nuances of that at the time.

We were aware that the sample gas usually had lots of moisture. So we had a thermo-electric sample chiller mounted in a second cabinet beside the main analyzer. We sometimes nick-named it the ‘pony cabinet’. With the ‘pony cabinet’ it was denoted as Model 470N4-400M. Other times we would build the chiller into the main cabinet and would be denoted as a Model 470MN4. We had used thermo-electric chillers in other applications, but there were problems sometimes with this approach on landfills.

Landfills are frequently in remote locations. Some have challenging climate and environmental conditions. The sample gas may contain high amounts of corrosive gases. Feedback from customers regarding analyzer performance / durability told us that landfill gas and biogas was not ordinary process gas. After visiting a few sites, we really started to take notice of what these applications were all about. We also started realizing that there were a lot of landfills and biogas projects out there. This called for clear plans for growth on our part – which is a convenient closing reference to the title of this post.

We will continue the gripping account in a future post.

Nova 910 Series Landfill & Biogas Analyzers

In the meantime, if you need gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, or other gases, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.

1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

#40 - Driving Clean and Engine Exhaust Analysis – Part 2

In a previous post we talked about Ontario’s Drive Clean program for monitoring vehicle exhaust.

Edit Oct 2014 - Other posts about engine exhaust
#38 - Driving Clean and Engine Exhaust Analysis - Part 1
#80 - Unique Application – Portable 8 Channel CO analyzer
#193 - Update on Automotive E-testing

Emissions testing is also useful for tuning engines irrespective of government clean air programs. High levels of certain gases may indicate a specific engine condition. For example,

High HC’s may indicate:
- Vacuum leaks
- Ignition system malfunctions
- Incorrect air/fuel mixture

High CO may indicate:
- Dirty air filter, faulty choke or carburetor
- Faulty computerized engine management system and/or oxygen sensor
- Inoperative/missing catalytic converter

High NOx may indicate:
- Inoperative/ineffective exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system
- Excessively lean/fuel ratio
- Malfunctioning or missing catalytic converter

Nova is interested in engine exhaust analysis because that is something that we can do. Our 7460 Series Portable Engine Exhaust Analyzers are available in various combinations including O2, CO, CO2, HC, & NOx. Our customers have used this analyzer on diesel, gasoline, propane, or natural gas powered 2 and 4 cycle engines. We have even had inquires for exhaust analysis on these little beauties from India:



Check out the 7460 Series in our on-line catalog.

The 7460 Series is a portable analyzer that uses infrared and electrochemical sensors / detectors. As such, it does not likely qualify for official regulatory use such as in Ontario’s Clear Air Program.



We do build these analyzers to meet Bar 97 and ISO 3930/OIML R99, Class O specifications. Therefore, many mechanics have effectively used this analyzer for reliable engine tuning and emissions reduction. We have noticed that this analyzer is also popular among equipment mechanics who work on forklifts and other non-road vehicles.

Added March 2013 - We have noticed that our fork-lift customers frequently print on the analyzer cabinet the target gas readings for a properly tuned engine. For example, we have a couple of units in the Nova lab right now being calibrated for one of our customers. They have printed the following target gas readings on the analyzer:
  • O2: 0.8 % to 2.0 %
  • CO: 0.1% to 0.8 %
  • CO2: more than 11.0 %
  • HC's: less than 200ppm

We have even sold a couple of these analyzers for high altitude use in the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan). A facility located somewhere in the Tien Shan Mountains at an elevation of 4000m / 13,100ft is using our analyzers for mechanical maintenance of site equipment.


Nova equipment is somewhere in them hills!


If you are in the business of tuning engines and require analysis of engine exhaust, ask Mike or Dave about the 7460 Series Gas Analyzers.

1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

For additional information, please see the following links:


Photo of vehicle
Copyright © 2006 Panchnath Auto Pvt. Ltd.
http://www.pal3wheeler.com/pick-up-angle-body.htm

Photo of Tien Shan Mountains © Kopylov Vladimir

Thursday, November 17, 2011

#39 - Plans for growth – Part 2

In a previous post, we talked about setting long term goals and ideas for growth. We’re Nova Analytical Systems and we make gas analyzers. As with every manufacturing operation, there are areas of our internal process that can benefit from innovative thinking and attainable goals. There are also external areas of our business that we have made efforts to improve.

One such area is our product line. It is obviously important for a product line to have a viable market if it is to succeed. Even well-established companies with successful products need to regularly review their relevance to the market.

Nova has been making gas analyzers for over 30yrs. Bringing an analytical instrument to market is a slow evolutionary process that may be proactive or reactive.

A proactive situation might be a case where we have sourced a new sensing technology, or we have developed a new feature. Armed with this development, we perceptively look for new applications that can potentially have a use for it. Proactive growth requires alertness, an innovative spirit, and a willingness to take a chance. It also requires ingenuity in presentation – a useful ‘form factor’.


A reactive development might occur gradually in response to the experience gained on past projects. The driving force might be a reaction to a problem or might be a response to a customer request. Reactive developments emerge when we are willing to listen to customer feedback, adjust to needs in the field, and establish working relationships with users. To make meaningful reactive progress, there must be clarity of information from the field and from the development staff. At Nova, if Mike & Dave do not have clarity and confidence in the proposed solutions, those solutions will not likely be sold into our customer’s projects.

The reactive innovations are interesting to watch as they play out. Our landfill gas analyzers were reactively developed over the course of a few years. I’ll leave that story for another time.

We’re Nova. We make gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and other gases.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Graphic modified from Velma's Retro Clip Art and Images
http://free-retro-graphics.com/2011/02/scientists-with-guinea-pig-clip-art/

Thursday, November 10, 2011

#38 - Driving Clean and Engine Exhaust Analysis – Part 1

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter because of the high numbers of vehicles on the road.* Various legislative initiatives since the early 1970’s have reduced the per-vehicle pollutant emissions. Some initiatives have addressed vehicle design while others have focused on maintenance-related emissions.

For example, in Ontario Canada, there is a vehicle inspection program that is intended to promote a reduction in automotive emissions. Vehicles must have an emissions test to renew registration and license plates. An overview of the program can be found at:

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/category/drive_clean/STDPROD_075529.html

The tailpipe emissions inspection looks at Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide, & Nitrogen Oxide (HC, CO, NO) while the engine is under load and while at idle. The allowable limits will depend on the type of vehicle and engine that is being tested.

I have a rather large pick-up truck. It recently failed the emissions test. Some of the gas readings were double what the emissions limit is. Not good. The culprit – leak in the exhaust manifold was allowing air into the engine. This caused the oxygen sensor to misread. This in turn caused a miscalculation the combustion mixture, making it fuel-rich. The result – high emissions. When my practical need for a pickup truck ceases very soon, I will likely purchase a much more sensible vehicle with lower emissions and better gas mileage.

However, it is also worth noting that an engine does not have to be large and powerful to produce high emissions. The graphics below are scans of actual test results obtained on various vehicles. Engine size and vehicle maintenance both have an affect on test scores. You will note that the small engine with the failed oxygen sensor produced high amounts of carbon monoxide, while the expertly maintained large engine had 0% carbon monoxide (probably less than 100ppm). Therefore, it can be said that good vehicle maintenance is demonstrably good for the vehicle and for the environment.



If a vehicle fails the test, the Ontario Drive Clean law says that the owner must fix the vehicle. The vehicle owner may obtain a ‘conditional pass’ if the problem has not been remediated after spending a fixed minimum of money on repairs. The test results shown at the bottom of the graphic met the requirements of a conditional pass.

In Ontario Canada, engine exhaust analysis is required to designate a vehicle ‘clean’ and keep it on the road. In a future post we will talk a little bit about another good reason to analyze engine exhaust gases.

If you are in the business of tuning engines or require analysis of engine exhaust, ask Mike or Dave about the 7460 Series Gas Analyzers.

1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

* U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, OFFICE OF MOBILE SOURCES (1994) Automobile Emissions: An Overview, EPA 400-F-92-007, http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/05-autos.pdf

For additional information, please see the following links:
http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h56.pdf
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ene/documents/resource/stdprod_087907.pdf

Friday, November 4, 2011

#36 - Nova Sample Conditioning System in the News at ThomasNet

Press release at ThomasNet regarding our Heated Filter and Probe System for combustion-related applications.


NOVA SAMPLE CONDITIONING

Analytical Company Offers Sample Conditioning Option with Syngas & Gasification Analyzers

Date: November 2011

Nova Analytical Inc, a 30 year veteran in gas analysis, introduces the Nova Model 7240 Probe & Heated Filter System.

The Model 7240 is intended for extraction and filtration of gases sampled from industrial applications such as syngas, gasification, and stack gas analysis.

Frequently, industrial sample gases contain soot or particulate that is inherent to the process or is derived from combustion. This particulate must be extracted from the sample gas as close to the extraction to point as possible avoid sample line occlusions and low flow conditions. The Model 7240 is designed for this purpose.

The Model 7240 is comprised of a high-temperature probe, heated filter, and stainless steel internal tubing. The unit mounts directly on the sample extraction point and filters the gas sample at process temperature. The gas sample is then directed to the gas analyzer which may be located some distance away from the sample point.

To cope with particulate accumulation in the probe, the Model 7240 Probe & Heated Filter has a blow-back feature which blasts a jet of air or N2 back through the filter and into the throat of the probe. This brief blast blows the accumulated particulate out of the sample system and back into the process.

The Nova Model 7240 Probe & Heated Filter System is frequently specified with industrial analyzer systems such as:

Contact Nova Analytical Systems Inc. for more information on this and other gas analysis equipment.



NOVA Analytical Systems Inc.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/NOVAGAS
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for us under Companies and follow us if you want.

Monday, October 24, 2011

#32 - Canadian Internet Access and OpenMedia.ca

The folks at OpenMedia.ca describe themselves as a non-profit organization working to advance open communication systems in Canada.

http://openmedia.ca/about



It seems that there is a push in Canada by big telecom companies to charge Canadians for their access to the Internet.

http://openmedia.ca/meter
http://openmedia.ca/press-room

Of course, most Canadians, like everyone else, probably already do pay an Internet Service Provider for access. However, this new initiative seeks to charge Canadians for every byte of Internet data that they use, similar to some smart phone plans.

That does sort of sound like a scheme that Bell Canada or Rodgers would try to propose. In its lunacy, it is vaguely reminiscent of an old Monty Python sketch about ‘taxing thingy’.





OpenMedia.ca logo copyright © OpenMedia.ca

Monty Python illustration from Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Just the Words Volumes One & Two
Copyright © 1989 by Python Productions Ltd.
Illustrations copyright © 1989 by Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd.

Monday, October 17, 2011

#30 - Re-blog from Wired Regarding Long-Term Data Sets & Moog App

I don’t normally spend a lot of time reading Wired. I find their website a bit clunky and their typical reader’s comments even more so.



However, this article by Brandon Keim on long-term data sets is interesting.

Some of the most meaningful data trends on this earth are outside the scope of normal human temporal perception. These data sets allow us to peer into our environmental impact on this earth over large time scales.





Also from Wired today – Moog have come out with a cool iPad app. It’s basically a software synth. http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/10/animoog/

The folks at the Moog Foundation are always at Nearfest. Sam from Relayer Solutions and I were at NF the year after an archive of Bob Moog’s data, recordings, and artifacts was discovered. It was fascinating to hear an old recording of Bob explaining his latest progress on a synth module that would one day change the sound of popular music. You can now do the same using your iPad app.


For some reason, Moog reminds me a little of Nova. There are four letters in our name. We make strange electronic devices that have inputs & outputs like the Moog instruments. However, we are not likely to ever create an instrument with as cool a name as 'Voyager' or 'Prodigy'.

Nova
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

If you have a LinkedIn account, search for us under Companies and follow us if you want.

Picture of ice core close-up from Wired article. Source: American Museum of Natural History

Moog Foundation website

Moog picture and logo copyright © 2011 The Bob Moog Foundation

Old pictures of cool Moog equipment - http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/moogrc.html

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

#29 - Plans for growth – Part 1

That title calls to mind words like goal, plan, purpose, projection, target, etc. Yes, we know, it’s important to have short range and long range goals. But when talking about future growth, sometimes it’s tempting to zone out and turn instead to the task of just getting through the day. After all, the next couple of years are, well, a couple of years away.

We tend to shy away from long-range ideas when the short-range tasks feel too numerous or too onerous to manage. I am starting to learn that long-range thinking isn’t as pointless as it sometimes sounds. Patience seems to be the key. That and having some intelligent long-range ideas. It also helps to implement some way of managing the short-term more effectively.

On our conference room wall, we used to have a strange-looking map loaded with yellow sticky notes, arrows, and branches. Most visitors who sat down to talk with us about something, inevitably asked about the wall. It was actually an elaborate map of our sales process. Each action or event in the process was briefly spelled out on a sticky note. Various if/then branches appeared at decision points, which in turn lead to additional arrows and sticky notes. At each point, opportunities for improvement were discussed and briefly jotted down on pink sticky notes.

It became quickly evident that there were numerous opportunities to improve the process. Who would implement the pink sticky notes? It was decided that Nova would have to hire someone. After much lying and bribery, that someone ended up being me. They showed me the wall and I now had my road-map. I would return to the wall every once in a while for reminders. After a couple years, most of the pink sticky notes were done.

Mind you, not all of the pink notes were implemented. That’s because some of the ideas weren’t that great. That’s one of the risks of having ideas and goals – they won’t all be brilliant. But it is even less brilliant not to have any goals at all.

All these words and diagrams and I still haven’t actually talked about what plans for growth we have. That will have to be saved for a future post – it’s home time now.

We’re Nova. We make gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and other gases.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.

Monday, October 3, 2011

#28 - Ambient Oxygen Monitoring in MRI Suites

We have had a number of inquiries over the years for gas analyzers for use in hospitals. We do not address the medical market per se. For example, we do not manufacture blood gas analyzers or medical gas purity analyzers. Our primary market is in the industrial and recovered gas industries.

One common application in industry is ambient air monitoring. We have noted that some non-industrial markets have also successfully used our ambient air monitors. One example is oxygen deficiency monitoring in MRI suites.

Apparently, MRI machines are cooled to a specific operating temperature using a large quantity of helium gas. There may be up to 1,000 liters of liquid helium contained in a cryostat at approximately -267°C (450°F). In the event of a leak, the liquid helium will evaporate and flood the MRI room helium gas. The gas itself is not immediately toxic, but the resulting oxygen displacement is very dangerous. The patient in the MRI machine, who may or may not be sedated, could be unaware of the onset of asphyxiation.

According to OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) in the USA, “OSHA uses the term "asphyxiating atmosphere" when referring to an atmosphere which contains less than 19.5 percent oxygen. Oxygen levels under 19.5 percent are inadequate for an entrant's respiratory needs when performing physical work, even if the space contains no toxic materials.”

An additional concern is that the door between the MRI unit and the control room is frequently sound-proof. A sedated or oxygen-deficient patient may have difficulty signaling to the technicians that there is a problem.

Additionally, during evaporation, the liquid helium undergoes a rapid thermal expansion which temporarily pressurizes the room. If the door opens into the MRI room, outside staff would be unable to open the door.

The Nova Model 510D is an oxygen deficiency monitor with a diffusion-style electrochemical sensor. There are two levels of alarm:

1. Alert level at 19.5% O2 which triggers a yellow LED light, an optional flashing red strobe light, and a relay contact.

2. Alarm level at 18.0% O2 which triggers a red LED light, an audible horn, an optional flashing red strobe light, and a relay contact. The audible horn may be silenced using an acknowledge button.


There are various configurations are available to suit different monitoring schemas as shown in the above graphic. Here is the brochure in our on-line catalog…



We make industrial gas analyzers for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and many other atmospheric gases. We provide gas analysers for syngas, landfill gas, purity gas, biogas, and others. We also do ambient air and oxygen deficiency monitoring.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/
If you have a LinkedIn account, search for Nova Analytical Systems under Companies and follow us if you want.


OSHA - http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=PREAMBLES&p_id=839
Record Type: Permit-Required Confined Spaces, Section: 2, Title: Section 2 - II. Hazards, Footnote (1) a.

http://www.psqh.com/sepoct06/mrisuites.html

Pic of MRI Copyright 2010 Viet-Can Medical Services

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

#27 - Analysis of Oxygen by Paramagnetic Detection

Introduction

Nova makes the Model 322BT oxygen analyzer. This instrument is designed for continuous analysis of up to 100% oxygen (O2) in process gas streams that do not contain any condensable water vapor or oil vapors.

The analyzer utilizes a paramagnetic type sensor, which responds quickly to process O2 changes.

Operation

The Nova Model 322-BT Oxygen Analyzer utilizes a high stability, magneto dynamic paramagnetic cell for the detection of oxygen in the sample gas.

Oxygen has the unique property of being attracted to a magnetic field, as discovered by Michael Faraday. Most other gases are diamagnetic (repelled by a magnetic field).

A strong magnetic field passing through the magneto-dynamic cell attracts oxygen which enhances the magnetic field. This in turn increases the force on a diamagnetic body suspended in the field.

The diamagnetic body consists of two glass spheres filled with nitrogen and suspended on opposite sides of a taut platinum ribbon between the poles of a strong permanent magnet assembly. A small mirror is also attached to the platinum ribbon which will detect any angular motion.


As the oxygen content in the sample increases, the increased magnetic field increases its repulsion force against the spheres. An infrared light beam focused on the mirror reflects onto a pair of matched infrared detectors mounted side by side. Any angular movement of the platinum ribbon by the repulsion force against the spheres causes the light to reflect more on one IR detector than the other, causing an increased current output from the amplifier. The current is fed to a feedback coil consisting of a single turn of fine platinum wire secured around the spheres. The magnetic field created by this current opposes the force due to the oxygen present in the sample gas and consequently the spheres remain in their original position.

The current required to hold the spheres in the neutral position is directly proportional to the amount of oxygen in the sample gas. By measuring this current, we have a direct measurement of oxygen. An amplifier built right into the cell, converts this current to a 0-1 VDC output representing 0-100% O2. This 0-1V output is then sent to the main amplifier board which then has calibration adjustments, output circuits, and connections to the front panel display meter.

Check out the Model 322 brochure…

While the paramagnetic detector is a quite accurate method of oxygen analysis, we have found that it is somewhat sensitive to external vibration. For example, the constant handling and jostling implied in a portable analyzer can affect the stability of the readings. For most applications, we manufacture this analyzer in a bench top style cabinet. It is basically a sheet metal box with a carry handle on top and a readout on the end facing the user. (See above picture) This cabinet style usually finds it home on a laboratory bench or some other stable surface.

Added March 23, 2013 - We have also noticed that paramagnetic detection is very sensitive to sample pressure and flow. It is very important that we have a clear idea of what the pressure and flow characteristics are of the sample gas. This also applies to the vent flow. It is preferable that this type of detector have an unobstructed vent to the ambient atmosphere.

Alternatively, you might consider an electrochemical O2 sensor. The accuracy and range may not be as high as a paramagnetic detector, and may be a little slower in some cases. However, it is generally quite rugged and well-suited for many applications. Check out the Model 320 brochure…

We make gas analyzers for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and many other atmospheric gases. We provide gas analysers for syngas, landfill gas, purity gas, biogas, and others.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

#26 - 7 Billion

No doubt you have seen articles around the newsstand and the internet that announce the recent arrival of the 7 billionth baby on this earth. (Actually, the number is 7,005,658,370 at the moment of this writing.)


It is probably somewhat misleading to say ‘7 billionth baby’ because the world’s population is a dynamic mixture of simultaneous births and deaths. But the idea still remains that we have passed a significant population mark.

A billion of anything is beyond the scope of our minds to intuitively grasp in the same way that we think about 10’s, 100’s, or 1,000’s. From an early age, our minds exploit regularities in our environment. Recurring number quantities acquire a meaningful ‘feel’ so that we can make qualitative evaluations and comparisons. But very large numbers that cannot be quickly evaluated visually or viscerally may not acquire deep meaning for most people. The earth’s population is one of those numbers.

Looking at various aspects of the world’s population growth can help us come to a more meaningful understanding of what the numbers signify.

Exponential Increase – So far, it has taken progressively less time to reach each billion mark.


Locations of Increase – ‘More developed’ areas have had reductions in fertility, while ‘less developed’ areas have maintained or increased fertility. The net result is that 82% of the world’s population lives in less developed regions as compared to 68% in 1950.


People ask where all of this is heading. The general idea is that worldwide population is supposed to level off at some point in the future and achieve some kind of equilibrium between mortality & fertility. Perhaps this is an accurate prediction, perhaps not. Perhaps Malthus will yet be vindicated.

A more relevant question might be – are the trends sustainable? As we wander into the future towards the predicted equilibrium or the predicted disaster, how much misery will be sustained by people in less developed regions? How much consumption by developed and developing regions can be sustained by the environment?

When we say ‘sustain’ in this context, we mean a couple of things. ‘Sustainability’ has become associated with the environmental concept of consuming renewable resources instead of non-renewable ones. This is a good thing; a responsible way of living and doing business. Because of their high rate of consumption, the developed and developing worlds definitely need to improve in this area.

‘Sustain’ also means to keep alive by nourishing. This is a rather fundamental thing. Can the earth keep us all alive for the foreseeable future? The answer is yes. The earth has plenty of capacity for billions of inhabitants. The issue is not one of population numbers, real estate, or resources. It is really an issue of better management and distribution that is more focused on the actual welfare of humankind. Best management practices in this case would undeniably be influenced by economics, but preferably without the greed component that is all too often present.

A more meaningful distinction between 'needs' & 'wants' is probably in order. The high rate of needless consumption in the developed world is already a serious environmental concern. If and when the non-developed and developing worlds adopt the same fascination with material trinkets, the situation will probably become a catastrophe.

Another component is education. Among the highlights of the 2008 World Population Data Sheet produced by the Population Reference Bureau, it was noted that in most regions, a mother’s education is key to children’s nutritional status and ultimately to their health and development.

There are many other factors to consider when evaluating the earth’s potential for human sustenance. We do not claim to be experts in this field.

At Nova, we make only a tiny contribution to environmental issues. We provide the analytical equipment required for measuring atmospheric gases such as oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and others. We are happy to assist with syngas, gasification, and other renewable and recovered energy applications because these make novel use of non-traditional energy feedstocks. Ideas like this will hopefully contribute in a small way somehow to better care of the world’s growing population.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com

Population graphic & information taken from - http://www.prb.org/

Graphs compiled based on information from the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations (ISCSC) - http://worldhistorysite.com/population.html

World Population Data Sheet for 2011 - http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2011/world-population-data-sheet.aspx

World Population Data Sheet for 2008 - http://www.prb.org/pdf08/08WPDS_Eng.pdf

http://singularityhub.com/2011/09/06/hold-world-population-to-reach-7-billion-this-month/

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

#25 - "Disconfirmation Bias" and other decision-making aids

When joking recently about our decision-making process, we came across the term “disconfirmation bias”.

It’s defined as “The tendency to accept supportive evidence of a belief uncritically, but to actively refute or discount evidence that challenges that belief.”

There are many areas of the human sphere that are susceptible to disconfirmation bias.

I have to work hard to keep this decision-impairing tendency in check. For example, my wife and I were shopping for a new home recently. I was quick to point out deficiencies in building sites that I didn’t like while subsequently minimizing those same deficiencies in the sites that I favored. We do this all the time when evaluating the merits / flaws of people we like vs. those we may be prejudiced against.

To avoid wandering too far into controversial territory, perhaps we should just stick to the workplace. Have you seen evidence of disconfirmation bias in your workplace process?

The strength of beliefs is generally revealed in the context of proposed or implemented changes. When the situation is statically in our favor, our beliefs about the situation are somewhat idle. Not necessarily dormant, just not strongly enacted. Like a car engine that is on, but not yet in gear. But when a change is proposed by others, or when we are the ones proposing the change, beliefs and values are inevitably challenged.

It isn’t the challenges per se that pose the problem. It’s how we react to them that reveals our true inclination. Are we biased in our refuting and accepting of relevant evidence?

At Nova, we make analyzers for gases such as oxygen, hydrogen, methane, etc. There are numerous components that are incorporated into the design of an analyzer, whether it is a little portable monitor, or a large on-line continuous analyser. If an impaired decision-making process were to result in a misguided design, in most cases it would not be cause for life-threatening concern.

My wife recently brought some work home with her. She was doing some literature research into post-operative care of cardiac surgery patients. The focus of her work was proper protocol on sternal incision care after heart surgery. I don’t claim to understand all of the research, but it was amazing to see how much disconfirmation bias she found in situations that are much more critical to people’s lives than gas analyzers. Accepted medical practice in this situation had been sustained for decades based only on tradition rather than evidence-based research. Her findings, when presented to her cardiac staff, stimulated much discussion and proposals for protocol change.

After thinking about that situation, I didn’t feel quite so embarrassed about the occasional gaffe here at Nova. After all, a valve or a pump in a gas analyzer can be fixed. The customer can be trained to calibrate semi-regularly. While the valves in the human heart can be fixed if necessary, it’s best not to have bias in this field of practice. (This whole episode scared me into exercising more regularly.)


So be on the lookout for this now. With a cool name like “disconfirmation bias”, it will probably be the next big thing.

We’re Nova. We make gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and other gases.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com

If you have a LinkedIn account, search for us under Companies and follow us.

Picture ownership unknown. Sources:

http://collaborationnation.wikispaces.com/First+African+American+to+do+open+Heart+Surgery
http://www.usswisconsin.org/Pictures/1950%20Pic/513%20W.%20Lehtonen%20Operating%20Room.JPG

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

#24 - A walk in Nova's neighborhood

We are frequently questioned about Nova’s physical locations.

How about a walk in our neighborhood?

We actually have two neighborhoods. One in the USA, and one in Canada. We are a manufacturing company, so our neighborhoods are not that glamorous. But our location in Canada does have some interesting history.



We are tenants in a historic industrial building erected in 1900. The complex formed one of the centers of Canada’s cotton textile industry and remains today as one of the most complete historic textile mill complexes in Canada. Originally, the mill produced cotton tarpaulins, tents, vehicle covers, and various fabric products used by the military in WWI and WWII. Later in the 1960’s the facility was re-equipped for lighter cotton manufacturing. Textile-related manufacturing eventually ceased on the site in 2001.

The complex currently houses mixed tenants with a focus on the creative arts. The TH&B Artist Collective, The Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts, and several individual artists and photographers occupy much of the site. A few tech companies, including Nova, occupy other areas of the complex.

The site also functions as a movie set. Movies, TV shows, videos, and other productions are regularly filmed on the site. I am expecting my big break in the movies to happen any time now.

The picture below is of our area disguised as a tropical office building for a movie. Doesn’t look too convincing in these pictures, but I assume it worked well in the film. The picture below that is an alternate location which I would like to propose for our sales office.



So that’s a blog post about where the Canadian side of our family lives. In a future post, I will share some cool info about our USA location.

We’re Nova. We make gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and other gases.
Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com

http://thbcollective.com/
http://www.imperialcottoncentre.com/
http://www.270sherman.ca/Site/Welcome.html

Here’s a link to a picture archive of some other cool historic industrial sites:
http://www.hfinster.de/StahlArt2/archive-Various-en.html

Thursday, September 1, 2011

#23 - Hey this is cool - Ripley's new aquarium coming to TO

Everyone loves aquariums! New one coming to Toronto Canada in 2013 at base of CN Tower. Ripley Entertainment Inc. is building it.

Read all about it at:
http://www.ripleysnewsroom.com/rac/



At Nova, we get a number of inquires for water quality analyzers. Unfortunately, water analysis is out of our area of expertise. We focus on gas atmosphere analysis only.

One water-related application that we do address frequently is chlorine-in-air analysis at swimming pools. Nova Model 541 Continuous Chlorine Monitor is designed for monitoring the atmosphere in and around chlorine storage areas at swimming pools. Waste or fresh water treatment plants sometimes also have on-site chlorine storage which may require monitoring.

Check in out in our on-line catalog…



Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

#22 - Portable Hydrogen and Oxygen Analysis – Part 3

Ceramics Industry

The ceramics industry usually requires different process atmospheres than the metal-working and steel heat-treating industries. Ceramics generally require that the process atmosphere be oxidizing, that is, oxygen should be present. But this will depend on the type of glass or porcelain being worked.

Glass Tank

In the case of a glass tank, a fuel is burned to produce the heat required for melting the glass. Combustion efficiency is needed to obtain the proper temperatures. Combustion of the fuel also produces the required oxidizing atmosphere. Measuring hydrogen and oxygen helps to ensure and maintain these conditions. The Nova Model 340 Portable Oxygen and Hydrogen Analyzer may be used for this purpose.

The combustion fuel may not always be optimally mixed. Therefore, at low oxygen readings, hydrogen may still be present. This should be avoided by either adding more oxygen, or correcting the fuel mixing problem. The 340WP analyzer can also be used to detect and correct these unacceptable conditions.

Kiln Atmosphere

In the firing of ceramics, the atmosphere is important and will depend upon the type of ceramic being fired. Combustion efficiency is also a consideration, especially with the high cost of fuel.

Figure 1 illustrates a tunnel kiln with burners on the side, in which the adjustments of the individual burners or zones can be made by using a Nova 340WP analyzer. In this case, the atmosphere must be tested along the length of the kiln in order to detect burners that are not correctly adjusted. In some cases, air infiltration may be compounding the difficulties caused by a burner problem.


Figure 1


Blanketing Atmospheres

In some cases, an inert generator is used to supply a gas blanket over products sensitive to oxygen. For example, some high-performance production coatings require cure in absence of oxygen. In this case, the 340WP analyzer could be used to monitor such a generator to be sure that the oxygen is low and that the inert gases are therefore present.

Mixed Gases

It is becoming increasingly popular to supply an atmosphere of hydrogen mixed with nitrogen from pressurized gas cylinders instead of producing this atmosphere by an inert gas generator. The 340WP analyzer is very well suited for this, not only to monitor the mixing process and to be sure the proper amount of hydrogen is present, but to also ensure that no inbound air leaks are present. In this case, leakage into the gas distribution system or the furnace would give a poor finished result due to the presence of oxygen.

The Nova Model 340 Portable Hydrogen and Oxygen Analyzer is available with the following choice of ranges:

0-25.0% O2, 0-40.0% H2
0-2.0% and 0-25.0% O2, 0-40.0% H2
0-100 to 0-9,999 PPM O2, 0-40% H2

Which range is best for you depends on the application. Before purchasing a hydrogen analyser, we require that you tell us what other gases are in your sample. This will determine equipment suitability and design.

Model 340WP brochure…

We make gas analyzers for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and many other atmospheric gases. We provide gas analysers for syngas, landfill gas, purity gas, biogas, and others.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

#19 - “We want to talk. How should we contact you? And where?”

Well, that depends on who is asking the question.

1. If you are a customer (past or future) asking us a question about a new gas analyzer, that’s easy.

Give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.
1-800-295-3771
sales at nova-gas dot com
websales at nova-gas dot com

To save time, have the following information handy:
  1. Do you require an intermittent-use portable instrument, or a continuous-use permanent instrument?
  2. Briefly describe the process you intend use this equipment for.
  3. Which gases do you wish to analyze & what are the ranges required?
  4. What is the composition of the sample stream - what other gases are in the sample, and what are their concentrations?
  5. What is the pressure and temperature of your sample stream?
  6. What is the estimated moisture content of your sample?
  7. If this is a combustion application, what fuel is being burned?
With that information, we can usually offer advice on suitable configurations of equipment for your application.

2. If you are a salesperson asking us a question, that could be a challenge.

We get a lot of sales visits, calls, messages, and mail. Many of the products offered have little relevance to what we do at Nova and some sales proposals have questionable value at all. Our product specialists here source a wide array of components as the needs arise. As with many modern buyers, they use the internet as their primary information source.

Our best suggestion for selling to Nova is to have a comprehensive and intelligent website. This is the best ‘foot-in-the-door’ to a Nova buyer.

3. If we are asking you a question, that can also be a challenge.

Having some kind of connection to our customers and our market is a good thing. We value opportunities to talk with our customers about future analysis applications and the performance of their existing equipment. Customer feedback combined with our own research allows us to produce analyzer designs that are useful to the market.

The problem is - our customers are scattered literally around the globe. We have equipment installed in many countries and regions outside of North America. Gathering information from these far-flung places can be a challenge. (I would be willing to visit our customers in the Caribbean, South Africa, Australia, and other desirable locations. Approval from management for these holidays |ahem| I mean research trips, has yet to materialize.)

Another problem is – our customers are busy people. They have processes to monitor and chemical reactions to measure. Having a chit-chat with us is not normally a priority, unless of course there is a problem with the equipment. However, we do encourage our customers to provide meaningful feedback on equipment design.

We are NOVA Analytical Systems. We make gas analyzers for hydrogen, oxygen, methane, and many other gases. Give us a call at the number shown above. We would love to talk.

 
Graphic from: http://www.tackorama.net/Clipart/clipart.htm