#12 - Spare Parts for Gas Analyzers

We get a number of inquiries about spare parts for Nova analyzers. This is understandable. Continuous reliable process data is often one of the most valuable assets in a facility. Taking steps to ensure that the data stream is uninterrupted makes a lot of sense. We also like to see that our customers are protecting and maintaining another important asset – the analyzer itself.

The most commonly-sold analyser spare parts are filters. That’s a good thing because clogged or fouled filters will decrease sample flow rate and increase analytical error. If the filter eventually degrades enough, break-through can occur which may result in damage to critical components in the analyzer.

The most common filters in Nova continuous gas analyzers include the pre-filters, particulate filters, condensate filters, finishing filters, oil filters, liquid blocks, etc. Many customers prefer to have a few spares on hand instead of waiting for a failure. Most filter elements cost between $20-40USD. The low cost certainly makes being prepared an easy choice.

To determine which filters your analyzer requires, check the parts page in your operator manual.

Our Parts Department can be contacted at:
1-800-295-3771
spareparts at nova-gas dot com
http://www.nova-gas.com/

#11 - Portable Hydrogen and Oxygen Analysis – Part 1

The Nova Model 340 Portable Hydrogen and Oxygen Analyzer is useful for many heat treating applications. Some of these are considered below.

Copper Annealing

One of the first applications of the 340WP analyzer is for copper annealing. In this case, an atmosphere of 1 or 2% hydrogen is necessary to be sure that oxygen is not present. It’s also necessary that the hydrogen be kept low as high hydrogen will embrittle the copper.

The presence of a leak or oxygen getting into the furnace is detected by a low hydrogen reading. Oxygen itself cannot be detected after it has leaked into the furnace; it is consumed by the surface of copper and discolors it. The air leak is instead found by the low hydrogen reading. Experience has shown that at times the oxygen does not unite with the hydrogen and is still present. This is the reason the oxygen reading is necessary for complete analysis.

Copper Brazing

The 340WP analyzer is very useful for measuring atmospheres in a copper-brazing furnace. These atmospheres must be high in hydrogen in order to eliminate scaling and discoloration, as well as to ensure the proper fluxing of the solder.

In this case, the analyzer can be used both to measure the setting of the gas generator as well as for probing in various zones of the brazing operation. This ensures a proper atmosphere as well as aids in finding problems in atmospheres that are causing discoloration to the work.

Brass Melting

Figure 1 shows a standard type of brass melting pot. These measurements also apply to kiln melting but the older brass melting pot is shown as an illustration. In this case, the gas burner is placed at the bottom of the pot and the flame circulates up around the pot and over the top of the molten brass. The protective atmosphere to reduce the dross is produced by the flame itself. An experienced operator would look at the flame coming out of the furnace and thereby judge the amount of hydrogen in the atmosphere.

Figure 1 - Oxygen & Hydrogen Analysis in Brass Melting Operation

In practice however, even an experienced technician cannot tell whether it is 1% or 6% hydrogen. The hydrogen in this case is very important because if it gets too high it causes not only embrittlement but also produces voids in the castings. Here an analysis taken right inside the flame over the pot is what is necessary. Nova has quartz probes available for this measurement.

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 340 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/

#10 - What would you like to see in next year’s catalog?

At Nova, we get a lot of domestic and international requests for copies of our catalog. However, we don’t really have a printed catalog per se. Gas analyzers and gas analysis equipment is not usually the kind of thing that can be easily selected from a catalog. Hydrogen analyzers, for example, may not function accurately in all gas mixtures. Simply selecting a hydrogen gas analyzer from a catalog would not be a wise thing to do.

When a potential customer approaches us for assistance with an analysis project, we need to take the time to look at the conditions and chemistry of the gas sample as found in the customer’s process. We are also interested in the specific requirements of the analysis. The intention is ultimately to provide equipment that will properly address the customer’s application. A self-serve catalog will not facilitate this necessary process.

So if we do not supply the requested catalog, do not despair. We are here to work with you personally on whatever analysis application you have.

In the meantime, we do have a decent website with a search function that resembles a catalog. People may view gas analyzers by gas, by industry, or by analyzer configuration. We have incorporated these various pathways into the website to accommodate the different ways of thinking about gas analysers.

Check it out at - http://www.nova-gas.com/

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/

#9 - What is the best way to recommend an improvement to our product or service?

We are Nova Analytical Systems. Our product is gas analyzers. We make oxygen analyzers, hydrogen analyzers, methane analysers, and... you get the point. We service many industries such as syngas, landfill gas, biogas, heat treat, steel, power, and others.

Many people have an aversion to filling out long forms and talking to answering machines. How do you recommend an improvement to our products or services - while talking to a real live human being?

Do you have a suggestion for a functionality improvement in our equipment?

Is there an analysis option that would be useful to you?

Is there an analytical application that is not currently being addressed by our equipment?

Or, do you just want to make a comment to us (good or bad)?

We would like to hear from you. No guarantees that we will quickly implement the idea, but you never know. We do custom work all of the time. It is also important for us to know what analysis features are important to our customers.

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