#201 - Top 10 Nova Blog Posts from 2014

Probably everyone does a year-end post about what content was most popular on their blog. The areas of interest sometimes indicate an explainable trend, and sometimes they don’t. Nova is a technical company that manufactures analytical instruments. So our audience tends to be of the engineering and analytical types.

Our top 10 posts from 2014 are the following:

1. Post #167 - Using the Energiron Process with SynGas for DRI Production
2. Post #169 - Most Common Connections to Nova Analyzers (electrical & tubing)
3. Post #175 - Tenova Factories
4. Post #171 - New TGI White paper - Real-Time Water Detection in EAF Steelmaking
5. Post #173 - Nova tech climbs Mount Kilimanjaro
6. Post #168 - Nova Analyzers from the Field – Episode 4
7. Post #172 - Ash Classification Technology for Coal-fired Power Plants
8. Post #174 - Nova Analyzers from the Field – Episode 5
9. Post #178 - Nova Analyzers from the Field – Episode 6
10. Post #182 - Oil & Gas Spills Increase in 2013

For the most part, these posts from 2014 have simply accumulated higher popularity because they are from the first half of the year and are obviously older than any recent posts.

In terms of persistent interest, our ‘Analyzers from the Field’ posts seem to do well. People are always interested in reading about something ‘real world’. Frequently, these instruments have been in service for a number of years and have some kind of back-story that may be instructive.

Regarding Post #173 mentioned above, in May of 2014, one of our tech staff ventured to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Lots of readers from inside and outside the Tenova Group were interested to hear the story and see the pictures. We still have tons of pics besides what we posted. We'll share a few more soon. 

Our all-time #1 post continues to be Post #70 - "Post #5 is our most popular blog post (Syngas and Gasification)". This one started out as a commentary on another popular post and then itself became most widely read. It indicates the continued interest in measuring the gas compositions produced by gasifiers.

Looking forward to 2015!

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, give Mike or Dave at Nova a call, or send us an e-mail.

If you have any Nova instruments at your plant or lab and want to share a couple of photos, feel free to send them to us along with a brief explanation of your application.

1-800-295-3771

sales at nova-gas dot com

websales at nova-gas dot com

http://www.nova-gas.com/

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#200 - Nova Analyzers from the Field - Episode 9 (Studies of CO2 Absorption / Desorption by Amine Solutions)

We were recently sent a published paper containing a brief mention of a Nova analyzer. The paper itself is about the kinetics of CO2 absorption in various aqueous amine solutions. We have periodically addressed this type of application over the years. As carbon dioxide (CO2) becomes more prominently connected with concerns about greenhouse gases, we expect to see more of it in the future also.

From the Introduction of the paper: 

“The separation of acid gas impurities such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas mixtures is an important operation in natural gas processing, petroleum refining, coal gasification and ammonia manufacturing industries. Since CO2 is widely regarded as a major greenhouse gas, potentially contributing to global warming, recently, there has also been considerable interest in developing technologies for capturing and sequestering large quantities of CO2 produced from industrial sources such as fossil-fuel electric power generation facilities. Various technologies have been developed for CO2 and H2S removal from gas streams. These include absorption by chemical and physical solvents, cryogenic separation and membrane separation. Among these methods, gas absorption by chemical solvents such as aqueous solutions of alkanolamines is one of the most popular and effective methods.”

Even though this area of study has been active and applied in industry for over 50years, the authors note that complete investigations with mathematical models for absorption and desorption have been lacking. The authors then present a more unified approach in an effort to allow more standardized evaluations of this application across different reactions.

In this study, a novel design of laboratory contactor apparatus was used for interfacial contact between the amine and CO2. This apparatus allows for accurate and easier evaluation of physical mass transfer between the reactants. A diagram of the apparatus as presented in the paper is shown below.

The complete experimental setup from the paper is shown below:

After the dryer and just prior to the fume hood, the CO2 analyzer is shown in the above setup diagram. In this particular study the authors cite the Nova Model 300 infrared analyzer. In our experience, we have supplied a couple of different instruments for this type of application.

-          Model 302A – CO2 analysis by infrared detector

-          Model 336BT – CO2 analysis by thermal-conductivity (not shown in on-line catalog)

In one application in 2013, we supplied multiple units of Model 336BT in two ranges:

-          0-25.0 % CO2 in Air

-          0-100.0 % CO2 in Air

This application was for a large educational training assembly that involved the same absorption reactions between amine & CO2 mentioned above. The different instrument ranges corresponded to different points in the process before & after CO2 absorption. Purchasing separate instruments allowed simultaneous measurement of each point over a specific period of time.

In most cases, these studies are performed using portable instruments that provide accurate analysis on a temporary / intermittent basis. A wall-mounted version of this instrumentation can also be produced. For study apparatuses that are large enough to be permanently installed, a wall-mount analyzer in its own steel cabinet may be desired.

The study mentioned above is actually described in a two part paper as follows:

Part 1

Kinetics of carbon dioxide absorption and desorption in aqueous

alkanolamine solutions using a novel hemispherical contactor—I:

Experimental apparatus and mathematical modeling.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009250906003319

Part 2

Kinetics of carbon dioxide absorption and desorption in aqueous alkanolamine solutions using a novel hemispherical contactor—II: Experimental results and parameter estimation

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009250906003381

Authors:

Aqil Jamal

Axel Meisen

C. Jim Lim

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,

The University of British Columbia

Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z3

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

Hey, this is Post #200 in our blog. Still haven’t run out of things to say!

Author: Aqil Jamal, Axel Meisen and C. Jim Lim

Publication: Chemical Engineering Science

Publisher: Elsevier

Date: October 2006

Copyright © 2006 Elsevier Ltd.

All rights reserved.
* Experiment diagrams and information property of authors

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#199 - Why Buy 970?

The most popular post on this blog is #70, which is ironically entitled “Post #5 is Our Most Popular Blog Post”. Post #70 was intended to highlight the previous successful post #5 that discussed the growing interest in our 970 Series analyzers for syngas applications.

These posts are probably so popular because there is much world-wide interest in gasification as an energy source. These posts contain specific information and pictures about gas analyzers that can successfully measure O2 / CO / CO2 / CH4 / H2 in produced syngas.

We are often asked questions about the price and configuration of the 970 Series. We do have instruments in our product line that are much smaller and simpler (as pictured below). There are other analyzer manufacturers in the marketplace that also have multi-gas capability like Nova, but who are possibly lower-cost. For a gasification application, is it simply a matter of obtaining an analyzer that will measure the gases of interest?

Not always. Gas analysis is usually only the second half of the whole task. The first half involves extracting the sample, filtering it, and drying it. Doing this properly in a syngas application is important.

There is an old saying about comparing ‘apples to apples’. When we are asked to compare the 970 to another analyzer that resembles the picture above, the first thing that we notice is that all of the sample extraction and conditioning components are missing. Unless the end-user is absolutely confident that the produced gas is clean and dry, this style of instrument will not function properly for very long. Trust us - we have learned that lesson the hard way in the past.

The Nova 970 Series Syngas and Gasification Analyzers are analytical instruments that are industrially hardened but user-friendly.

• High temp probe & heated filter at extraction point.
• Choice of compression or thermoelectric style moisture removal.
• Weather-proof cabinet with climate control.
• Stainless steel tubing and industrial components.
• Temperature-controlled detectors for O2 / CO / CO2 / CH4 / H2
• Accurate H2 measurement in varying background gases.
• High measurement ranges available; up to 100%.
• Built-in ‘Smart Control’ analyzer functions

Here is some more information plus a link to the 970 section of the catalog. 

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

#197 - Borehole and soil gas analysis- Part 2

A while back, we posted some information about analysis of boreholes at decommissioned mine sites. Here is Part 1 of the discussion.

At the time, we mentioned that we have frequently sold the Model 309 Portable O2 / CO2 analyzer for this application. Because some of the samples will be pulled up from deep into the borehole, we can install a heavy duty pump into the instrument. This solution has been great for this application.

One mining company recently contacted us requesting a solution to a problem they were having with water accumulation in their analyzers. In the standard instrument we supply to this company, we incorporate a bowl filter of some kind at the sample inlet to capture any water that may come up with the gas. This approach has usually been adequate for the brief period that they have sampled at each point. However, at some boreholes, water accumulation in the interstices between the back-fill material and the liner has been significant. The analyzer has to pull out a large volume of water from each of the tubes in the bundle before the gas analysis can begin.

To cope with this reality, we proposed a closed catch-pot arrangement that isolates the water while maintaining the extractive suction. In operation, the sample pump pulls on the borehole tube. The entrained water comes up first and simply falls to the bottom of the clear bowl. When the water is evacuated from the tube, the gas sample passes into the detectors for measurement.

This arrangement is nothing new; it’s an old trick that has been around for years. We just haven’t implemented it in such an overt style with a portable analyzer. If you are monitoring soil gas from a tube bundle in a mine tailings borehole, let us know. We can offer a solution.

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

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#196 - Nova Analyzers from the Field – Episode 8

Frequently, we get requests from power plants to offer a solution for hydrogen analysis. We mentioned before in this post and on the website here, that the power industry often uses hydrogen as a coolant for their electric generators. It is quite important in this application to maintain a high-purity of hydrogen. Reduction in purity can reduce cooling effectiveness and possibly allow an explosion potential to develop in the generator.

A common scenario involves older generators that still have the original hydrogen detector. The old H2 detector may be failing and a new instrument using modern technology and components is required.

Old GE Hydrogen panel.

We were sent these pictures from a large power provider in North America. The basic scope of this project was to replace the old OEM hydrogen purity analyzer which was manufactured by GE circa 1950’s. It measured the generator cooling gas, but in recent years, the spare parts and replacement sensors were getting too costly.

From the customer’s inspection of the old equipment, the old electronics consisted of wire wound resistors and transistors which had been obsolete for years. According to them, it was ‘state of the ark’ technology, as opposed to ‘state of the art’. The actual H2 purity measurement apparently used 100 ohm nickel RTD’s (resistance temperature detectors). Gas temperature and dew point of the gas are also usually measured in this application.

The upgrade project required a replacement hydrogen detector. The Nova Model 436 was the instrument of choice for this plant. This was probably because they had excellent success and performance from the portable 380 instrument that is used for the same application.

The generator has a fan on it to circulate the gas. One of the hurdles on this project was to get enough differential across the new analyzer sample cell to avoid having to vent the atmosphere gas out of the generator. They were able to configure the generator gas flow and sample input/output points to produce 0.6 LPM flow out of the generator, through the analyzer, and back into the generator.*

New Nova Hydrogen panel. Model 436N7N4 - The Control Cabinet
is on the left. The Detector Cabinet is on the right.

Recent performance evaluations at the plant indicate that the NOVA appears to have enough flow to measure correctly. The temperatures are measured with Rosemount Smart Temperature Transmitters. Everything seems to working very well now and they are very pleased with the results of their new panel.

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

* Nova analyzers usually operate best with a flow of 1 LPM. However, in this case, the flow of 0.6 LPM will be sufficient as long as they calibrate at that flow rate.

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#195 - Mad Science follow-up

A few weeks ago, we had a post about some experimentation that we were doing with steel furnace rolling oil. The effort was focused on bringing a viable sample to a detector and obtaining a suitable response. That initial testing has recently translated into some real equipment.

Mini-furnace used for testing.

Two of the instruments built for this project.

Now that the instruments are built, we have been able to resume testing to verify the initial conclusions. Detector response is good as long as the sample temperature is maintained on the way to the analyzer port. This will require that the sample line be insulated and possibly even heated.

Internal layout. The detectors are
in the white heated box.

Sample input port. Most access ports on
Nova analyzers are located on the right
side of the cabinet.

The customer is commissioning the furnaces during this month and next. Altogether, 3 analyzer systems were built. The units provide a 3 channel analysis including LEL, O2, & DewPoint.

The whole challenge on this application was preserving the sample constituent intact to the detector. Our next project for research will probably be for a blast furnace gas analysis application. That application will no doubt focus on removing unwanted debris from the sample.

#194 - What is iBOF?

To begin, BOF is an acronym for Basic Oxygen Furnace. It is also a concept that is comprised of the furnace itself and an improved process for making steel from iron.

Excerpts from Wikipedia: 

"Basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS, BOP, BOF, and OSM), also known as Linz-Donawitz-Verfahren steelmaking or the oxygen converter process is a method of primary steelmaking in which carbon-rich molten pig iron is made into steel. Blowing oxygen through molten pig iron lowers the carbon content of the alloy and changes it into low-carbon steel. The process is known as basic because fluxes of burnt lime or dolomite, which are chemical bases, are added to promote the removal of impurities and protect the lining of the converter.

The process was developed in 1948 by Robert Durrer and commercialized in 1952–1953 by Austrian VOEST and ÖAMG. The LD converter, named after the Austrian towns Linz and Donawitz (a district of Leoben) is a refined version of the Bessemer converter where blowing of air is replaced with blowing oxygen. It reduced capital cost of the plants, time of smelting, and increased labor productivity. Between 1920 and 2000, labor requirements in the industry decreased by a factor of 1,000, from more than 3 worker-hours per tonne to just 0.003. The vast majority of steel manufactured in the world is produced using the basic oxygen furnace; in 2000, it accounted for 60% of global steel output. Modern furnaces will take a charge of iron of up to 350 tons and convert it into steel in less than 40 minutes, compared to 10–12 hours in an open hearth furnace."

There are ways to optimize this process to further improve yields and increase efficiency. This brings us to iBOF.

iBOF as a registered trademark is a modular technology developed and offered by Tenova Goodfellow Inc. It is available either as an integrated technology package or as independent standalone modules to meet each customer's specific needs. The acronym itself stands for Intelligent Basic Oxygen Furnace.

The iBOF concept consists of the following modules:

End-point Detection Technology: is based on the industry-proven EFSOP off-gas analysis, off-gas sensors to measure temperature, flow and pressure and BOF process control models designed to enable a "Blow & Tap" practice without additional cost and delays associated with Sub-Lance Technology.

Slop Detection Technology: uses lance vibration analysis with real-time alerts to give operators advance warning of the onset of a slop event (link & link) and a measurement of slop severity. The system is designed to provide direct feedback control of lance position and oxygen flow rate, for rapid mitigation of the effects of a slop.

Optimized Post-Combustion Technology: uses EFSOP off-gas analysis in combination with off-gas temperature, flow and pressure sensors and a dual-flow lance with independent control of primary and secondary oxygen to control oxygen flow-rate, penetration, and timing. The result is optimal post-combustion efficiency and increased scrap-melting capability with minimal refractory or lance wear.

Auto-tapping Technology: employs advanced image analysis together with process models to control tapping practice, in either an operator-assist mode or a fully automatic mode. The benefits of this technology are decreased tap time and variability, reduced slag carry-over, and improved operator safety.

For more information, contact:

Tenova Goodfellow Inc.

6711 Mississauga Road, Suite 200

Mississauga, ON

L5N 2W3 - Canada

Phone +1 905 567 3030

Fax +1 905 567 3899

goodfellow@ca.tenovagroup.com

EFSOP and iBOF are registered trademarks of Tenova Goodfellow Inc.

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#193 - Update on Automotive E-testing

We have discussed the subject of engine exhaust analysis in previous posts here and here.

Drivers in Ontario, Canada who are interested in the results of their automobile’s e-test results, will notice some recent changes to the test parameters.

Here is a comparison between test results on the same car between 2010 and 2014.

The test case shown in the picture is of a large automobile with a large engine. The test results show very low emissions because this particular vehicle has been expertly maintained.

Ontario changed its Drive Clean procedures in January 2012 to use onboard diagnostic (OBD) testing equipment instead of tail pipe emissions. However, on pre-OBD2 cars such as the one in the picture, the tail pipe test will still be used.

In the 2010 example above, the test included a Nitric Oxide (NO) test during the under-load condition. Excessive oxides of nitrogen are generally caused by anything that makes the engine’s temperature rise. Simply putting the engine under load by raising the RPM instead of idling will increase the NO / NO2 output. On the 2014 test, the NO portion of the test has been eliminated.

The CO / HC limits are also different now. High Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels are associated with anything that causes the air/fuel mixture to be richer, or higher in fuel, than is ideal. High hydrocarbons (HC’s) can be caused by several conditions, most of which are related to improper fuel combustion, such as engine misfire. Both tests in the picture include measurements of CO / HC’s. But the limits are now the same for the load and non-load portions of the test.

Over the years, the drive-clean programs in various places have reportedly caused the repair or removal of most high-emissions automobiles from the roads. The newer engines have lower emissions in general. Also, OBD2 testing that ignores actual tail-pipe emissions has apparently produced misleading results in some test cases. This has prompted many to think that the whole drive-clean program has served its purpose and should be phased out.

We have been manufacturing engine exhaust analyzers for many years now and have definitely noticed this general trend toward low emissions measurements in modern engines. For example, we offer a %  or ppm range for CO measurement. The ppm range is much more common now for vehicle testing.

We frequently build instruments with the following engine exhaust ranges:

O2: 0-25.0%

CO: 0-2,000ppm

CO2: 0-25.0%

NO: 0-2,000

HC's: 0-2,000ppm

In view of the modern downward trends, we will no doubt develop lower range options in the near future.

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

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#192 - Mad Science in the Nova Courtyard

Dave and Grant at Nova set up shop temporarily in an old courtyard behind the Nova facility. We were testing for a measurable response to vapor from rolling oil on an infra-red detector. The experimental layout was a little bit ‘kit-bashed’ in terms of quality. This was the last day before we each left the office for holidays with our families, so there was a less-than-rigorous vibe in air.

Let’s back up a little and provide the context and purpose of the test:

In a steel plant there are rolling mills that reduce the steel into sheets of specific thickness to be rolled up into coils. The finished product may be used in the container, construction, automotive, and appliance industries. Rolling oils are introduced into the rolling process to increase roll mill life and reduce mill power consumption by reducing roll loads and vibration.

In the high-temperature sections of some rolling mills there is a concern that fumes from the oil will accumulate in the furnace atmosphere in high enough concentrations to combust or even explode. By measuring the fume concentration in the furnace, corrective action can be taken to avoid explosive fume mixtures. Corrective action sometimes involves increasing the air changes in the furnace to dilute the fume concentration.

We were asked by one of our sister companies if we could measure rolling oil fumes. In this case, the specific rolling oil was called Magiesol®47 manufactured by Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.. This particular product is basically just mineral oil. Our infrared detector can detect hydrocarbon gases, but we were uncertain of the following variables:

• viability of the IR response to this particular hydrocarbon
• the mobility of the sample through tubing
• sample loss from condensation caused by temperature gradients
• the calibration process for this hydrocarbon

So we set up a test that consisted of an enclosed volume of rolling oil inside of a stainless steel receptacle which was suspended in a mini-furnace and heated to approximately 250C. A gas sample from the head-space of the oil receptacle was continuously pulled using a down-stream pump. The collected gas was sent through the sample tube of an IR detector, and the output was measured using a digital interface & software.

The stainless steel receptacle containing the oil required some time to reach the target temperature. At low temperatures, there were insignificant amounts of the oil vapor in the sample gas and no useful response was observed on the detector. Once up to temperatures above 200C, the oil vapor content increased dramatically and a useful IR response was observed. We also noticed significant visible signs of oil vapor and condensation in the tubing as the temperature decreased after leaving the furnace.

Based on these results we decided that we would move forward with a design to be used on a rolling furnace upgrade project. We were also able to combine oxygen and dew point with the hydrocarbon analysis to provide a three-gas analyzer.

The actual furnace upgrade work is being handled by Tenova Core.

Tenova Core

Cherrington Corporate Center

100 Corporate Center Drive

Coraopolis, PA 15108-3185

Phone: (412) 262-2240

Fax: (412) 262-2055

http://www.corefurnace.com/

core@tenova.com

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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/

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#191 - Nova Serial Number Ten Thousand

Remember Y2K? At Nova, we recently had S10K.

Our production & design department reached equipment serial number 10,000 last week. We started making gas analyzers back in 1976. Our serial numbering system started at 1,000. That means we have built and sold at least 9,000 pieces of gas analysis equipment over the years. (We also built numerous pieces of equipment before we implemented the serial system.) Many of the early instruments are still in service, and no doubt many are not. Nova gas analyzers have found their way around the world over the years.

There are some instrumentation companies out there that have a much longer history and higher equipment output than we do. But for us, 10K is a big deal.

The actual unit with S/N 10,000 happened to be for an O2 / CO / CO2 analyzer from the 870 Series to be shipped to a large North American steel company.

We have an archive of some old black & white photos of Nova analyzers from the 1970's. Here are a few photos from the collection:

Possibly a PPM O2 process analyzer.
Similar to this current Model - 415N4

Portable Dew Point analyzer.
Similar to the current Model - 207

Wall mount Ex-proof analyzer.
We still produce analyzers with
these types of cabinets - link

This appears to be an ex-proof LEL monitor.
We don't manufacture these any more.
However, a portable LEL monitor
is still available - 600 Series

This may be an early version of
Nova's generator atmosphere
analyzer. Still available here.

This is an early version of our portable
ambient air monitor with a
chlorine channel - 600 Series.

This is also an early version of the 600 Series.
This one has O2 / CO / CO2 capability.

This looks like an early version of our
water-wash sample preparation system.
Discussed on this page.

An early version of our EAF analyzer.
This is part of our EAF optimization
system discussed here and here.

An early version of our flue gas analyzer system
equipped with auto-calibration and cabinet climate control.
Still available, but in a smaller footprint - link.

We have made substantial technical progress since these units were built. Our customer base is quite a bit bigger now too. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long to sell the next 10K.

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.

For information on these and other gas analyzer systems, 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

_

#190 - Nova Analyzers from the Field – Episode 7

This portable CO2 analyzer is about 10yrs old and is the property of a large North American railway company. We have periodically sold these instruments for use in locomotive repair.

Many locomotives have large diesel fuel tanks that occasionally require welding. However, even with all of the fuel drained out, there is still a significant risk of the residual fumes exploding in the presence of oxygen and a spark. Welding repairs on the tank provide a dangerous source of ignition.

A good way to eliminate this risk is to purge the tank with carbon dioxide (CO2). If the tank is rich in CO2, the tank atmosphere will not support combustion. To ensure that the CO2 purge atmosphere is maintained, a portable analyzer can be used.

The measurement range on these analyzers is 0-100% CO2 in air using an infra-red detector. This model is available with a LOW CO2 alarm and audible beeper. The set point is adjustable. On the unit shown above, the alarm is set at 60%. That means that the alarm will sound when the tank atmosphere drops below 60% CO2.

The unit shown above was not functioning probably due to a worn pump. After the pump was replaced and the detector re-calibrated, the unit was returned to the railway for active duty again.

This instrument is still readily available from Nova. Give us a call if you need to monitor a CO2 atmosphere.

Here are a couple of other train-related posts in the Nova blog.

http://nova-gas.blogspot.ca/2013/05/120-rapid-train-loading-systems-by.html

http://nova-gas.blogspot.ca/2013/06/126-takraf-train-post-was-big-hit.html

Notes:

Locomotive pic 

Diesel tank copyright 2004 Joe Shaw

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#189 - Update on Boyan Slat

In May 2013 we did a blog post about a young man named Boyan Slat who had an interesting idea for cleaning up the plastic that is caught in the earth's ocean gyres. At the time, the pollution problem, the clean-up concept, a few diagrams, and expressions of interest and encouragement from various parties were all that could be examined. A feasibility study had yet to be done on Mr. Slat’s idea.

I wanted to do an update to the May 2013 blog post because it has been persistently popular among our visitors and is actually increasing in popularity lately. The increased interest can probably be traced to the fact that the feasibility study has finally been completed and a crowdfunding campaign is in its final stages at this time of writing.

During the feasibility studies, the concept seems to have evolved somewhat. However, the core idea of funneling plastic debris from at / near the water surface is still intact. The Ocean Cleanup organization remains confident that their floating array can “remove almost half the plastic from the North Pacific Garbage patch in 10 years, while being an estimated 7900x faster and 33x cheaper than conventional methods.” – from their website.

They are also interested in expanding the scope of the concept to “river deltas and other waterways that transport plastic to the oceans. This could provide a rapid reduction of the influx of new plastics into the oceans.”

A copy of the feasibility study executive summary is available here.

This study has enabled Boyan Slat move forward with having a positive discussion in response to some of the various questions and criticisms initially raised about the concept. The next steps are to develop detailed engineering, scale up the testing, and continue the research.

At present, there are opportunities for anyone to assist with funds or with expertise.

https://fund.theoceancleanup.com/

http://www.theoceancleanup.com/contact/join-our-team.html

Edit Dec 23/2014 - We noticed this recent article on the Chem.info website about another study of the ocean plastic problem.

#186 - Nova Norm’s African Safari

We recently posted some of Norm’s pictures from his adventures on Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. After conquering the mountain, he somehow had enough energy to go on a 4-day safari in the African savanna.

From Wikipedia:

A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses...

The closed forest types such as broadleaf forests and rainforests are usually not grazed owing to the closed structure precluding grass growth, and hence offering little opportunity for grazing. In contrast the open structure of savannas allows the growth of a herbaceous layer and are commonly used for grazing domestic livestock.

The quote directly refers to the suitability of savannahs to grazing domestic livestock. However, this undoubtedly also applies to non-domestic grazing species. The presence of grazing herds also attracts carnivorous and many other animal species. And it is the open canopy tree growth that allows this ecosystem dynamic to flourish.

Norm’s pictures demonstrate the vitality that plains of grass and open-canopy tree distributions allow.

We'll show some of the carnivorous species in a future post.

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#185 - Revised perspective on Safety training

We recently labored through some rather boring safety training videos to satisfy some mandatory H&S training requirements that we have in our facility. The videos had questionable relevance to office staff, but we paid attention to our lessons and scored good marks on the multiple choice tests that followed. (Our production staff also scored well. More importantly, they have a good record of implementing good safety practices in the shop.)

A couple days later, I noticed an article on the Chem.info website that demonstrated the value of some of the training we received. Apparently, a chemical cleaning powder was mistaken for an edible cheese product in a restaurant and used in the preparation of someone’s meal. The hapless diner fell ill immediately after eating and had to be rushed to a hospital emergency room.

The powdered chemical had been removed from its original container and placed in another container that was not properly labeled. Thankfully the diner quickly recovered. However, incidents like this show that proper labeling of decanted chemicals is important. 

In a recent audit, our company was awarded a high score for safety among the Tenova companies. Perhaps we should open a restaurant. We can build analyzers safely. How hard can cooking be?

#182 - Oil & Gas Spills Increase in 2013

In reading various industry magazines and blogs, one can’t help noticing the frequency of spill and leak events in the oil industry these days.

Quoted from Processing Magazine:

More than 7,600 oil spills and leaks were recorded in 2013 in the top 15 states for onshore oil and gas activities, according to a new analysis by EnergyWire based on state data. This is a 13-percent increase on the previous year, even though overall drilling activity remained generally flat over that period.

The total number of incidents including spills, blowouts and leaks at drilling sites came in at 7,662, equaling more than 20 per day, EnergyWire said. The majority of these spills were relatively small and were contained quickly, before any serious damage was caused. However, the combined volume of oil, fracking fluid, fracking wastewater and other liquids that were released in them amounted to 26 million gallons. Some of the increase could be put down to new reporting requirements that were introduced in several states last year, but the number of spills went up even if those were not factored in.

In terms of regional distribution, the Bakken Shale recorded some of the most dramatic increases in spills and leak rates. Specifically, Montana saw the sharpest rise in spills (48 percent), followed by North Dakota (42 percent). Anadarko Petroleum Corporation reported 321 incidents in 2013, landing at the top of the chart, leaving ConocoPhillips and Occidental Petroleum far behind with 256 and 240 spills, respectively, the data shows.

More than a million gallons of diluted bitumen leaked into Michigan's Kalamazoo River in July 2010. These types of onshore spills appear to have increased in 2013.

It should be noted that this data based only on the top 15 states in just the USA. The world-wide figures are undoubtedly much higher. The rush to extract fossil fuels from the earth is evidently not without its challenges. The familiar expression “haste makes waste’ seems to be appropriate, especially in regions that have had a recent surge in oil and natural gas extraction.

Looking elsewhere - Lawrenceville Plasma Physics in Middlesex, New Jersey have been working on controlled nuclear fusion using dense plasma focusing. If this project succeeds, perhaps it will reduce the world’s unhealthy reliance on burning fossil fuels to obtain energy.

They have a crowd-funding initiative to help stimulate awareness and raise money. The folks at Next Big Future reported on it here.

Oil spill photograph courtesy Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from article at National Geographic -  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110919-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline-groundwater/

Fusion Energy Flow Chart from Next Big Future link shown above

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