What Is An Oxygen Analyzer & What Does It Do?
Quadri Abdur November 30th, 2022 Posted In: Articles Tags: SCUBA
What Is An Oxygen Analyzer & What Does It Do?
An oxygen analyzer is a tool for assessing the oxygen content of a given system. It also decides whether or not it requires an infusion of the gas. To function, it employs a sensor that detects the presence of oxygen. Readings are obtained from a ceramic sensor cell. Stack gas oxygen analyzers assess the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas after burning.
What Does an Oxygen Analyzer Do?
Proper regulation of the fuel-to-air ratio during combustion is essential to maximizing boiler efficiency, and these readings facilitate that goal. Too much or too little oxygen, as indicated by the analyzer, can lead to inefficient combustion and waste of energy. Inert gas oxygen analyzers calculate the percentage of oxygen in the gas used to fill empty spaces.
An inert gas must always have a very small percentage of oxygen. The emphasis on reducing pollution by cutting emissions from industry, vehicles, and other sources has led industrial users to demand more precise readings from their analyzers. As for regular users, they’d prefer the device was more accurate and required less upkeep.
Types of Oxygen Analyzers
Various types of oxygen analyzers include the following:
- Ambient temperature oxygen analyzer
- Electrochemical oxygen analyzer
- Paramagnetic oxygen analyzer
- Polarographic oxygen analyzer
- Zirconium oxide oxygen analyzer
The electrochemical sensor for ambient temperature, also known as a galvanic sensor, is a compact, cylindrical device with two dissimilar electrodes submerged in an electrolyte. And it is partially enclosed to prevent the transfer of air and moisture. The diffusion of oxygen molecules in an electrolyte triggers a chemical reaction that, in turn, produces a current proportional to the oxygen concentration.
A paramagnetic analyzer, on the other hand, operates on the similar straightforward concept that oxygen exhibits paramagnetic behavior and has a very high magnetic sensitivity. Polarographic analyzers are useful for % measurement. And their primary benefit is that they do not use any electrodes when they are not in use. It can be kept for a longer period in storage.
Uses
Oxygen analyzers have several uses and can help in the energy conservation efforts of many different businesses by monitoring and controlling combustion in a variety of settings. The energy sector and other combustion facilities are just two of the many places where their products can be used. Incinerators and smaller or medium-sized boilers utilize them, as do the iron and steel, electric power, oil and petrochemical, ceramic, pulp and paper, and food and textile industries.
By preventing uncontrolled emissions from the incomplete combustion of fuel, monitoring and controlling the analyzer contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, sulfur dioxide emissions, and nitrogen oxide emissions, all of which have a positive impact on reducing global warming and air pollution.
Features of Oxygen Analyzer
Oxygen analyzers’ Smart solid-state sensors allow for extremely accurate oxygen readings. They also measure oxygen concentrations from parts per billion to 100%, so you won’t need a separate instrument for that. All of the data needed can be picked up by a single instrument. They can answer in milliseconds. Which not only improves productivity but also allows the facility to keep a careful and accurate eye on the process’s state.
Additionally, they typically feature a sensor that doesn’t wear out over time, allowing you to save the hassle and expense of finding a replacement analyzer or sensor. The analyzer’s outputs can be adjusted by the user and are consistent with one another, allowing for a more precise definition of the concentration range of interest. Dual, user-adjustable alarms indicate when a procedure has reached a crucial threshold.
A microprocessor-based controller is also included for added reliability and precision. In addition, the sample gas can be transported quickly thanks to the included gas that serves as a bypass. In general, analyzers are portable and reliable. The sensors and batteries can be swapped out quickly and easily, and they are user-friendly and resistant to water and splashes. An approximate two-year battery life is provided. They use standard AAA batteries, which are readily available and quite cheap. Some even come with a high-end carrying and packing case for extra convenience and mobility.
Applications
Oxygen analyzers are essential for many applications including SCUBA diving tank usage. Here are other uses for it:
Gas from Landfills, Biogas, and Synthetic Gas:
These processes may seem dissimilar, yet they all require a lack of oxygen to be effective. Combustible gases are created through these procedures and can be used for power generation.
Industrial Processes:
The introduction of nitrogen gas into the manufacturing process necessitates constant monitoring of oxygen levels in industries as diverse as aerospace and electronics.
Gas Processing Facilities, Pipelines, and Storage Facilities:
If oxygen is detected in gas processing facilities, gathering networks, or transmission lines, it could be a warning of a major leak that could result in catastrophic failure of the infrastructure if not promptly repaired. Workers can identify these issues faster with the aid of oxygen analyzers.
Safety Measures:
It is crucial to closely monitor oxygen levels in any setting where employees may be working with cryogenically liquefied gas or pressurized gas cylinders. When these containers leak without detection, the oxygen levels in the area quickly drop, putting workers at risk of injury or death.
Techniques for Analyzing Oxygen
Oxygen can be tested in several different ways. The three most prevalent forms are thermal conductivity, paramagnetic, and electrochemical.
Trace Oxygen Analyzer
Parts per million (ppm) range Oxygen measurement is necessary for some procedures. In this case, specific varieties of electrochemical sensors are most useful. Like the % Oxygen sensors discussed previously, this one works by measuring the concentration of Oxygen in the air.
Electrochemical Oxygen Analyzer
Electrochemical oxygen analyzers are instruments developed for the primary purpose of determining the percentage of oxygen present in an external circuit. The working, counter, and reference electrodes of this sort of analyzer are enclosed by a gas-permeable membrane. Electrochemical oxygen analyzers are sensors that measure oxygen concentration by measuring the current through a working electrode when submerged in an electrolytic liquid.
Paramagnetic Oxygen Analyzer
Paramagnetic oxygen analyzers use a sample device consisting of nitrogen-filled spheres suspended within a magnetic field.This is because oxygen molecules are attracted to high magnetic fields. The magnetic field will attract any nearby oxygen. Which will cause the spheres to move in proportion to the amount of oxygen present.
Thermal Conductivity Air Analyzer
These analyzers consist of three main parts: a power supply, a control unit, and a sensing device. During maintenance work on hydrogen-cooled generators, thermal conductivity detectors may be used in specific applications in the power sector to measure the amount of air present.
