GasLab Q2 Natural Gas Analyzer for Feedforward Combustion Control
Honeywell’s Elster GasLab Q2 is a real-time natural gas analyzer for feedforward combustion control in high-temperature manufacturing and monitoring.
With most natural gas now coming from developing sources, there is more variation in gas fuel quality. Most high-temperature manufacturing processes depend on feedback control systems that may not respond to such variations. The GasLab Q2 is a real-time natural gas analyzer that outperforms calorimeters and chromatographs for feedforward combustion control and natural gas quality monitoring.
Problem: Losing Thermal Stability
In most high-temperature manufacturing processes, thermal stability, the ability of a fluid to resist breaking down under heat stress, is critical to maximizing process yield, efficiency, and profitability. Thermal stability inside a furnace is directly related to the consistency of the natural gas fueling the burners.
Most natural gas comes from developing sources today, such as shale and other tight formations, i.e., petroleum-bearing formations of relatively low porosity and permeability. These sources exhibit much more variability than traditional sources over the last 100 years. Consequently, rapid, continuous natural gas quality shifts in energy value (±10% BTU) are common in North America. Even regions with relatively stable gas quality may risk supply shifts, unexpected shutdowns, and operational changes in upstream gas processing facilities.
Most high-temperature manufacturing processes depend upon feedback control systems that may be incapable of maintaining thermal stability when the natural gas’s calorific content and density vary sharply and consistently.
When feedback control systems face continually moving input variables, there is an increasing risk of losing thermal stability and control, resulting in more off-spec gas, increased pollution, and higher operational costs.
Ceramic tile, glass, metal, lime, cement, food, and other industries all have high-temperature manufacturing processes that can experience such adverse effects.
Solution: A Real-Time Gas Analyzer
Honeywell Elster GasLab Q2 Gas Analyzer
The GasLab Q2 is a real-time natural gas quality analyzer.
Before reaching any combustion control system and burners, Honeywell’s Elster GasLab Q2 Gas Quality Analyzer determines natural gas fuel’s calorific value, density, and Wobbe index. The GasLab Q2 enables furnace operators to optimize fuel and air flow rates for the fuel gas reaching the furnace. The feedforward burner control system based upon GasLab’s outputs can eliminate fuel-related process upsets while significantly improving thermal stability throughout the process.
This compact, comprehensive natural gas analyzer continuously monitors the natural gas quality, updating its digital and analog outputs every second. The GasLab Q2 has a built-in, user-adjustable, speed-loop bypass and a T90<6 seconds, providing accurate feedforward fuel quality signals to any combustion control system.
The GasLab Q2 meets the reliability and accuracy required by industrial consumers. Its operational performance is automatically validated using a simple calibration gas mixture of CO2 in methane with only annual maintenance.
The GasLab Q2’s design and capabilities can simplify and lower a project’s installation and operational costs. The user can install the analyzer close to the fuel line, which shortens the sample transport delay time. The Q2 has an integrated display with touch capability that shows the measurement values and operating conditions. Operate the GasLab Q2 locally or remotely using a web browser connected to the device.
The user-friendly Elster GasLab Q2 provides fast, accurate, and reliable gas quality measurements for low capital investment and minimal ownership costs. It is ideal for manufacturing processes that benefit from improved thermal stability and combustion control, such as glass.
GasLab Analyser vs. Calorimeters and Chromatographs
The GasLab provides a better solution over calorimeters and chromatographs for combustion control and natural gas quality monitoring.
Flame/combustion calorimeters provide a fast response speed, but they are expensive to purchase, run and maintain. Some calorimeters only estimate Wobbe and excess fuel unless it is equipped with a costly densitometer to measure density, permitting a calorific value calculation.
Chromatographs are precise but blind most of the time. They provide a 3 to 5-minute-old ‘photograph’ of the injected gas sample’s quality, making the data outdated for process monitoring and control applications.
The GasLab Q2 offers a real solution for feedforward combustion control for glass, ceramics, metals, lime, cement, and food applications. It also is appropriate for fiscal billing and billing validation.
Benefits of GasLab
In high-temperature manufacturing processes, such as glass, ceramics, metals, or batch-based kilns (not rotary), the following are the primary benefits of using the GasLab Q2 to improve temperature stability:
- A more saleable end product
- Increased product quality and lower waste
- Decrease process upsets that can damage furnaces and emit emissions
- Inexpensive to purchase, operate and maintain
If you are interested in learning more about the gas analyzer, message us or call us today at 303 697-6701.
