Author: Ryan Lerud

When to know if spectroscopy is the right technology for liquid, vapor or gas lab measurements – analysis?

Written by Ryan Lerud on . Posted in Guided Wave.

Use this flowchart to figure out if spectroscopy is the best measurement technology for your laboratory application.  If you reach the purple box (wavelength unknow) in this flowchart you can complete the Application Questionnaire and the experts at Guided Wave will help you. There is also more information on the how to select an analyzer page. Want to send us a question? Use the contact us button below.

WHICH LAB SPECTROSCOPY ANALYZER DID YOU CHOOSE?

Select the product name below for more information about each of these Guided Wave and ANALECT analyzers: 

The Benchtop or LAB 508plus is a fiber optic, UV-VIS spectrometer system packaged for use in either laboratory or pilot plant environments. The small size allows for use in many locations. In monitoring mode, up to 16 parameters may be measured, making it suitable for many applications in chemical and polymer plants, refining and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and other specialty chemicals, paints and varnishes, adhesives, wastewater management, biotech, etc. The software runs on an external computer connected to the analyzer via USB.

The RefinIRTM analyzer is a fully integrated laboratory autosampler and FTIR instrument designed to measure liquid hydrocarbons including gasoline, diesel and crude oils in a single autosampler. The ANALECT® RefinIRTM delivers automated spectral data acquisition of multiple liquid refinery stream samples from crude oils to blended gasoline and diesel.

LAB NIR-O was engineered to enable calibrations developed in the lab to be moved directly to a
NIR-O process analyzer in the field. This allows seamless and precise data transfer with high accuracy and reliability. The LAB NIR-O is a 6 channel near-infrared (1000-2100 nm) analyzer. It includes the Stability Monitoring System (SMS) filter and scripts for routine validation of hardware and optical performance.

The Diamond MXTM FT-NIR analyzer is configured for both rackmount or benchtop applications. It provides rapid, accurate and stable real-time monitoring of physical properties and chemical composition of liquids, solids and gases, with just one instrument.  Its rackmount chassis fits all standard 19″ racks and comes with nine different sampling devices can be used with the same ANALECT® Diamond MXTM analyzer including transmission and gas cells, diffuse reflectance heads, fiber-optic flow-through cells and NIR immersion probes.

When is your next periodic maintenance scheduled for your process analyzers?

Written by Ryan Lerud on . Posted in Guided Wave.

As a leading process analyzer manufacturer, Guided Wave recommends changing the light source (lamp) prior to failure in order to improve instrument uptime. Depending on the analyzer you are using, look at the list below for the life expectancy of your light source to help in scheduling maintenance intervals properly. Also included is the type of light source, part number and how to replace it.

To avoid costly delays it is smart to have a replacement lamp on the shelf ready to install, especially with the ongoing shipping and supply chain delays. Lamps are a very minimal expense, so little resources are tied up having inventory on the shelf, but this simple planning step could save your days or weeks of downtime.

Light Source (lamp) Replacement Maintenance Intervals, Part Numbers, How-to Videos

 NIR-O

The only periodic maintenance on the NIR-O process analyzer is the lamp replacement. Guided Wave has designed the NIR-O lamp for superior spectrometer performance, long life, and ease of replacement. The lamp is pre-aligned by its cartridge. No other alignment or adjustment is required.

The lamp typically continues to operate beyond the 6-month replacement period. However, we recommend replacing it on schedule to prevent unexpected failure and to ensure peak performance of NIR-O. As the lamp ages beyond the replacement date, its light output can become unstable causing instability in the results from the analyzer.

  • NIR-O Light Source is a 7.25 V/15 W tungsten halogen lamp
  • Expected life of 5000 hours or approximately six (6) months of continuous use
  • Replacement is simple and requires only a 2mm hex key/drive
  • Lamp Part Number: #40611-00001
  • NIR-O Lamp Replacement Instructions

ClearView db

The ClearView db lamp is a 5-volt, 5-watt, tungsten-halogen type. It does not dim much over time but, becomes noisy as it ages (sparkles or flickers rapidly) this means the spectra or data from the analyzer will also become noisier. Keep in mind, the lamp may continue to light for months in this mode until it eventually burns out. Replacement at the recommended 6-month interval helps ensure that you will have the best performance from the analyzer, and you will not have a bulb burn-out at an inconvenient time.

ClearView db

ANALECT® PCM 5000™

FT-IR Coil Filament Source

  • P/N: A00053-1 ANALECT® FT-IR patented Reflex Sphere modular pre-aligned source housing for high performance, long life, and easy replacement.
  • P/N: 86860 ANALECT® FT-IR Coil Source – Element only
  • Preventative Maintenance Replacement Interval: 12 months

ANALECT® PCM 1000™ 

FT-NIR Quartz Halogen Bulb Source

  • P/N: A00053-3 ANALECT® FT-NIR patented Reflex Sphere modular pre-aligned source assembly for high performance, long life, and easy replacement.
  • P/N: 3931 ANALECT® FT-NIR Quartz Halogen Bulb Source – Element only
  • Preventative Maintenance Replacement Interval: 6 months

M412 Analyzer (out of production)

M412 Lamp

Improve and Determine Yield During Diisocyanate and Urethane Synthesis

Written by Ryan Lerud on . Posted in Process Insights, Guided Wave. Leave a Comment

Improve and Determine Yield During Diisocyanate and Urethane Synthesis

Diisocyanates are a family of chemicals used to make a wide range of polyurethane products. The most widely used aromatic diisocyanates are toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). Less widely used, but still important, are the aliphatic diisocyanates, including hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), hydrogenated MDI (H12MDI), and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI).

• TDI is mainly used to make flexible polyurethane foam that can be found in a wide range of everyday products, including furniture, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging.
• MDI is used primarily to make rigid polyurethane foams such as insulation boards.

Multiple process points during diisocyanate production can benefit from real-time monitoring with NIR analyzers. For example, the yield of TDI and MDI can be determined. Additionally, the concentration of water which can cause off-spec products to form in the reaction vessel can also be monitored. Once the reaction is complete, the acid number (polyol value) of the prepolymer can be monitored to ensure the product is on-spec. Determining the urethane yield can also be achieved by NIR.

During polyurethane synthesis, isocyanate is reacted with an alcohol to form a urethane. This reaction process creates the carbamate functional group which forms the links in polyurethane. Along with acid number (polyol value), NIR analyzers such as the ClearView db photometer can be used to monitor the conversion efficiency of isocyanate to urethane. By monitoring these properties with an NIR analyzer, problems can be quickly detected and corrected, and as a result reaction yields will improve.

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How’s Your Engine Running?

Written by Ryan Lerud on . Posted in Guided Wave, Process Insights. Leave a Comment

Fuel Quality = Engine Performance

During the course of a diesel engine’s life it is the fuel that represents more than 70% of its operating cost. Therefore maintaining fuel quality is imperative.

GW’s new application note, Monitoring the Cloud Point of Diesel Fuel, demonstrates how NIR spectroscopy is a time and money saving alternative to traditional methods for monitoring the cloud point of a diesel fuel, which is the temperature below which wax forms giving the fuel a cloudy appearance. This parameter is an important property of the fuel since the presence of solidified waxes can clog filters and negatively impact engine performance. (By the way do you know who invented the Diesel Engine?) (Answer at the bottom)

Traditional laboratory methods for the measurement of cloud point are optical in nature but rely on cooling the fuel for the wax formation to occur. Guided Wave’s NIR instrumentation can measure compositional changes in the fuel that will be directly related to the wax formation and hence the cloud point. This means no waiting around for the wax to form; you get data within seconds with this powerful NIR method.

This application note illustrates how the measurement of cloud point of diesel fuel is made possible by using Guided Wave (GW) optical probes coupled to a near-infrared spectrometer with fiber optic cables. The GW NIR instruments can be applied either on-line for real-time, continuous process monitoring or simply as a faster and more efficient laboratory procedure. The end result of excellent fuel quality is maintained meaning better performing engines!

  1. Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel was a German inventor and mechanical engineer, famous for the invention of the Diesel engine. Wikipedia Born: March 18, 1858, Paris, France