Principal Technology Introduces a Combustible Methane and Oxygen Sampling System that Promotes Safety While Reducing Downtime
Plano, Texas (PRWEB) August 14, 2013 -- Principal Technology Inc., a provider of total system solutions for natural gas, refining, chemical, process and manufacturing facilities, introduces a combustible methane, other hydrocarbons, and oxygen sampling system (MOSS) designed to sample the flue gas from process heaters during the pre-startup safety check. Principal Technology’s MOSS reduces operational downtime by utilizing a high-flow, rapid sample system to shorten the time necessary to confirm it is safe to start a process heater.
The Principal Technology MOSS samples and verifies that the natural draft purge cycle has cleared the heater combustion chamber of combustible gas mixtures, in accordance to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 87 Recommended Practices for Fluid Heaters. The MOSS works with an integrated burner management system (BMS) to confirm that inlet air registers and outlet dampers are in the fully open position to admit purge air as part of the pre-ignition safety check. Additional information is available online at http://www.principaltechnology.com.
The MOSS includes an integral dual mode sampling system that uses an initial high flow rate to minimize the transit time required to pull the heater sample from the stack. Then the system tests for gas at the slow sample flow rate required to achieve detection instrument accuracy. This two-stage sample process usually runs for less than two minutes, depending on heater configuration.
“Pre-ignition combustible gas detection is a crucial step in the safe operation of natural draft burners,” said Matthew S. Hodson, P.E., president and CEO of Principal Technology. “Our goal is to help plants improve uptime, which results in increased production and revenue for processors, while operating to the highest standards of safety.”
The Principal Technology MOSS can reduce stack sampling time by 30 percent or more compared to other systems on the market and still meet all NFPA requirements for safe burner operations. The MOSS sampling system also includes automatic system “bump” test and calibration capabilities, and inlet filter dryers and automatic sample system back-purge to prevent condensate accumulation from combustion products when the system is not active. An optional multi-point sample configuration is available for large process heaters or heaters with multiple flue stacks.
In addition to pre-ignition combustible gas detection, the Principal Technology MOSS can be used to assist operators in managing excess oxygen in the process in order to enhance heater fuel efficiency. With this option, the system can alarm the operator if the stack oxygen concentration is too high or low so the inlet air dampers can be adjusted for optimum efficiency.
About Principal Technology, Inc.
Principal Technology, Inc., located in Plano, Texas, is an established business serving the energy industry and manufacturing markets. The business units of PTI specialize in providing Sulfur Recovery and Environmental Systems, related Specialty Equipment, Modular Process Units, Engineering, Design, and Fabrication Services, and Control System Integration. Through its core competencies in the mechanical, instrument, electrical, process, and control system disciplines, PTI provides a special combination of high value engineering and design services with practical design-build capabilities to provide our customers with complete project integration.
Keith Hobbs, 214-521-8596, [email protected]
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