Rapid Determination of Air Demand, Wobbe Index, and Calorific Value in Industrial Off-Gases

Off-gases, left over at chemical or petrochemical industrial processes as well as in the heavy industry are increasingly in use as a source of energy due to environmental reasons [1] and as a cost-saving alternative for natural gas. These off-gases used to be partially drawn off via a flare; however, nowadays they are used for the extraction of electrical energy and process heat. Yet, the composition of these off-gases varies strongly. On the other hand, a constant and controlled energy supply is an economical necessity minimising the emissions and costs desirably at the same time. Therefore, a reliable, rapid, and continuous measuring of the Air Demand and the Wobbe Index of the gas is required for adjusting the combustion process to varying gas qualities and operation conditions.