NIR process cells help unlock the true potential of chemical plants

Specac engineers have over 25 years’ experience in designing robust and rugged NIR spectroscopy tools with which plant engineers can measure the composition of valuable hydrocarbon process streams on-line, in-situ and instantaneously. Instead of taking hazardous and time-consuming samples, operators have all the information they need at hand to run the chemical plant safely and effectively.

With decades of experience in the design of robust NIR process cells and with a variety of options, the experts at Specac can be trusted to keep plant integrity maintained at all times. Results from data collected with Specac NIR Process cells can be integrated instantaneously into plant control schemes. This allows you to focus on the optimisation of your assets rather than day to day operational tasks like taking samples for off-line analytics with time delays of hours or more.

FT-NIR spectroscopy is the preferred method of choice for PAT-Engineers in refineries, petrochemical production facilities and many other hydrocarbon processing plants because of its inherent speed, accuracy, lack of moving parts and ATEX safety. Chemical engineers world-wide have utilised Specac gas, vapour and liquid cells successfully in numerous applications across the industry, for example in the processing of tall oils, the production of acetic acid and many more.

By using instantaneous compositional data on their hydrocarbon processes chemical engineers are suddenly able to fine-tune the performance of their production plant, identify performance issues to optimise throughput and improve chemical selectivity to enhance product purity. The ruggedness and durability of Specac process cells have earned them an excellent reputation in the chemical industry and the world-wide support provided by Specac by its regional offices in Europe, Asia and the USA makes them the first choice for even the most demanding PAT applications.

Specac process cells can be connected remotely to the widest choice of commercially available FT-NIR spectrometers using standard SMA 905 connectors. A large range of process analytical applications on a petrochemical site can now be realised simultaneously with just one spectrometer and an optical multiplexer by the combination of Specac gas, vapour and liquid cells.

Particular attention has been paid by Specac in the careful selection of appropriate IP65 rated protection for the fibre-optic cable connection to ensure peace of mind for the process engineer. By using highly polished sapphire windows and optimised flow patterns the risk of window fouling in raw chemical process streams is greatly reduced. The ruggedness of the NIR process cells also enables harsher in-situ cleaning methods like high-pressure steaming or using elevated temperatures for short periods of time. Other options include various metallurgies, a cleaning port, thermocouple connections, sight glasses together with a wide range of flange sizes and standards.