Overview
The percentage-level (%) Nitrogen (N2) thermal conductivity analyzer utilizes highly stable Thermal Conductivity Detection (TCD) technology. It is widely used in metal heat treatment shielding gas blending, synthetic ammonia process gas monitoring, online N2 purity control in air separation units (ASU), and Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) gas verification. Delivering precise, online measurements of N2 concentrations in binary or quasi-binary mixtures (such as N2/H2, N2/Ar, or N2/CO2), it regulates furnace atmospheres and evaluates gas separation columns, serving as essential instrumentation for process optimization and quality control.
Principle
When the sample gas enters the thermal conductivity cell, and a thermistor is used above the film to maintain a constant temperature. In this way, a small cavity is formed below and above the membrane, and the measurement gas can diffuse into it. In this way, the heat loss caused by the thermal conductivity of the sample gas is compensated by heating, and the power required to maintain a constant temperature of the membrane is a measurement of the thermal conductivity of the measured gas.
Application
• Metal Heat Treatment & Annealing Atmospheres
Forming Gas Blending (N2/H2 Mixtures): Continuous measurement of nitrogen percentage in custom N2/H2 annealing atmospheres to ensure exact ratios, preventing either oxidation from insufficient hydrogen or explosion hazards from excessive hydrogen.
Bright Annealing & Carburizing Furnaces: Real-time tracking of nitrogen as a purging and dilution gas in high-temperature industrial furnaces to protect steel, copper, and aluminum parts from oxidation.
• Chemical Synthesis & Synthetic Ammonia Plants
Ammonia Synthesis Feedstock Tuning: Continuous monitoring of the nitrogen concentration alongside hydrogen in the synthesis loop gas to maintain the strict stoichiometric 3:1 ratio (H2:N2) required to maximize chemical plant yields and optimize catalyst life.
Purge Gas & Fuel Value Control: Measuring nitrogen ballast levels in the synthesis purge gas loops before it is sent to fuel gas networks or recovery blocks.
• Air Separation Units (ASU) & Bulk Gas Production
Nitrogen Product Purity Monitoring: Online verification of bulk nitrogen percentage at the outlet of cryogenic distillation columns, Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) units, or membrane separation systems.
Inter-stage Distillation Diagnostics: Monitoring nitrogen breakthrough into oxygen or argon richer process streams to dynamically adjust distillation column parameters.
• Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) for Food & Pharma
Food Packaging Gas Blending: High-precision online verification of N2/CO2 or N2/O2 binary gas mixtures injected into fresh food, snack, and meat packaging to displace oxygen, arrest microbial growth, and extend product shelf life.
Pharmaceutical Vial Purging: Verifying percentage-level nitrogen atmosphere levels in sterile filling lines for liquid drug vials to prevent oxidation of active ingredients.
• Petrochemical & Refinery Safety Purging
Blanketing & Flare Headers: Continuous monitoring of nitrogen purity in storage tank blanketing zones, hydrocarbon vessel turnaround purges, and flare stack sweep streams to ensure the environment remains thoroughly inert and below explosive limits.
Measurement components and ranges
• N2: 0 ~ 10% up to 100%(Vol)
For detailed introduction, please refer to Thermal Conductivity Analyzer.