Hydrocarbon Processing - January 2021 - 76

MIKE RHODES, MANAGING EDITOR
Mike.Rhodes@HydrocarbonProcessing.com

Innovations
Real-time hydrogen
monitoring in synthesis
gas applications
H2scan has released its latest product
in the HY-OPTIMA™ line of sensors. The
HY-OPTIMA 2745 hydrogen-specific
analyzer is designed to deliver real-time
measurement of hydrogen levels in synthesis gas (syngas), with no cross sensitivity to high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO).
Increasing global energy demand has
driven interest in syngas, which can be
used as an alternative energy fuel. Syngas
also provides a way to turn waste gases,
such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ) produced
by power plants or factories, into usable
fuels. Syngas is composed of CO and hydrogen (H2 ), with CO2 sometimes also
present. There are various methods of
producing syngas, such as gasification
from different feedstocks (coal, natural
gas or biomass/waste products), partial
oxidation, steam methane reforming or
autothermal reforming.
The most common use of syngas is for
production of H2 , with the H2 then sold as
a separate product and the residual gases
recycled to be used as fuel for a steam
methane reformer. Additionally, syngas
can be used for production of synthetic pe-

FIG. 1. Oxford Flow's ES axial flow
isolation valve.

76 JANUARY 2021 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com

troleum, as a fuel or lubricant for internal
combustion engines or as an intermediate
for the production of other chemicals.
H2 measurement in syngas is important as it indicates the quality of the syngas produced. Historically, this was done
using either a thermal conductivity device
to measure H2 or by measuring the other
components and assuming everything else
was H2 . This assumption can result in costly inefficiencies in the production process.
H2scan's HY-OPTIMA™ 2745 hydrogen-specific analyzer is a measurement
solution that provides a cost-effective and
real-time measurement of H2 in syngas
streams. The solid state, non-consumable
sensor technology, which is used in thousands of successful installations worldwide, provides continuous H2 concentration data with no cross-sensitivity to
other gases in the stream, including CO
(up to 50% CO tolerant). No reference or
carrier gas systems are required to reliably
and accurately report real-time H2 measurements with fast response times.
Real-time H2 measurement allows an
end user to adjust the hydrogen and carbon ratios to ensure maximum efficiency.

Axial flow valve fugitive
emissions breakthrough
Oxford Flow has revealed that its ES
axial flow isolation valve (FIG. 1) for the oil,
gas and petrochemical sectors has excelled
in fugitive emissions testing, offering a viable option to eliminate fugitive emissions
from valves in critical processes.
ISO 15848-1 testing, performed at the
Score Cowdenbeath laboratory in Scotland, demonstrated that the ES valve had
a leakage rate of 100x less than allowed by
level AH C03, which is the highest ISO
performance level for isolation valves. It
is notable that most valve manufacturers
test in Class B, which allows 10x more
leakage than Class A.
Using helium as a test medium, the results indicated that helium levels around
the valve and hydraulics were not exceeding those normally found in the at-

mosphere. Therefore, the ES provides
dramatically better fugitive emissions
performance than the industry-standard
for isolation valves.
Unlike traditional valve designs that
utilize a mechanical drive train, the ES
valve does not have an external stem and
is instead operated by an integral hydraulic power unit. By removing the mechanical drive train and linkages, the ES design
significantly enhances the long-term mechanical integrity and reliability of the
valve and eliminates maintenance costs
related to stem packing. Ideal for severe
service applications, the valve provides
repeatable tight shutoff across a wide
range of processes.

Asset performance
management software
update
Coding challenges faced by operators
implementing asset performance management (APM) software are to be significantly reduced or even removed, according to Lloyd's Register. Recognizing the
staff, resource and cost challenges faced
by many operators due to COVID-19,
Lloyd's Register's latest update to its asset performance management software,
AllAssets (FIG. 2), will help drive efficiencies and cost savings, mitigate risk and
simplify implementation.
By re-emphasizing its innovative software development strategy of a low-code
approach, Lloyd's Register hopes to empower companies to take control over
their APM program and reduce the burden of deploying the resources needed to
optimize operations and maintenance.
Low code removes the need for operators to pay to adapt software to their requirements and the need for outsourced
technical expertise to implement it. The
approach emphasizes shifting the power
from the technology provider to the user,
making software, such as APM platforms,
much more straightforward and systematic and less time intensive, not only to
implement but to update in line with

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Hydrocarbon Processing - January 2021

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