GE

Measurement & Control

GE Flow Gas & Moisture

Seminar Oman Sep 2015

New Trends in Moisture

Analysis
Naheed Abdul Lateef
MEAT Regional Product
Manager
 Moisture
…..is the amount of water
vapor present in a given
sample
Pressure (mbar)

It can be expressed in different

units>
Liquid
Solid,
ice • Water vapor pressure [mbar]
• Dew point temperature [oC]
Vapor

6.106 • Relative humidity [%]

• Absolute humidity [g/m3dry air]

Temperature (oC)
• Volumetric concentration
0.16
[ppmv]
• Mixing ratio [g/kg]
• Wet bulb temperature [oC]
Why Measure Moisture in
your Processes?
Why Measure Moisture?

In an Industrial Process, water

vapour is a contaminant
__________ and can :

• Affect product quality

• Increase cost of process

• Lead to safety issues

9/1/2015
Why Measure Moisture in
your Processes?
A Critical Parameter in Natural Gas
 Why is Moisture Measurement in Required?
• Gas is sold by the heating value in (Therms, BTU or Kcal)
Water lowers the heating value
• Water has mass and increases transportation and gas
compression costs
• In colder climates water freezes causing valves and
pipes to be damaged or even blocked.
• Under pressure water combines with methane to form
hydrates (an ice-like solid)
• Freezing can occur when high pressure gas is
expanded (Joule-Thompson cooling). Natural gas cools
approximately 5.6°C/1,000 KPa
• Water causes corrosion. It also combines with H 2S &
CO 2 to form corrosive acids. Pipelines are made of
carbon steel. Leaks = loss of revenue, safety risks and
increased maintenance costs
• The maximum moisture content for US interstate
commerce is 7 lbs/MMCF Equal to approximately: -
38°C dew point at atmospheric pressure or
152 PPMv or 112mg/m 3
• Suppliers can be “locked out” if their moisture content
is too high – cost the supplier lots of revenue!
Why Measure Moisture?
• Poison multi-million dollar catalyst beds in refineries
• Results in undesirable by-products and side reactions
• Corrosion and Freeze up
• Dielectric breakdown in transformers
• Inhibits polymerization and reaction
• Contaminant degrading the quality of product and may
also affect the quality of equipment
LNG Cryogenic Heat Exchangers

LNG cryogenic heat exchanger

Packed with large bundles of tubing or may be a

plate-fin design

Ice build up in the heat exchanger creates

inefficiency, increased energy consumption and
may lead to a process shutdown.
Refinery and Petrochemical

• Catalyst protection
• Process yield
• Corrosion prevention in metal infrastructure
• Product quality

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 Refinery Catalytic Reforming Process
WHY MEASURE MOISTURE?
•Catalyst is typically precious metal (e.g.
platinum)
•Catalyst bed cost is $1M + USD
•Moisture destroys catalyst.
•HCl formation destroys reactor and
metal infrastructure.
•Moisture reduces process yield

WHERE MEASURE MOISTURE?

Hydrocarbon Liquid Feed

Hydrogen Make-up
Hydrogen Recycle Liquid Hydrocarbon Hydrogen Recycle Gas
Gas Sample System Sample System Sample System
 Refining Processes

•Hydrocracking Unit
•Hydrotreating Unit
•Reformer
•Catalyst Regeneration
•Process Heaters
•Flare Lines
•Hydrocarbon Vent Lines
 Liquid Dryers Light Hydro
Carbons go
back to the
reactor

Moisture in Hydrocarbon Liquid

Feed after dryers

Catalytic Reactor
Tower

Tower
Dryer

Dryer

Hydro
Carbon
Liquid Feed

Heavy
Hydro
EDC Carbons
Injection
H2
make up gas
 Ethylene Production
•Steam Cracking Furnace @
750-950ºC
•Quenching System
•Compression & Distillation
Process
•Cryogenic Section to split
C1/C2
•Energy Intensive Process
•Heat recovery from furnaces Cold Section
to generate steam to drive
compressors

Naptha/Gas Oil
(Refinery product)
OR
Ethane (Natural Gas
by product)
Hot Section
Polyethylene Process Diagram
•Linear Low density polyethylene (LLDPE) High density polyethylene (HDPE)

•Ethylene+co-monomers (eg Butene, Hexene)+inert gas+H2 are heated & pressurised

(100-400psi & 100ºC)
•Mixture is passed through a Fluidized bed reactor with metallic catalyst
•Polymerization takes place and product is pulled from the bottom of the reactor

Fluidized bed reactor

G&M Thermal Power Station
Parameter

Gas Analysis
Moisture
Humidity
Test &
Calibration

Transformer
Circuit Breaker
Generator
Compressed
Air Boiler

Combustion Generator Breaker / Transformer Compressed Air

efficiency
For combustion H2 is a cooling gas for many SF6 used as a blanketing Compressed air is used
efficiency control the generators. H2 has a low gas for breakers. Moisture for cooling components,
oxygen and viscosity, which reduces will cause arching and isolating agent, actuating
combustibles are windage and also maintains damage breaker. valves, purging
measured as an input a high heat capacity. Transformer oil and enclosures and pressure
for the boiler tuning moisture content in testing.
Moisture in H2 reduces
Oxygen is also thermal efficiency and nitrogen blanket gases are Plant and instrument air
measured in the overall efficiency of the measured is filtered and
Continuous emissions generator. Moisture also refrigeration dried.
monitoring systems could cause corrosion and Moisture in air causes
(CEMS) of stack gases arcing causing failure of corrosion, freezing, and
electrical components hydraulic locking.
Overview – G&M Combined Cycle plants
Parameter Turbine inlet air fuel leak
detection
Gas Analysis
Moisture
Humidity
Test &
Calibration

Generator Combustion efficiency

/ CEMS
Transformer
Circuit Breaker

Leakage detection in fuel

Turbine inlet air
The inlet air of turbines is
typically controlled to
guard ice forming on the
turbine blades.
Humidity also lowers the
combustion temperatures,
what results in lower NOx
and SOx emissions
pre heating
In Combined cycle plants –
fuel is pre-heated by
steam from the steam
turbine.
Moisture in the fuel stream
is measured to detect a
leakage.
Combustion Generator Breaker / Transformer
efficiency
For combustion H2 is a cooling gas for many SF6 used as a blanketing
efficiency control the generators. H2 has a low gas for breakers. Moisture
oxygen and viscosity, which reduces will cause arching and
combustibles are windage and also maintains damage breaker.
measured as an input a high heat capacity. Transformer oil and
for the boiler tuning Moisture in H2 reduces moisture content in
Oxygen is also thermal efficiency and nitrogen blanket gases are
measured in the overall efficiency of the measured
Continuous emissions generator. Moisture also
monitoring systems could cause corrosion and
(CEMS) of stack gases arcing causing failure of
electrical components
 Metal Heat Treatment
Measure H2O, H2 & O2 to control
H2O: -80 to +10oC Td product quality & yield.

H2: 0-100%H2 in N2
Flow Mixing Station

O2: PPM level

Mixing

N2

H2

Gas Heat Zone Quench Gas

Curtain : Curtain :
N2 / H2 N2 / H2
N2 N2

Ammonia Furnace
Disassociator
Steel Steel
Roll Roll

18 /
GE /
September 1, 2015
Combined System for Furnace Strip
Annealing/Galvanization
AL2O3 PPM
Furnace Moisture
Sensor

XMTC H2
Analyzer
Multiple Sample
Lines from different
Zones in furnace to Electro-
one panel with 3 chemical
way solenoid valves PPM O2
to select streams & Sensor
fast loops 19 /
GE /
September 1, 2015
Common technologies for moisture measurement

• Chilled Mirror

• Impedance Sensors

• Quartz crystal microbalance

• Fabry-Perot Inferometer

• Tunable Diode Lasers (TDLAS)

GE M&C Moisture Instruments

Portables

Transmitters
Aurora-Trace
(50 ppbv LDL)
Analyzers (AlOx) – Aurora –H2O
Multichannel (5 ppmv LDL)

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Oxygen and Gas analyzers overview
Thermal-
Paramagnetic Zirconium Oxide Electro-chemical
Conductivity
XMO2 XMTC Oxy.IQ
• %O2 in gases • %Gas Analyzer in other CGA 351 • Galvanic Fuel Cell oxygen
Transmitter w/optional gases based on sensor for PPM or % O2 in
• Clean Gas Oxygen
displays with relatively measuring differences in other gases
Analyzer for non-
constant background thermal-conductivity
combustion
gas (Typically H2 analysis)
applications

APX
• %O2 in gases Analyzer
with widely varying or
unknown background Delta F
gases • Non-depleting
electrochemical oxygen
sensors for PPM O2 in
other gases; used in
conjunction with MIS1
and MMS3
Sample conditioning - Solutions
Standard systems Customized systems

Standard sample Customized sample

systems systems
- for moisture in - For all measurements
gasses or liquids - Combined
- Oxygen - Sample stream
- Hydrogen selectors
- Automated or manual
 Upgrade to Moisture.IQ

MIS-2

Upgrade
MIS-1

Upgrade older Panametrics Moisture

installed in natural gas applications
analyzers to the Moisture.IQ

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 GE TDLAS models

Aurora H2O Aurora Trace

Range 0-5000 ppmv 0-400 ppmv
Accuracy ±4 PPMv or 2% of reading ±50 ppbv or 2% of reading
Optical Path Approx: 1 meter Approx: 30 meters

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Advantages of TDLAS Moisture Analyzers

• Non-Contact measurement - no sensor element which degrades

over time
• No Field Calibration Required - Unit is calibrated once at the
factory
• Fast Response - responds in seconds and minutes vs. hours &
days
• Designed to operate continuously in hazardous area
• Accurate and repeatable

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Aurora Trace
June 2012
Absorption of Laser Energy by Water

Vibration modes of water: Infrared light at certain wavelength is

O-H Bond stretching – Symmetrical absorbed by the water molecule.

O-H Bond stretching – Asymmetrical The light energy is not lost; it is transformed
to other types of energy
O-H Bond Rocking
Water Does Not Absorb Certain Wavelengths of Laser Energy

Water is “transparent” to other light frequencies.

The TDLAS laser has the ability to scan across a narrow band of frequencies and
compare the absorbing frequency to the non-absorbing frequency per Beers law.
Tunable Diode Lasers (TDLAS)

A Stainless Steel Absorption Cell

B C
B Tunable Diode Laser
E C Photodector
G H
D Mirror
E Window
I
F Gas Inlet

A G Gas Outlet

F
H Temperature Sensor
D I Pressure Sensor
Schematic of a TDLAS sensor

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Specifications

Accuracy:
Moisture: ±2% of reading or 4 PPMv
Calibration Certification: NIST Traceable
Response Time: Optical: <2 seconds once sample cavity is fully purged
Power:
Universal Power Supply: 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz, 10W max. power
Optional Power Supply: 18-32VDC (24VDC), 10W
Optional Enclosure Heater Power: 120VAC, 120W or 230VAC, 75W
Moisture:
Parts per Million by Volume: ±2% of reading in ppmv or 4 ppmv. Accuracy of
other parameters derived from ppmv
Process or Equivalent Dew/Frost Point: by calculation with process pressure
signal (4-20mA) or constant
Specifications

Sample Pressure:
Range: 69 to 172 kPa (10 to 25 psia)
Maximum: 1380 kPa (200 psig) Higher pressure available using additional
sampling system components.
Process Pressure:
10,342 kPa (1500 psig) maximum. Higher pressure available with
application of additional sample system components.
Storage Temperature: –20° to +70°C (–4° to +158°F )
Operating Temperature:
Electronics: –20° to +65°C (–4° to 149°F)
Sample Gas: –20° to +65°C
Aurora H2O Sampling System

Pressure Sensor Temperature Sensor

Heat Traced
Sample Line Hermetically
Insertion Pressure sealed Laser
membrane filter & Pressure Regulator & Detector
pressure regulator Reduced to Reduces
300-500 PSIG pressure to
0-15 PSIG
Absorption
Cell
Isolation Valve
Pipeline natural
gas.
Coalescing
1000-1500 PSIG Filter

Needle
Valve
Needle Valve
Bypass
flow Sample Flow
Control
10:1
Mirror Flange
Selector Valve
Needle Valve Removable
Purge/Sample for cleaning
Purge or Test Purge Flow
Control
Gas Inlet

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Pressure & Temperature Compensation

Aurora-Trace’s accuracy is
an improvement over
other TDLAS moisture
analyzers due to pressure
and temperature
compensation

Each instrument is
calibrated through a
matrix of pressure and
temperature and the raw
data is stored in the units
memory.

The raw data is effectively

used to enhance the
accuracy – Patented
method
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Aurora Trace
June 2012
2F Absorption at Various Concentrations

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Comparative Accuracy at 150 ppm-v

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GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
Aurora Sales Review 3
Response Time of Aurora& Aurora Trace

0°C Td

Other Trace
Aurora Moisture Sensors
TDLAS

-60°C Td

6 Hours

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GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
Aurora Sales Review 3
System Response Time of Aurora – Wet Up

The Aurora responds very fast to

moisture process upsets (or
leaks.
The optical response is <2
seconds once the absorption cell
is purged.
For a change from 12 ppm v to
5375 ppmv, the “wet up”
response inclusive of the
sampling system (sample tubing,
coalescing filter, valves &
fittings), was “less than one
minute.”

40 Sec

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GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
Aurora Sales Review 3
System Response Time of Aurora - Dry Down

Aurora “dries out” faster than other

moisture measurement technologies
including impedance, capacitance,
electrolytic, vibrating quartz and
chilled mirror.
The Optical response time is <2
seconds once the measurement cell is
purged.
The dry out response inclusive of the
sampling system (sample tubing,
coalescing filter, valves & fittings) was
less than one minute for a change from
5375 ppmv to 12 ppmv.

50 Sec

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GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
Aurora Sales Review 3
Aurora Recovery From Process Upset

Water was injected into an 8

ppmv sample stream.
The unit spiked to >10,000 ppm v
and recovered back to within 2
ppmv of the original reading
within 3 minutes and to original
reading within 7 minutes.

3 min 4 min

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GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
Aurora Sales Review 3
Response to Process Upset

Flow Rate: 1 SCFH

Length of sample
Tubing: 10 Ft

• Water was injected into a 8 ppmv natural gas sample stream.

• The system immediately spiked to 3000 ppmv
• The Aurora recovered to within 4 ppm within 4 minutes.
• Full recovery took 7 minutes
Front Panel Display & Programming

No hot permit required to

field program the Aurora

•Programming via magnetic induction

keys & magnetic stylus
•Backlit LCD – 3 displays
•Primary: Moisture
•Lbs/mmscf, mg/m3, dew point (°C/°F),
ppmv
•Secondary: Programmable for moisture,
pressure or temperature in English or
Metric Units
•Housed in “Increased Safety” Enclosure
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Laser Mirror Cleaning
 Minimal Maintenance

The only maintenance required for the Aurora is replacement of the coalescing filter and cleaning of the
mirror.
Mirror cleaning is seldom required. The system diagnostics provides indication when cleaning is needed.
FEATURES BENEFITS

<2 sec Sensor Speed of Response Get back on-line in no time

Essentially drift free technology No calibration costs

5 Year Maintenance Free Minimal service expenditure

No reference gases required No consumables to purchase

Non-wetted sensor High H2S sour gas applications

Specific to water with no interference Confidence in your measurement

No hot permit required in field no waste of time, directly accessible

Customer Benefits/Advantages

Aurora offers customers a complete solution. Just connect a gas sample

and power and Aurora is up and running.
Many plants are cutting back on maintenance personnel. Aurora requires
no maintenance and provides continuous data with no need to send a
technician to take a grab sample. Time-based data is also automatically
recorded and archived 24x7.
Aurora alerts customers quickly when natural gas/Product is out of
compliance. When dehydration process upsets are corrected, • the amount
of time to get back online is minimal.
Applications
• Natural gas production and transportation
• Liquid extraction from natural gas
• LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas Production)
• Ethylene and Olefin Production
• Catalytic Reforming (H2 Recycle)
• Organic chemical feed stocks (liquids must be
vaporized)
• Metal Heat Treating
• CO2 Injection for enhanced oil recovery
 TDLAS Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
• Very fast response in both • Relatively expensive
directions. Dry to wet & wet • Must be calibrated using a
to dry· Non-contact. test gas with the same basic
• No sensing surface to major components of the
degrade due to exposure process gas
• High long-term stability • Measurement is made a
• No zero or span gases close to atmospheric
needed pressure.
• Based on fundamental
measurement
• Immune to glycol, H2S,
methanol and other
contaminants found in
natural gas.
GE Aurora – Global Installations + Customization + Local Support

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GE
Measurement & Control