Objectives:

o To know what is flue gas

o To be able to determine and understand the importance of flue gas.

o To acquire knowledge about flue gas using the working principle of

Orsat apparatus.

Materials and Equipment:

1. Orsat’s apparatus

2. A burette

3. A gas cleaner

4. Four absorption pipettes 1, 2, 3, 4.

5. Sample flue gas

Introduction:
The combustion products are mainly gaseous. When a sample is taken for analysis, it is

usually cooled down to a temperature, which is below the saturation temperature of the

steam present. The steam content is therefore not included in the analysis, which is then

quote as the analysis of the dry products. Since the products are gaseous, it is usual to

quote the analysis by volume. An analysis, which includes the steam in the exhaust, is

call a wet analysis.

An Orsat gas analyzer is a piece of laboratory equipment used to analyze a gas sample

(typically fossil fuel flue gas) for its oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and
nitrogen content. Although largely replaced by instrumental techniques, the Orsat

remains a reliable method of measurement and is relatively simple to use.

Experimental set up:

The pipettes are interconnect by means of a manifold fitted with cocks S1, S2, S3 and S4

and contain different chemicals to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO)

and oxygen (O2). Each pipette is also fitted with a number of small glass tubes, which

provide a greater amount of surface. These tubes is wet by the absorbing agents and are

expose to the gas under analysis. The measuring burette is surround by a water jacket to

prevent, changes in temperature and density of the gas. The pipettes 1, 2, 3, 4 contain the

following chemicals:

Pipette 1: Contains ‘KOH’ (caustic soda) to absorb CO2 (carbon dioxide)

Pipette 2: Contains an alkaline solution of ‘pyrogallic acid’ to absorb O2 (oxygen)

Pipette 3 & 4: Contain an acid solution of ‘cuprous chloride’ to absorb CO (carbon

monoxide)

Furthermore, the apparatus has a levelling bottle and a three-way cock to connect the

apparatus either to gases or to atmosphere.

Procedure:
1. Place the 100 cm3 of gas whose analysis to be made is drawn into the bottle by lowering the

levelling bottle.

2. Open the stopcock S4, and the whole flue gas is forced to pipette 1. The gas remains in this

pipette for sometimes and most of the carbon dioxide is absorbed.

3. Lower the levelling bottle to allow the chemical to come to its original level. The volume of

gas will absorbed and read on the scale of the measuring bottle.

4. Force the flue gas through the pipette 1 for a number of times to ensure that the whole of the

CO2 is absorb.
5. Further, the remaining flue gas is then force to the pipette 2, which contains pyrogallic acid to

absorb whole of O2. The reading on the measuring burette will be the sum of volume of C2 and

O2. The oxygen content can found out by subtraction.

6. Finally, the remaining sample of gas is force through the pipettes 3 and 4 to absorb carbon

monoxide completely. The amount of nitrogen in the sample can be determined by subtracting

from total volume of gas the sum of CO2, CO and O2 contents.

Orsat apparatus gives an analysis of the dry products of combustion. Steps may take to remove

the steam from the sample by condensing, but as the sample is collect over water, it become

saturate with water. The resulting analysis is Thermodynamics nevertheless a true analysis of the

dry products. This is because the volume readings are taken at a constant temperature and

pressure, and the partial pressure of the vapour is constant. This means that the sum of the partial

pressures of the remaining constituents is constant. The vapour then occupies the same proportion

of the total volume at each measurement. Hence, the vapour does not affect the result of the

analysis.

Note:

Quantitatively the dry product analysis can be used to calculate A/F ratio. This method

of obtaining the A/F ratio is not so reliable as direct measurement of air consumption and

fuel consumption of the engine. More caution is required when analyzing the products of

consumption of a solid fuel since some of the products do not appear in the flue gases

(e.g. ash and unburnt carbon). The residual solid must be analyze as well in order to

determine the carbon content, if any. With an engine, using petrol or diesel fuel the

exhaust may include unburnt particles of carbon and this quantity will not appear in the

analysis. The exhaust from internal combustion engines may contain also some CH4

and H2 due to
incomplete combustion. Another piece of equipment called the Heldane apparatus

measures the CH4 content as well as CO2, O2 and CO.

Questions:

1. What is wet analysis and dry analysis and its difference?

 Quantitatively the dry analysis and wet analysis is used to calculate A/F ratio, the method
dry analysis don’t include the steam content and it said to be not so reliable in direct
measurement of air consumption and fuel consumption of the engine. On the other hand, the
wet analysis includes the steam in the exhaust which is widely used in determining the major
components with high accuracy and precision and in checking the accuracy of standard
specimens and reagents for instrument analysis.

2. Explain working procedure and construction of Orsat apparatus with neat sketch.
CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE:

 Consists of a water-jacketed measuring burette, connected in series to a set of

three absorption bulbs, each through a stop-cock.
 The other end is provided with a three-way stopcock, the free end of which is
further connected to a U-tube packed with glass wool.
 The graduated burette is surrounded by a water-jacket to keep the temperature of
the gas constant during the experiment.
 The lower end of the burette is connected to a water reservoir by means of a long
rubber tubing.
 The absorption bulbs are usually filled with glass tubes, so that the surface area of
contact between the gas and the solution is increased.
 The absorption bulbs have solutions for the absorption of CO2, O2 and CO
respectively.
 First bulb has ‘potassium hydroxide’ solution (250g KOH in 500mL of boiled
distilled water), and it absorbs only CO2.
 Second bulb has a solution of ‘alkaline pyrogallic acid’ (25g pyrogallic
acid+200g KOH in 500 mL of distilled water) and it can absorb CO2 and O2.
 Third bulb contains ‘ammoniacal cuprous chloride’ (100g cuprous chloride + 125
mL liquor ammonia+375 mL of water) and it can absorb CO2, O2 and CO.
 Hence, it is necessary that the flue gas is passed first through potassium hydroxide
bulb, where CO2 is absorbed, then through alkaline pyrogallic acid bulb, when
only O2 will be absorbed (because CO2 has already been removed) and finally
through ammoniacal cuprous chloride bulb, where only CO will be absorbed.
WORKING PROCEDURE:
STEP 1:
 The whole apparatus is thoroughly cleaned,
stoppers greased and then tested for air-tightness.
 The absorption bulbs are filled with their respective
solutions to level just below their rubber
connections.
 Their stop-cocks are then closed. The jacket and
levelling reservoir are filled with water. The three-
way stop-cock is opened to the atmosphere and
reservoir is raised, till the burette is completely
filled with water and air is excluded from the
burette.
 The three-way stop-cock is now connected to the
flue gas supply and the reservoir is lowered to draw
in the gas, to be analyzed, in the burette.
 the sample gas mixed with some air is present in
the apparatus. So the three-way stop-cock is opened
to the atmosphere, and the gas expelled out by
raising the reservoir.
 This process of sucking and exhausting of gas is
repeated 3-4 times, so as to expel the air from the
capillary connecting tubes, etc.
 Finally, gas is sucked in the burette and the volume
of the flue gas is adjusted to 100 mL at atmospheric
pressure.
 For adjusting final volume, the three-way stop-cock
is opened to atmosphere and the reservoir is
carefully raised, till the level of water in it is the
same as in the burette, which stands at 100 mL
mark.
 The three-way stop-cock is then closed.
STEP 2:
 The stopper of the absorption bulb, containing
caustic potash solution, is opened and all the gas
is forced into this bulb by raising the water
reservoir.
 The gas is again sent to the burette.
 This process is repeated several times to ensure
complete absorption of CO2
 The unabsorbed gas is finally taken back to the
burette, till the level of solution in the CO2
absorption bulb stands at the constant mark and
then, its stop-cock is closed.
 The levels of water in the burette and reservoir
are equalized and the volume of residual gas is
noted.
 The decrease in volume-gives the volume of
CO2 in 100 mL of the flue gas sample.
STEP 3:
 The volumes of O2 and CO are similarly
determined by passing the remaining gas
through alkaline pyrogallic acid bulb and
ammoniacal cuprous chloride bulb respectively.
 The gas remaining in burette after absorption of
CO2, O2 and CO is taken as nitrogen.

Discussion:
Analysis of flue gas sample using apparatus like this ORSAT is needed for us to
determine whether the combustion is complete or incomplete, we could say that it is
complete when CO2 is released and if it releases a considerable amount of Carbon
Monoxide it is incomplete. We could also obtain the data about its amount of oxygen that
indicates the oxygen supply is in excess. Identifying those facts could help us to have the
proper control on combustion process. By also doing this analysis it could help us being
aware if we are maintaining the compliance with local emissions regulations on the release of pollutants
that would be dangerous to humans and our environmental. And will also give you an indication of
whether or not you are achieving maximum possible carbon combustion in your fuel.