Precise pH measurements in the Lab.

High precision pH, conductivity, ion concentration and DO₂ measurements.

NineFocus™ is a new high-performance, multiparameter benchtop meter system from Mettler Toledo. Designed for laboratories and near-production, it measures pH, conductivity, ion concentration, and dissolved oxygen with compelling precision. It is at its best with the smart InLab® DES® digital sensors with diagnostic capabilities.

Designed to meet common laboratory demands, the new multiparameter measurement system focuses on boosting productivity, reducing operational costs, and delivering consistent, accurate results. It offers a modular design, emphasizes intuitive operation, and supports regulatory compliance. Together with the guided troubleshooting of the InLab DES digital sensors, this power duo raises the bar for exceptional measurement performance.

• Designed to evolve: The built-in digital module measures up to four parameters, which means that for a different application, no new meter is required, only a sensor. That makes it easy to turn a pH meter into a conductivity meter, for example. The meter's productivity can be expanded with additional modules to measure up to four parameters either simultaneously or in a custom sequence. By adding an analog module, NineFocus becomes fully compatible with analog sensors (e.g. InLab ISM).
• Fast Problem Solving: The diagnostic capability of the InLab DES digital sensors monitors the sensor condition, provides step-by-step troubleshooting guidance on the meter, facilitates preventive maintenance, and helps prevent premature sensor replacement.
• Data Integrity: The fully flexible user management of NineFocus enables to tailor user groups to suit any need or situation and protects settings from unwanted changes with access control based on job roles and user-specific passwords, thus supporting compliance with regulations and industry standards.
• Simple Operation: The OneClick™ user interface allows operators to launch custom shortcuts for even the most complex workflows instantly with a single click on the home screen to save time, minimize errors, and enhance overall workflow efficiency. Supporting 14 languages, it ensures fast local adoption and helps prevent misunderstandings or mistakes.
• Flexible Footprint on the Bench: NineFocus is not tied to a fixed location but offers versatile placement options, allowing the terminal to be positioned wherever it is most convenient and comfortable —in front of the meter, on top of it, freely on the bench, or mounted on the EasyPlace™ electrode arm. With various cable lengths, the system can be operated safely even under a fume hood.
• Resilient: The meter's IP52 rating guarantees protection of its internal components against harmful dust ingress and water drips. The connector compartment keeps the connectors safe and prevents corrosion from exposure to liquids. With a protective cover, the control terminal is protected from dust, dirt, or fluids such as aggressive chemicals.
• Flexible Automation*: The new NineFocus measurement system offers flexible integration with the InMotion™ autosampler to increase efficiency in the lab. Its capability for automated calibration, verification, and measurement of over 300 samples significantly boosts productivity while minimizing errors. It is supported with instrument software version 2.0.0
• Full Compliance Support: NineFocus offers automatic data transfer to a PC or LabX software, ensuring accurate transcription and seamless compliance with industry regulatory standards such as CFR 21 Part 11, and ALCOA++, which is vital for any pH meter with data logging capabilities.
• Sustainable Investment: The InLab DES sensors enhance sustainability and reduce material waste due to their detachable Signal Bridge, which hosts the measurement electronics. This means that only the sensor shaft needs replacement at the end of its lifecycle, while the Signal Bridge – which is compatible with different sensor models within the same parameter - can be reused. And while the sensor cable is detachable for different workplace setups, really only one cable is needed for all sensors.

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@mettlertoledo @MasonTechnology #Laboratory #Analysis

Digital dissolved oxygen sensor.

Long sensor life without signal degradation and supports connectivity with a multitude of host control systems. 

The release of the Rosemount™ 490A Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor has been announced by Emerson. This is a digital Modbus-enabled measurement device designed to enhance operational flexibility, simplify installation and reduce maintenance costs across many industrial applications in the water/wastewater treatment, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, food and beverage processing, and steam power generation industries.

Most dissolved oxygen probes for industrial applications are made for installation in specific and relatively benign conditions. These sensors are often only capable of communicating process values via analogue signals to control systems, and they require frequent calibration to maintain accuracy and avoid sensor drift.

To address these and other issues, the Rosemount 490A provides reliable and accurate dissolved oxygen measurements in demanding environments, while simplifying integration into existing control systems with digital and universal Modbus RTU communication via an accompanying transmitter. In addition to producing accurate readings within just 90 seconds of transition from dry to wet conditions, this versatile sensor is capable of measuring process media in both liquid and gas phases, without requiring separate calibrations.

The Rosemount 490A employs Environmental Protection Agency-approved luminescence-quenching technology, eliminating the need for electrolyte refills to significantly reduce maintenance requirements compared to traditional amperometric sensors. Its two-year sensing cap lifespan further minimises downtime and associated costs, and it can be calibrated in free air.

Additionally, the chemically resistant IP68-rated design ensures reliable performance in challenging environments. Its small form factor, coupled with forward and rear facing 1-inch NPT threaded connections, simplifies installation in a variety of settings.

Unlike amperometric sensors, the 490A uses an optical sensor, which does not consume oxygen or require water flow for accurate measurements. Furthermore, versatile guard cap options provide weighted orientation, anti-fouling protection, and air blast cleaning, catering to a wide breadth of applications.

The sensor is accurate to ±0.1 milligram per litre (0 to 20 mg/L) and ±2% (20 to 60 mg/L), ensuring precise monitoring and control of dissolved oxygen levels. It seamlessly pairs with the Rosemount 1058 digital transmitter, which provides a diverse range of measurement signals for compatibility with numerous host control systems.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Pharma #Utilities

Instrumentation confidence underpins power station performance.

The attached case study explains how VPI has chosen Swan instrumentation that delivers the accuracy and reliability levels that they need at their power stations.

Steam and water quality analysis performs a critical role in the protection of power plants from corrosion and deposition in the water steam cycle. This is because very small changes in water and steam quality have the potential to impact the performance of the entire power station and cause hugely expensive outages. The cost of monitoring equipment is therefore negligible in comparison with the potential costs of failure to manage water and steam quality effectively, so power plant chemists are constantly seeking accuracy and reliability in their instrumentation.

VPI Rye House Power Station

“Our main driver is to always ensure good feedwater quality, free from corrosive species,” explains power station chemist Adrian Bailey from VPI. “To achieve that goal, we need instruments that can deliver the highest performance levels continuously 24/7, 365 days of the year. For that reason, having tried most of the monitors on the market, we have gradually migrated almost all the water quality monitors at our five UK locations to Swan Analytical instruments.”
(These locations include Damhead Creek in Kent, Shoreham in West Sussex, Blackburn in Lancashire, Rye House in Hertfordshire, and Immingham in Lincolnshire.)

In addition to risk reduction, water quality monitoring also enhances process efficiency, protects plant longevity and availability, and helps ensure compliance with environmental permits.

Background.
Various forms of corrosion can affect the metallic surfaces within the internal components of power plants. Corrosion is an electrochemical process, and any build-up of dissolved contaminants such as chlorides, sulphates or other detrimental species could strongly enhance the risk of corrosion such as pitting, flow accelerated corrosion and stress corrosion cracking. This risk is amplified where high temperatures accelerate the corrosion process. Low pH-values in combination with turbulent flow conditions can cause flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC), which is known to be very fast, destructive, and continues to be one of the main root causes of boiler tube failures. Power plant water steam cycle chemistry is therefore focused on minimizing corrosion rates as much as possible, as well as avoiding specific forms of corrosion such as FAC. Mitigating plant corrosion is primarily achieved by continuously monitoring specific conductivity, as well as conductivity after cation exchange (CACE), degassed CACE, pH, dissolved oxygen and where required silica and sodium analysis.

Water quality monitoring at VPI power stations.
VPI is one of the leading Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) operators in Britain, with assets capable of generating 3.3GW of power; sufficient for around 3 million homes. The company is committed to being part of the island's pathway to Net Zero, and in the short-term this means investing in its existing plant to protect the reliability of the national power supply during turbulent times in the energy sector.

Adrian Bailey says: “The efficient operation of our existing portfolio represents a significant challenge because most power stations were designed to operate continuously, rather than the stop-start regime that is required by today’s rapidly fluctuating supply and demand energy market; a situation which can increase potential corrosion risks.”

In order to minimise corrosion, all of VPI’s plants dose condensate/feedwater with ammonia or amine blends to establish a specific alkaline pH. However, these alkalising agents could potentially mask the presence of low-level contaminants, so in addition to continuous measurements of pH and specific conductivity, VPI’s plants also monitor underlying conductivity with Swan’s AMI CACE, ‘Conductivity after Cation Exchange’ (CACE) instrument, which removes the ammonia from samples and changes contaminants into their acid form to amplify their conductivity, and thereby enable early detection.

Dissolved gases, such as carbon dioxide, can also mask the presence of low-level contaminants by contributing to the CACE value. The VPI plants therefore also use Swan instruments to monitor degassed CACE continuously. Differential analysis of CACE and degassed CACE indicate whether an elevated cation conductivity value is due to the presence of carbon dioxide or more corrosive ions such as chloride and sulphate.

In addition to conductivity and pH, VPI also employs Swan analysers to monitor trace amounts of dissolved oxygen, silica, and sodium, as well as turbidity which is used for trend monitoring for particulate corrosion products.

Why this supplier?
Swan conductivity and pH analysers were first installed at Rye House power station around 2007, and the first Swan silica analyser was installed at Damhead around 2009. “At that time, there was no common policy for instrumentation, and each power station was running different analysers,” comments Adrian Bailey. “This meant that service and maintenance procedures varied considerably, and the availability of spares and consumables was more complicated. However, the early Swan analysers performed extremely well, so we have gradually migrated almost all of our instruments, at all of the sites, to Swan.”

Explaining the decision to adopt Swan as their preferred instrumentation supplier, Adrian says: “The most important feature of an instrument is the confidence that it inspires in its operators, and this is where Swan led the field. We routinely take grab samples for laboratory analysis to check the accuracy and reliability of the monitors, and this data clearly demonstrated the superiority of the Swan instruments and gave us the confidence to roll them out more widely.

“The amount of time spent on instrument maintenance is also a key issue, and one in which Swan excels. With high levels of reliability and low maintenance requirements, we have found their instruments to be simple to operate; the menus are easy to follow, without the necessity to memorise the manual, which means that the requirement for operator training is minimal.

“Occasionally, we need to utilise Swan’s technical support, and again we have found this to be exemplary; their staff are highly experienced and knowledgeable, so they are able to respond quickly to our requests.”

Summarising, Swan Power Product Specialist, Chris Mead says: “Obviously, we are very pleased that the performance of the Swan instrumentation has provided VPI with the confidence to use them almost exclusively across their facilities. This has helped them to future-proof their plants as they help the UK on its path to Net-Zero.

“The recent installations at Shoreham, Damhead and Immingham are great examples of the benefits that can be gained from installing a complete instrumentation package from Swan. Our monitors are factory-calibrated and pre-mounted on sample panels, making them easier to install and integrate, and with a single source of low-maintenance instruments the cost of ownership is significantly lower.

“However, the costs associated with the purchase and operation of Swan instruments is negligible in comparison with the potential cost implications of plant failure or asset downtime, so we believe that whilst we supply instruments, what we deliver is peace of mind.”

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@_Enviro_News @swan_usa #PAuto #Power #Britain

Sensors for single use bioreactors.

Emerson’s Rosemount™ 550pH sensor and Rosemount 550DW dissolved oxygen sensor adapter meet the needs of the rapidly growing biopharmaceutical single-use market

The anticipated rapid shift in the life sciences arena from traditional stainless steel bioreactors to new, disposable gamma-irradiated plastic bags used for single-batch processing, has been delayed by the problem of finding reliable, efficient sensors required for vital liquid analysis. Now, Emerson has applied its deep sensor expertise to the creation of new single-use sensor technology, that provides up to 10 times greater sensor stability, reducing risk in process quality and yield for biopharmaceutical manufacturers. The new sensor technology also speeds time-to-market through shortened start-up time, greater ease-of-use and low maintenance.

The new Rosemount™ 550pH single-use sensor and the Rosemount 550DW dissolved oxygen single-use sensor adapter are designed to deliver the same proven stability and performance as Emerson’s stainless steel sensors. The Rosemount 550pH sensor offers the unique capability of being stored wet for immediate verification and standardisation, eliminating the initial stabilisation process, which can generally slow start-up by 30 minutes to two hours.

The life sciences industry is in a transformational period, adjusting to new trends and influences. As the number of blockbuster drugs decreases, many facilities are transitioning from dedicated to multi-product manufacturing facilities, requiring shorter production runs, with faster changeovers. At the same time, many unit operations are switching from stainless steel batch to single-use continuous production, which requires smaller equipment and more flexibility for product changeovers. Responding to these trends puts pressure on plant design, equipment set-up, and utilisation to enable more flexible and faster production. The new Emerson single-use sensor technology responds to this market demand.

“Both end users and bioreactor equipment manufacturers are anxious to take advantage of the cost and quality benefits of single-use biopharmaceutical processing, including a smaller manufacturing footprint, fewer cleaning chemicals, less energy usage and more flexibility in a facility for producing multiple products. However, to achieve those benefits they can’t accept any compromises in the liquid analytical instrumentation that is inserted into the bioreactors,” said Michael Francis, global product manager, Emerson Automation Solutions. “Emerson engineers have designed our new single-use sensors to perform as well as or better than those used in stainless steel bioreactors. Wherever possible, we’ve maintained our industry-standard designs, so that users and OEMs need no additional training to be up and running. At the same time, we’ve added features, like the wet storage, that overcome challenges that have been plaguing single-use processing since its advent. Our customers spoke, and we listened.”

The new Rosemount 550pH sensor is an electrochemical, fully disposable device with sensor stability of less than 0.005 pH change per day, verified by extensive testing. In a field marked by unstable sensors, the Rosemount 550pH sensor provides up to 10 times enhanced stability and requires no maintenance or calibration after initial one-point standardisation.

Since the Rosemount 550pH sensor is stored wet, it overcomes the problem of inserting a dry sensor into the single-use bioreactor, only to discover it’s not working properly and having to discard the entire processing unit to start again. The new sensor is packaged with its own calibration fluid, giving it a two-year shelf life. Wet, one-point standardisation before start-up means that the sensor’s characteristics and functionality are verified before any solutions or buffers are added to the bioreactor bag. It also means that the verified sensor begins measuring immediately after being introduced into the bag with no extensive wait time, thus reducing overall processing time and time to market.

The new Rosemount 550DW dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor adapter is compatible with standard stainless-steel DO sensors and enables placement into the bioreactor single-use bag. Only the gamma-irradiated adapter touches the process solution, meaning the sensor can be reused for multiple batches. The sensor can be air-calibrated prior to start-up to verify functionality, with no fill product needed in the bioreactor.

Both instruments operate with the advanced Rosemount liquid analytical 56 transmitter, known for its intuitive ease-of-use. In addition, the new sensor technologies and the Rosemount 56 transmitter are fully compatible with the Emerson DeltaV™ control system, which is widely used in the life sciences industry.

Francis added: “Emerson has delivered the level of sensor performance demanded by biopharmaceutical processing users in a single-use design that is efficient, highly stable, easy to use and cost-effective.”

 @EMR_Automation  #PAuto  @HHC_Lewis 

New portable water quality profilers

Xylem Analytics has announced the launch of a new range of portable multiparameter water quality meters that have been designed for spot measurements and profiling of pH, ORP, conductivity, temperature, depth and optical dissolved oxygen, in both marine and freshwater applications.

The new WTW MPP 900 IDS Multiparameter Sondes are able to take measurements at depths of up to 100m because of the IDS (intelligent digital sensors) technology which means that sensor output is converted to a digital signal within the sensors, so that data can be transmitted for longer distances without interference.

A further advantage of the IDS technology is that each sensor has its own identity which is recognised immediately by the meter when connected. In addition, calibration history is stored in the sensor which helps to further reduce any potential for error, and enables users to quickly switch sensors when necessary. Reinforced cables are available in lengths between 1.5m and 100m.

There are two versions of the new meter, both with a built-in depth sensor. The MPP 910 IDS has a single sensor port and the MPP 930 IDS has three sensor ports. All sensors also measure temperature and are used with the rugged Multi 3430 handheld meter.

Sales and Marketing Director Darren Hanson says: “The MPP900 instruments are an exciting addition to the range of portable water quality monitors offered by Xylem Analytics; with a built-in depth monitor and digital sensors the MPP900 is ideal for limnology and represents a lower cost alternative to the EXO multiparameter water quality logging sondes.”

DO2 in Thames waste!

Analytical Technology  has been awarded a new three-year framework agreement by Thames Water, seeing off eight competitors during the bid process. The new agreement will see Analytical Technology installing its optical dissolved oxygen monitors across multiple Thames Water wastewater treatment works in order to improve process control. This new framework builds on the existing relationship between the organisations and demonstrates Analytical Technology’s commitment to servicing the British water industry.

During the bid, which involved nine competitive instrumentation providers, Thames Water was impressed by Analytical Technology’s Q45D-ODO monitor’s capability as well as the commercial services offered by the vendor. Analytical Technology was required to meet a rigorous vendor assessment standard which showed that the company had provided excellent customer support for their disinfection monitors already installed within Thames Water. Analytical Technology also demonstrated capital cost savings as well as project and whole-life savings, which will be achieved through lower maintenance and reduced cost for spares.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one of the most critical parameters in the activated sludge process and tighter consent targets now mean that utility companies including Thames Water need to review instrumentation to ensure that all wastewater treatment works are fully compliant. Analytical Technology’s optical dissolved oxygen monitor has been designed to provide reliable DO control while keeping maintenance to a minimum. The monitor is based on fluorescence quenching technology and provides continuous monitoring with virtually no servicing required.

Conventional oxygen sensors are often affected by process coating and any material that slows the diffusion of oxygen into the reaction cell will cause an error in the oxygen reading. Unlike traditional dissolved oxygen monitors, Analytical Technology’s Q45D-ODO contains an Auto-Clean function which generates a series of high pressure air blasts to remove contaminants from the face of the sensor and eliminate errors caused by fouling. The Q45D-ODO’s Auto-Clean capability will enable Thames Water to achieve continuous and reliable DO measurement without the risk of sensor fouling.

Garry Tabor, Sales Director at Analytical Technology, comments: “Dissolved oxygen monitoring is an essential process for water utility companies such as Thames Water. Analytical Technology supplies all Thames Water disinfection monitors, and its proven supply record over the years of the successful partnership means this new agreement reinforces our strong position as leading instrumentation providers within the UK water industry.”