LATEST NEWS
Online Service Procedures - Our Online Service procedures page contains online presentations on our most commonly requested user-service operations
PRESS RELEASES - news, updates and information
PR - Mercury in the Petrochemical Industry - Applications for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
PR - Measurement of Mercury in a Process Environment
PR - P S Analytical achieves ISO 9001:2000 and ATEX Certification
PR - P S Analytical Celebrates 25 Years of Excellence
PR - Validation of Method for Mercury in Potable Water
PR - P S Analytical Online Mercury in Natural Gas Analyser Achieves ATEX Certification
PR - Successful installations in South China Sea
PR - Leading the way in Environmental Analyses
ONLINE SERVICE PROCEDURES
P S Analytical is pleased to announce the launce of a new page dedicated to service. Our Online Service procedures page contains online presentations on our most commonly requested user-service operations. Designed to assist our users in carrying out basic in-house maintenance and service tasks to minimise downtime and ensure smoother running.
Visit our ONLINE SERVICE PROCEDURES page now.
Visit our page on THE MILLENNIUM MERLIN 1631 now.
Offering even lower levels of detection for Mercury.
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Click here to visit our Millennium Merlin 1631 page |
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Millennium Merlin 1631 - specifically designed for users of EPA 1631 - offering excellent levels of detection and reproducibility |
Applications for Control and Certification, utilising the power of Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry
P S Analytical stands at the forefront of technological developments for industries relating to the measurement of mercury. Recent inroads into instrumentation and applications have secured our position as the manufacturer of choice for the determination of mercury in petrochemical products for gaseous, liquid or solid matrices. The award of the ISO 9001:2000 standard and ATEX certification gives our clients confidence in our instrumentation, technical and chemical abilities, quality procedures and our commitment to R&D. Continuous R&D has led to the redesign of control electronics in much of our instrumentation to meet ROSH and WEEE directives and also the simplification of design and provision of additional operational features.
P S Analytical’s measurement systems are based on the PSA 10.525 Sir Galahad atomic fluorescence instrument. The Sir Galahad is a very flexible system, and using a combination of hardware and software, the PSA Research and Development team have been able to configure the Sir Galahad to accommodate a wide range of sample types. Natural Gas and Syn Gas (containing high levels of hydrogen sulphide) have been regularly measured in both online and offline applications.
By working closely with experienced engineers onsite and using PSA's scientific background the team has been able to overcome the difficulties and obtain a representative sample. The sampling manifolds have been designed so that the measurement cycle can be completely separated from the plant itself.
The installed systems incorporate specially designed sampling manifolds often linked to bypass loops, which are controlled by the PSA Sir Galahad and a process control software suite of programmes. One feature which enables reliable unattended operation is the ability of the process operator to run a sequence which continuously clears and prepares the system for the next measurement and significantly reduces the requirement for system shutdown for maintenance. Many of our systems installed worldwide have been operating continuously for several years since installation without shut-down. These systems operate around the clock to provide the production team with the data to reliably monitor the mercury levels in a safe and effective manner. Systems have been installed successfully in the UK, Bolivia, USA, Argentina, Tunisia and Thailand both onshore and on platforms. P S Analytical also provides instrumentation for a number of the major testing houses operating in this field around the world.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Measurement of Mercury in a Process Environment
Having recently celebrated 25 years of experience in analytical instrumentation, P S Analytical continues to focus its attention on providing analytical solutions for a wide customer base. Effective sampling remains the Achilles heel of measurement in many areas, in particular stack emissions and petrochemical laboratories. P S Analytical has devised effective sampling systems to provide reliable analytical measurements utilising its considerable knowledge both in the sampling area and also to meet the legislative aspects of the intended site so that the latest safety regulations are covered by the product developed. Standards often differ widely across the global economy and even multi-nationals do not seem to have a common standard for their worldwide operations.
P S Analytical’s online measurement systems have been recently extended to cover liquid hydrocarbons and crematoria exhausts. The reliability of these measurements can be validated continuously using the P S Analytical calibration device PSA Cavkit 10.536(1). The measurements from this device can be used both to calibrate the instrumentation and to check for interferences when difficult matrices are involved in the sampling profiles.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
(1) Andrew S Brown, Richard J C Brown, Warren T Corns and Peter B Stockwell, Analyst, 2008, 133, 946–953
P S Analytical achieves ISO 9001:2000 and ATEX Certification
Following an assessment by an independent body, P S Analytical has been awarded ISO 9001 certification. This certification has only been achieved by about 5% of UK businesses and this prestigious award is supported by the Government and recognised worldwide.
Said a delighted Prof Peter Stockwell “We have always been proud of the service we offer our clients and the way that we conduct our business. Now with the award of ISO 9001:2000 certification, this has been confirmed by outside experts who are used to judging standards on a daily basis in a wide variety of trades and industries”.
Danny Littlechild, who undertook the assessment for QMS Quality Management Systems, paid particular tribute to “the investment in people and training that enables P S Analytical to provide an efficient service to their customers”.
As part of its ongoing product development P S Analytical has also recently received the ATEX EC-Type certification permitting our online mercury measurement system for natural gas to be installed in Category 2 IIC T4 designated areas. The procedure used for the measurement of mercury by atomic fluorescence basically follow the ASTM 6350-98 (1) and ISO 6978-2 (2) procedure and the PSA 10.670 is specifically configured for the petrochemical industry. The system which has found widespread application is based upon the PSA Sir Galahad instrument and can be readily tailored to individual customer requirements specifically to handle natural gas and liquefied natural gas measurements. P S Analytical’s expertise allows measurements to be made at various stages of the process and also enables the user to control mercury removal techniques to enable the plant to provide products within the low levels of mercury in the material and to achieve a better sales price of that product.
Systems have been installed worldwide since 2001 and these have been operated on a continuous basis using P S Analytical proprietary calibration devices to keep the instrumentation fully calibrated and minimising operator intervention with the system.
Where clients are unsure if they have a requirement for continuous online system the PSA 10.537 PLDS can be used to carry out preliminary tests on the Hg levels. This system is suitable for use in hazardous areas and is the accepted industry standard for this type of measurement.
(1) ASTM: Designation D 6350-98, Standard Test Method for Mercury Sampling and Analysis in Natural Gas by Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy
(2) ISO 6978-2:2005, Natural gas. Determination of mercury. Sampling of mercury by amalgamation on gold/platinum alloy
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Establishing traceability for measurements of mercury vapour in air wins NPL and P S Analytical Researcher award
The following research has recently been published in The Analyst (2008, 133,946-953), the Royal Society of Chemistry's high-impact analytical science journal. This work has been recognized as one of the three most significant research papers in Environmental science by CITAC (the Cooperation on International Traceability in Analytical Chemistry) and is one of the recipients of the ‘2008 CITAC Award for the Most Important Paper on Metrology in Chemistry’. This award is made to “highlight remarkable papers in the field of Metrology in Chemistry because of their important scientific content.”
Mercury is a highly toxic and persistent pollutant found in ambient, indoor and workplace air. It is released into the environment from sources such as coal-burning power plants, crematoria and waste treatment processes.
The vast majority of mercury vapour measurements currently undertaken are ultimately traceable to the vapour pressure of mercury. This is given in the scientific literature by several different empirical equations, but the agreement between these is not good, with data from different equations sometimes differing by 5% or more. There is also no current international agreement on which is the best equation to use.
In order to solve this important measurement issue, scientists at NPL (National Physical Laboratory) have collaborated with P S Analytical (a UK-based company specialising in instrumentation for trace elemental analysis) to link mercury vapour measurements directly to standards of mass thereby establishing traceability for these measurements to the SI system of units. These measurements are therefore no longer dependent on mercury vapour empirical equations and, crucially, measurements carried out by different laboratories at different times using different equipment, can be compared with confidence.
These outputs from the research are of great importance to the environmental chemistry community, particularly those engaged in air quality determination, and have many applications. For example, the traceability can be applied to the UK heavy metals monitoring network, which is operated on behalf of Defra by NPL (see Environmental Measures Issue 4 - Winter 2007) and requires the measurement of the ambient mercury vapour concentration at 15 monitoring sites across the UK. Other applications include the measurement of mercury vapour in indoor and workplace air - this is a particularly important issue as indoor levels of mercury are generally greater than those outdoors, and typical exposure times are longer.
This research gives the UK an advantage in preparing for the introduction of new European ambient air legislation. For example, work is on-going to bring in a standardised automatic method for the analysis of mercury vapour in ambient air as a possible replacement for the manual method in use in the heavy metals monitoring network.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Addendum:
National Physical Laboratory(NPL) – The NPL is the UK's National Measurement Institute and is a world-leading centre of excellence in developing and applying the most accurate measurement standards, science and technology available. See www.npl.co.uk for further details
P S Analytical – Set up in 1983 P S Analytical are market leaders in the field of the monitoring and speciation of mercury, for further information visit our website at www.psanalytical.com
P S Analytical Celebrates 25 Years of Excellence
In 2008 P S Analytical celebrated its 25th anniversary as one of the leading suppliers of Instrumentation and Technology in the Environmental Market. P S Analytical is proud to be ISO 9001:2000 certified and to provide online systems which meet international standards.
P S Analytical specializes in the supply of instrumentation for ultra-low level determination and the speciation of environmentally important such as mercury, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium and bismuth, matrices and applications include water, soils, sludges, effluents and gases. PSA provides systems tailored for customer requirements with worldwide applications support, technical assistance and full-service back up.
PSA’s continuing research and development programme has led to major breakthroughs in many applications. PSA produces a range of process analytical instruments to measure mercury in fossil fuels, notably coal fired stack emissions and natural gas plants which offer systems capable of providing both measurement and control facilities. PSA has designed suitable sampling systems which present the sample to the measurement device and which are fully representative of the sample matrix. For both applications PSA developed a unique calibration system which is traceable to NIST standards. This not only enables the instrument to be checked periodically but also ensures the integrity of the sample to be validated.
As part of its ongoing product development P S Analytical has achieved ATEX EC-Type certification permitting our online mercury measurement system for natural gas to be installed in Category 2 IIC T4 designated areas. The procedure used for the measurement of mercury by atomic fluorescence follows the ASTM 6350-98 and ISO 6978-2 procedures and the PSA 10.670 is specifically configured for the petrochemical industry. The system which has found widespread application is based upon the PSA Sir Galahad instrument and can be readily tailored to individual customer requirements specifically to handle natural gas and liquefied natural gas measurements. P S Analytical’s expertise allows measurements to be made at various stages of the process and also enables the user to control mercury removal techniques to enable the plant to provide products within the low levels of mercury in the material and to achieve a better sales price of that product.
Systems have been installed worldwide since 2001 and these have been operated on a continuous basis using P S Analytical proprietary calibration devices to keep the instrumentation fully calibrated and minimizing operator intervention with the system. Where clients are unsure if they have a requirement for continuous online system the PSA 10.537 Pressure Let Down System can be used to carry out preliminary tests on the Hg levels. This system is suitable for use in hazardous areas and is the accepted industry standard for this type of measurement.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
P S Analytical Online Mercury in Natural Gas Analyser achieves ATEX certification
As part of its ongoing product development P S Analytical has recently received the ATEX EC-Type certification permitting our online mercury measurement system for natural gas to be installed in Category 2 IIC T4 designated areas. The procedure used for the measurement of mercury by atomic fluorescence basically follow the ASTM 6350-98 procedure and the PSA 10.670 is specifically configured for the petrochemical industry.
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The system which has found widespread application is based upon the PSA Sir Galahad instrument and can be readily tailored to individual customer requirements specifically to handle natural gas and liquefied measurements to be made at various stages of the process and also enables the user to control mercury removal techniques to enable to plant to provide products within the low levels of mercury in the material and to achieve a better sales price of that product. Systems have been installed worldwide since 2001 and these have been operated on a continuous basis using P S Analytical proprietary calibration devices to keep the instrumentation fully calibrated and minimising operator intervention with the system. Where clients are unsure if they have a requirement for continuous online system the PSA 10.537 PLD's can be used to carry out preliminary tests on the Hg levels. This system in suitable for use in hazardous areas and is the accepted industry standard for this type of measurement. |
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Validation of method for Mercury in Potable Water
ALcontrol
ALcontrol Laboratories is one of the UK's leading contract analysis companies, specialising in areas including the analysis of air, water, foodland and asbestos. The water group have been operational for more than 25 years and has developed and grown significantly in recent times. One areas that ALcontrol specialise in is the testing of environmental waters to meet very low detection limits for the water framework directive (WFD)
P S Analytical
P S Analytical is a UK manufacturing analytical instrument company, specialising in the analysis of mercury and the hydride elements in solid, liquid or gaseous matrices. P S Analytical provide both laboratory based and plant based equipment that offers ease of use along with high sensitivity plus ruggedness and reliability.
ALcontrol and P S Analytical have worked closely for more than 20 years and ALcontrol have multiple system installations at their testing centres, analysing waste waters, effluents and soils. Recently, Prof K C Thompson became concerned about the difficulties that ALcontrol was facing in meeting the detection limit required for environmental waters relating to the WFD. They has found that their method, using ICP/MS instrumentation did not provide the sensitivity required even with a separate mercury run on the ICP-MS using a significant amount of gold as a stabilisation agent.
Professor Thompson contacted Professor Stockwell (MD of P S Analytical) and asked about the use of the Millennium Merlin instrument for analysis of mercury in a very wide range of environmental waters. Professor Stockwell confirmed that the instrument is ideal for this application, giving excellent sensitivity (up to two orders of magnitude below the required limit of detection) and dynamic range (over 7 orders of magnitude). Additionally, it is very easy to use.
An agreement was reached whereby two systems were ordered just before Christmas 2006, with the senior management proviso that the equipment should be manufactured, delivered, installed, trained and validated before mid January 2007 (sounds like a 'tall order'!).
Everyone in ALcontrol and P S Analytical was committed to this deadline, the system was delivered and installed on the 29th December and the ALcontrol chemists set about the task of validating the system. They achieved validation in just less than two weeks from the system installation and are now using the instrument routinely for the analysis of mercury in environmental water samples.
Pat Cummings, Department Manager at ALcontrol, commented; 'we have worked with a very wide range of analytical instruments over the years but I have never know an instrument that could be set up and operated to provide validation in such a short time, especially when you consider the level of detection that is being achieved'.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Mercury in the Petrochemical Industry - Applications for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
For many years P S Analytical has been at the forefront of developments relating to the measurement of mercury in the Petrochemical Industry
P S Analytical's measurement systems are based on the PSA 10.525 Sir Galahad atomic fluorescence instrument. The Sir Galahad is a very flexible system, and using a combination of hardware and software, the PSA Research and Development team have been able to configure the Sir Galahad to accommodate a wide range of sample types. Natural Gas and Syn Gas (containing high levels of hydrogen sulphide) have been regularly measured in both online and offline applications. Recently we have worked with a commercial company to provide a unique measurement system for liquefied natural gas. A fully automated system for the application has been operational for a number of years providing vitl data to control the function of the plant. The Sir Galahad was developed with the Petrochemical industry in mind. Initially working with the Institute Français du Petrold (IFP) methods were developed to provide reliable measurements in natural gas streams. P S Analytical and the IFP have been providing analytical expertise in this area since that time.
Our continuous research and development programme has provided a number of developments which have resulted in the ability to provide both online and offline measurement systems to determine the mercury levels in petrochemicals. P S Analytical has worked with leading academic and commercial groups to resolve issues relating to sampling and the provision of accurate methods. Sampling representative aliquots of the gas, often at high pressures or liquefied natural gas are the major problems; P S Analytical has developed a reproducible sampling strategy that provides continuous online measurement of a number of sample streams both before and after mercury removal systems.
By working closely with experienced engineers onsite and using PSA's scientific background the team has been able to overcome the difficulties and obtain a representative sample. The sampling manifolds have been designed so that the measurement cycle can be completely separated from the plant itself. They are manufactured to conform to the latest international standards such as ATEC and Cenelac standards (equivalent to North America DIV 1, Class 1, Gas Group A&B). The stainless steel enclosures meet IP65 requirements and the complete system was manufactured to ISO 9001 Quality System standards.
The installed systems incorporate a specially designed sampling manifold linked to bypass loops, which is controlled by the PSA Sir Galahad and a process control software suite of programmes. These systems operate around the clock to provide the production team with the data to reliably monitor the mercury levels in a safe and effective manner. Systems have been installed successfully in the UK, Bolivia, Tunisia and Thailand both onshore and on platforms. P S Analytical also provides the instrumentation of choice for a number of the major testing houses operating in this field around the world.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form.
Successful installations in South China Sea
P S Analytical has successfully installed two fully working Natural Gas analysers at PPT Exploration and Production Public Co Ltd in onshore and offshore applications.
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The PSA 10.525 suitable for remote and on-line sampling |
Working with the client P S Analytical has specifically configures speed loop sampling system to sample the Natural gas streams at appropriate parts so that the levels of measuring can be reliably measured.
Systems have been installed to meet the safety requirements by P S Analytical working with our Thai distributor company Bang Trading.
The speed loops are coupled to the P S Analytical Sir Galahad Natural Gas measurement systems. The technology follows the ISO6978 procedures and is able to provide unique measurement of mercury on a 5 minute cycle time. P S Analytical Cavkit calibration device allows the instruments performance to be checked on a continuous basis and also to validate the integrity of the measurement by introducing calibration gas at the entrance to the speed loop configuration. This valuable tool enables the customer to quickly gain confidence in the measurements. P S Analytical skilled operators were able to install the system to cater for specific site conditions, i.e. particularly wet gas and set instrument running on a 24 hr basis.
The technology developed for this process has been developed by P S Analytical for BP Amoco Anschutz and Painter plants in Wyoming where systems have been operating reliable 24 hrs per day since installation in 2000. Visit our Customer Stories page for more details...
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
Leading the way in Environmental Analysis
With over two decades experience in the environmental analysis, P S Analytical provides instrumentation for the determination and speciation of mercury in Industrial, Chemical and Petrochemical applications.
Meeting (and indeed exceeding requirements for) worldwide legislation and methodologies including EPA methods 245.7, 1631 and 7474, ASTM 6350, ISO 6978 (pts 1, 2 & 3) and ISO/CEN 13506, PSA offers reliable and sensitive equipment with the back up of specialized applications group. Systems are either supplied in standard configuration or tailored to individual customer requirements.
Our on-going R&D programme is constantly developing instrumentation to meet new challenges. With a team of experts available to discuss particular applications, matrices and requirements, we pride ourselves on our ability to solve complex and challenging analytical applications, tailoring methodology and systems directly for our customers.
Recent applications have included design projects for international Petrochemical companies to enable them to successfully monitor and control the mercury levels in Natural Gas and liquefied Natural Gas applications.
Whilst mercury measurements form the core of PSA's business we also have considerable expertise in the measurement and speciation of arsenic, selenium and antimony.
For further information contact us via the Information Request Form
