Industry’s First Transmitter-Style Gas Chromatograph Measures Both Sulfur and Natural Gas Energy in One Analyzer

Emerson’s Rosemount 700XA gas chromatograph reduces costs by as much as 50% and footprint by as much as 40% for natural gas applications

​SHAKOPEE, Minn. (September 8, 2020) – Emerson today introduced the Rosemount™ 700XA (GC), the industry’s first single-analyzer solution to provide measurement of sulfur compounds as well as energy content of natural gas, delivering a cost-effective approach to meet gas quality and heating value requirements for pipeline distribution, processing of liquified natural gas (LNG), mixed and high-purity natural gas liquids (NGLs), as well as international LNG commerce. It also satisfies operational and safety standards that protect pipelines, processing facilities, distribution systems and workers using a single, compact, transmitter-style GC.

While previous generations of gas chromatographs have required the purchase of separate analyzers for sulfur measurement and heating value analysis, the new Rosemount 700XA gas chromatograph is equipped with a micro flame photometric detector (FPD) allowing customers to reduce initial equipment cost by as much as 50% and footprint requirements by up to 40%.

The field-mountable and transmitter-type configuration of the Rosemount 700XA makes it a far more flexible gas chromatograph because it allows close-to-tap mounting, reducing sample lines and delivering faster response. In addition, the 700XA is a Class 1, Division 1, explosion-proof, ATEX/IECEX safety-rated analyzer, eliminating instrument air requirements for purging or the need for additional protection. This enhances the analyzer’s safety profile and allows it to fit in challenging, space-constrained environments without costly infrastructure, delivering significant installation and operational savings.

“It is critical to measure hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other mercaptans to meet quality specifications in natural gas purity applications, protect pipelines from corrosion and meet contractual agreements. Any uncontrolled variance can have costly impacts for the suppliers and processing plants, including shutdowns,” said Asad Tahir, product management director for Rosemount gas chromatographs at Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “Using traditional H2S analyzers that rely on lead acetate tape with mechanical systems and short-lived sensors require a great deal of maintenance, cost and proper handling of lead. In addition, needing two standalone analyzers to measure the sulfur and provide heating value analysis separately is a wasteful strategy for operators. That’s why Emerson is providing customers with what they need – a single, compact, cost-effective solution that measures both.”

The Rosemount 700XA GC is not only a practical solution to hydrogen sulfide and energy content measurement, it can also provide hydrocarbon dew point calculations for accurate energy content reporting in two-phase gas flow streams, as well as deliver speciation and quantification of total sulfur compounds to trace levels. This allows operators to replace up to four analyzers with one gas chromatograph in specific applications, simplifying the scope of analyzers and reducing overall cost and footprint.

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