Coal Gasification Application Summary Prima PRO .

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COAL GASIFICATION APPLICATION SUMMARY

1. PRIMA PRO ANALYTICAL SPECIFICATION
The instrument will be used for the analysis of the following components:-

H2
CH4
NH3
H2O
CO
N2
C2H4
C2H6
O2
H2S
Ar
CO2
C6H6
C7H8
C8H10
Calorific value

Unit

Typical
concentration

%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol
%mol

11.07
3.991
0.005
3.409
17.547
47.268
1.554
0.070
0.001
0.003
0.541
14.379
0.005
0.005
0.005

Precision at
typical
concentration
0.01
0.004
0.002
0.02
0.05
0.05
0.005
0.0008
0.0005
0.0002
0.001
0.02
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.3% rel.

The analysis is on a normalized basis, i.e. the individual reported component concentrations are adjusted, so that
their sum equals 100%. Analysis time is 30 seconds.
Precision is demonstrated using calibration gas 1 over 8 hours.

11.0
4

Precision (St Dev)

%mol
0.01
0.004

17.5
50.55
1.5
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.55
14.5
0.005
0.005
0.005

0.05
0.05
0.005
0.0008
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.02
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002

Cal bottle #1
H2
CH4
NH3
H2O
CO
N2
C2H4
C2H6
O2
H2S
Ar
CO2
C6H6
C7H8
C8H10

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Ion Path, Road Three, Winsford, Cheshire

CW7 3GA, UK

+44(0)1606 548700
+44(0)1606 548711

www.thermo.com

Coal Gasification Application Summary Prima PRO .doc

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The precision is measured as the standard deviation, defined as follows:n-1 = {(xi-xm) /(n-1)}
2

1/2

where:- n refers to the number of measurements to which the statistical determination is to be applied, xi refers to
the individual measurements and xm is the mean value = {x1 + x2 + x3 + .... xn}/n.
The analysis is on a normalized basis, i.e. the individual reported component concentrations are adjusted, so that
their sum equals 100%.
Typical calibration interval is 1 month.
The components being measured may be varied from those shown above. For analysis of different components
please consult factory for performance estimate.
2. CALIBRATION GAS REQUIREMENTS to be supplied by others
The following calibration gases are required:Cal
bottle
#1
H2

11.0

CH4

NH3

Cal
bottle
#2

Cal
bottle
#3

Cal
bottle
#4

Cal
bottle
#5

Cal
bottle
#6

Cal
bottle
#7

Cal
bottle
#8

Cal
bottle
#9

Cal
bottle
#10

100
0.1

H2O
CO

17.5

N2

Balance

C2H4

1.5

C2H6

0.1

O2

0.1

H2S

0.1

Ar

0.55

CO2

14.5

C6H6

0.005

C7H8

0.005

C8H10

0.005

100
99.8

100

99.9
10
10

0.1
0.1
100

He

90

90

100

Notes
1. Typical calibration cylinder sizes are 10-50 litres. Cylinder pressures should be the maximum obtainable up
to 200 bar, consistent with being non-condensing. Double stage regulators with 0-2 bar(g) output stages
should be used in conjunction with the calibration gas cylinders to set the output pressure to the mass
spectrometer calibration panel to 1 bar. It is the responsibility of others to provide calibration gas
cylinders, regulators and pipe-work leading from each cylinder to the calibration panel. It is recommended
that 316 stainless steel tubing be used for connecting the calibration cylinders to the calibration panel.
2. Calibration gas 1 should be a certified gravimetric mixture.
3. Calibration gas 10 should use 99.995% He.
4. Calibration gases 2 - 9 should use 99.9% purity for gas preparation; however binary mixture composition
only required to within 5% tolerance.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Ion Path, Road Three, Winsford, Cheshire

CW7 3GA, UK

+44(0)1606 548700
+44(0)1606 548711

www.thermo.com

Coal Gasification Application Summary Prima PRO .doc

Page 3 of 5

5. Since water is not available in a calibration cylinder, if calibration of this component is required, then a
vapour of known concentration will need to be supplied. One way of achieving this is to use a mass
controlled flow (e.g. Aalborg MFC GFC17 0-200 ml/min) of Nitrogen (100 ml/min) flowing through a
temperature controlled (80.0 +/-0.2 deg C) oven (e.g. VICI Dynacalibrator Model 150) containing a diffusion
vial (VICI P/N: 19D-S, Diffusion vial with 5mm diameter capillary and modification of the capillary stem to a
length of 1.8cm). Such an arrangement would typically create a water vapour concentration of ~1 mol%.
The actual water vapour concentration would be determined from measuring the weight loss of the vial
containing water over a period of time and from knowing the flow of N2 carrier gas. Such a vapour
generation system would need to be supplied by others.
Another possibility for water calibration is to manually adjust the value of the water relative sensitivity in the
instrument software so that the measured water vapour concentration on a sample stream matches a
known value (either calculated/predicted or measured by another instrument) if available.
If water is not calibrated then it can still be monitored. However, the measurements would be very
repeatable yet possibly systematically off-set (e.g. +/- 15% relative, due to uncertainty in the calibration
sensitivity factor).

3. RECOMMENDED ANALYSIS SET-UP - reference information

Example values of relative sensitivities and fragmentation patterns (actual values will differ but be accurately
calibrated by the instrument using the calibration gases).
Rel
sens
2
12
14
15
17
18
26
27
28
30
32
34
40
44
78
92
106

H2
0.5

CH4
0.7

NH3
0.7

H2O
0.7

HCN
1

CO
1.1

N2
1

C2H4
2.4

C2H6
1.1

0.37
1.95

0.135
2.01
2.682

47
55
100

14.7
23.4
100
30.83

O2
0.8

H2S
1.7

Ar
1.5

CO2
1.2

C6H6
3.6

C7H8
3.6

C8H10
3.6

100
1.126
9.168
100
1.5

Thermo Fisher Scientific

0.985
0.692 4.283
100

1.519

21.7
100
17
100
100
0.215

100

4.856
100 28.02
0.408 100
100
100
100
100
100

Ion Path, Road Three, Winsford, Cheshire

CW7 3GA, UK

+44(0)1606 548700
+44(0)1606 548711

www.thermo.com

Coal Gasification Application Summary Prima PRO .doc

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4. RECOMMENDED CALIBRATION PROCEDURE - reference information

The gas calibration should be configured as follows, where F= Fragmentation, S = Sensitivity, L = Linearity. Note
backgrounds should be measured with cal gas 11 (100% helium).
Component
H2
CH4
NH3

Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas Cal gas
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11.0
S
4
100
S
0.1
FS

H2O
CO
N2
C2H4
C2H6
O2
H2S
Ar
CO2
C6H6
C7H8
C8H10
He

Thermo Fisher Scientific

17.5
L
50.55
L
1.5
L
0.1
L
0.1
L
0.1
L
0.55
S
14.5
L
0.005
S
0.005
S
0.005
S

100
FS
99.8

100
FS

99.9
10
FS
10
FS

0.1
FS
0.1
FS

100
FS

90

Ion Path, Road Three, Winsford, Cheshire

CW7 3GA, UK

90

100

+44(0)1606 548700
+44(0)1606 548711

www.thermo.com

Coal Gasification Application Summary Prima PRO .doc

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5. NOTES ON APPLICATION
Coal gasification is a process that converts coal from a solid to a gaseous state through partial oxidation. Typically
coal gasification uses finely-pulverized coal which is fed into a pressurized vessel containing controlled amounts of
oxygen and steam. The oxygen supply is controlled and is generally limited to 20 to 70 percent of the oxygen
required theoretically for complete combustion. Heat and a new gaseous fuel are produced as the coal is gasified.
The basic chemical reactions occurring are as follows:
C + O2 gasification CO
C + H20 gasification CO + H2
The partial oxidation and heat and pressure break apart the chemical bonds in the coal and form a synthesis gas
(syngas), which is primarily a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. After it is cleaned, the syngas can be used
as a fuel to generate electricity or steam. The hydrogen and carbon monoxide can also be combined using various
processes to produce a wide array of commercial products, including chemicals, fertilizers, liquid fuels, and
industrial gases.

6. SPECIAL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS - reference information

ROTARY PUMP PURGE
A supply of N2 (>99.9% purity) at 0.1 l/min is needed to purge the rotary pump oil box; this is to reduce the effect of
H2S and H2O on the rotary pump oil. The rotary pump is fitted with an oil box purge kit (with inch or 6 mm
Swagelok fitting) for connection to inch or 6 mm o.d. tubing for purge N2 supply.
7. SAMPLE CONDITIONING REQUIRED
It is the responsibility of others to provide suitable sample conditioning to ensure clean representative
sample gases.
The Prima PRO should be supplied with a sample flow of between 0.2 l/min and 1.0 l/min at a pressure within the
range of 30 to 150 mbar gauge (0.4 2 psig). This flow should be verified and adjusted by a rotameter.
The pressure required for 0.2 l/min of flow through the RMS is approximately 30 mbar gauge (0.4 psig). For greater
flow a proportionally greater pressure is required.
The sample gas should be filtered to <2 microns.
To protect the Prima PRO analyzer against blockage by liquids and dust we recommend the use of a membrane
filter (e.g. Genie Membrane filter model 101 high flow, A+ Corp).
Condensation in the sample lines must be avoided by ensuring the dew-point of the sample gas does not exceed
the temperature of any of the sample conditioning components.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Ion Path, Road Three, Winsford, Cheshire

CW7 3GA, UK

+44(0)1606 548700
+44(0)1606 548711

www.thermo.com