RESEARCH ON THE ORSAT ANALYSIS

Introduction

The foundation of the Orsat Analysis, specifically the Orsat Analyzer, was brought upon by a

developer named “Louis Hengist Orsat” who was an engineer and served parts of his life being involved

in steam raising and engines. His study includes “efficiency implications of the fuel/air ratio, excess air

resulting in waste of heat in hot exhaust gases, and excess fuel resulting in formation of carbon

monoxide, with loss of the fuel's potential heat”. It was the year 1873 when the developer of the

apparatus now known as the Orsat Apparatus for analyzing exhaust gases finally obtained the British

Patent (No. 1853).

Orsat Analysis

In practice, such as computations, Orsat analysis refers to the products of combustion called flue

gas or stack gas. However, this analysis does not include water. With these being said, in order to

analyze the heat provided by the combustion reaction, it is necessary to know the products of

combustion. This is because the measurement of the flue gas will determine whether the process is

working efficiently or not. Commonly, analytic devices measure the dry products. In the same sense,

Orsat analysis is the composition of the products of combustion on a water-free basis (dry basis).

Orsat Gas Analyzer

An Orsat gas analyzer, by description, is a piece of laboratory equipment used to analyze a gas

sample which are most often fossil fuel flue gas for its content such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide

and oxygen. The apparatus is carefully constructed consisting of an intake valve which feeds into a

calibrated water or glycerin jacketed gas burette. Through tubing, the burette is connected to two or

more absorption pipettes containing chemical solutions that absorb the gases it is being used to
measure. In addition, the intake and each of the absorption pipettes are put in valves with stopcocks to

allow the movement of gas through the apparatus to be precisely controlled. It is enclosed in a wooden

box with a handle in order to ensure safety and portability.

In terms of method analysis, the gas to be analyzed is drawn into the burette and flushed through

several times through rubber tubing arrangement. Stopcocks are used to isolate the absorption pipettes.

For easier calculation of data, 100ml is typically withdrawn into the main burette. Also, the leveling

flask is raised up to the point wherein the water is level between it and the burette. By doing this, the

volume of the sample will be known and it will be in equilibrium with the pressure in the room. This is

followed by a series of steps. By opening the stop cock and elevating, the leveling flask, the gas will have

to pass into the Potassium Hydroxide (caustic potash). For about two minutes, it remains there and

then withdrawn, separating the remaining gas via the stopcock arrangements. To make sure there is a

complete absorption, the process is repeated. The fluid level has to be equal between both vessels and

it is done by adjusting the levelling flask. This process, contingent on any additional absorption media

is repeated for oxygen, by means of the pyrogallol, and carbon monoxide by means of the ammoniacal

cuprous chloride.

There are numerous sources of error in Orsat analyses. Based upon the several experiments done

in the laboratory using orsat gas analyzer, sources of error include: The effects of cutting corners are

mentioned above: attempts to speed up the test lead to biases on oxygen and carbon dioxide. There is

a small effect from off-calibration burettes and difficult readability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in order to analyze the heat provided by the combustion reaction, it is necessary

to know the products of combustion. Orsat analysis, as one of the methods in determining the

combustion products, is the composition of the products of combustion on a water-free basis (dry

basis). Orsat Apparatus is an apparatus that is efficient and simply used in analyzing of dry flue gases

by volume. Furthermore, on a modern plant with good instrumental measurements of other

parameters, it is always more accurate to estimate the gas carbon dioxide content from first principles

than to measure it by Orsat apparatus.

References

Meyer, A. (1939). The Combustion Gas Turbine. Mechanical Engineering.

Moore, D. (2017). Orsat Gas Analysis.
Mugdha, P. (2015). Flue Gas Analysis by Orsat Apparatus. Engineering Notes.
Vogel, A. (1961). A Textbook of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis.
Wilfred, F. (1955). Boiler House and Power Station Chemistry.