GASMET FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE INFRARED PRINCIPLE Q: WHAT IS IR?

HOW DOES FT-IR WORK? Q: WHAT IS AN INFRARED SPECTRUM? Q: WHAT IS THE REFERENCE SPECTRUM? Q: HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE QUANTIFICATION? WHAT IS BEER'S LAW? QUESTIONS REGARDING GASMET APPLICATIONS AND DETECTION LIMITS Q: WHICH GASES CAN BE MEASURED BY THE GASMET? Q: WHICH ARE GOOD GASMET APPLICATIONS? Q: WHAT IS CEM? Q: WHAT IS THE TYPICAL GASMET PERFORMANCE IN CEM APPLICATIONS? Q: WHAT ARE THE DETECTION LIMITS FOR COMMONLY MEASURED GASES? Q: WHAT IS THE MEASUREMENT ACCURACY? Q: WHAT ARE THE MAXIMUM ERRORS IN THE MEASUREMENT FOR EACH OF THE Q: Q: Q: Q: Q: Q:

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FOLLOWING DX-4000 RANGES? WHAT IS THE FACTORY SPECIFIC CALIBRATION? WHAT CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES DOES TEMET USE IN THE FACTORY LABORATORY? WHICH CALIBRATIONS MUST BE PERFORMED AFTER THE INSTALLATION? WHY IS H2O CALIBRATION SO IMPORTANT? WHAT IS THE TEMET REFERENCE LIBRARY COLLECTION? WHAT IS THE ACCURACY IF ONE USES A REFERENCE SPECTRUM MEASURED BY A DIFFERENT ANALYZER? Q: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO ADD NEW GASES TO THE LIBRARY? Q: SHOULD THE GASMET BE RECALIBRATED? Q: IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECALIBRATE ANY COMPONENT AT THE FACTORY IF THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS IT? Q: HOW STABLE IS THE CALIBRATION? WHY IS IT SO STABLE? Q: HOW CAN NO2 BE MEASURED IN THE PRESENCE OF UP TO 45% WATER VAPOUR? Q: WHY IS THE LOW RESOLUTION GASMET BETTER FOR QUANTITATIVE GAS ANALYSIS? Q: IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHOW IN FIGURES HOW MUCH BETTER IS THE SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO -1 -1 IF RESOLUTION 8 CM IS USED INSTEAD OF RESOLUTION 0.5 CM ? QUESTIONS REGARDING THE GASMET HARDWARE, LIFE TIME, SPARE PARTS Q: HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE TEMET ANALYZERS ARE SO GOOD AND RUGGED? Q: WHAT IS SO SPECIAL IN THE TEMET INTERFEROMETER? Q: CAN WE COMPARE THE TEMET INTERFEROMETER TO COMPETITIVE SOLUTIONS? Q: WHAT IS SO SPECIAL IN THE TEMET SAMPLE CELL? Q: IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE SAMPLE CELL OR THE ABSORPTION PATH LENGTH? Q: WILL HCL, HF OR SIMILAR COMPONENTS CORRODE THE COATING OF THE GOLD-PLATED CELL? Q: WILL CL2 OR BR2 REACT WITH THE GOLD COATING OF THE CELL? Q: SHOULD RHODIUM PROTECTION ALWAYS BE RECOMMENDED? Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SAMPLE GAS CONDENSES IN THE CELL? Q: WILL THE GASMET OPERATE UNDER VACUUM (I.E., REPLACING THE HEATED SAMPLE PUMP WITH EDUCTOR AFTER THE CELL) CONDITIONS? Q: MUST THE SAMPLE CELL ALWAYS BE HEATED AT 180C? Q: HOW SHOULD THE GASMET BE MAINTAINED? Q: HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE IR SOURCE HAS SO LONG A LIFETIME? Q: WHAT IS PRICE FOR THE SPARE PART FOR THE IR SOURCE? Q: IS AIR CONDITIONING NEEDED? Q: DOES THE GASMET MEASURE THE PRESSURE? Q: HOW IS PRESSURE COMPENSATION DONE? Q: HOW IS OXYGEN COMPENSATION DONE? WHAT PERCENTAGE?

Q: HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED FOR THE USUAL TRAINING OF THE DX-4000? SOFTWARE QUESTIONS Q: WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE TEMET SOFTWARE (CALCMET)?

GASMET FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions Questions Regarding the Infrared Principle
Q: What is IR? How does FT-IR work? In infrared spectroscopy, IR radiation is passed through a sample of gaseous molecules. Some of this radiation is transmitted through while the rest is absorbed by the sample, producing an infrared spectrum, or molecular fingerprint. Because each molecular structure has a unique combination of atoms, each produces a unique infrared spectrum. From this, identification (Qualitative analysis) and analysis (Quantitative measurement) of the gas is possible, the two major applications of FTIR spectrometry. FT-IR stands for Fourier Transform Infrared, the preferred method of infrared spectroscopy. Since chemical functional groups absorb light at specific frequencies, one can identify the make-up of the sample. As well, through calibration of the spectrometer, one can determine the intensity of the absorption (relates to the component concentration). Knowing the make-up and the concentration of the sample gas is important in many applications.

Q: What is an Infrared Spectrum? The infrared spectrum is a plot of the sample transmission of infrared radiation as a function of wavelength. The infrared spectrum results from the interaction of infrared radiation with sample molecules. The wavenumber scale (x-axis) is used to present the spectrum, to achieve constant distances between the data points. As there exist no two chemicals that would have the same IR spectrum, the infrared spectrum is often referred to as a "fingerprint" of a molecule. This also explains why the FT-IR analyzer is so specific when the application is set up correctly. Q: What is the Reference Spectrum? The reference spectrum is an infrared spectrum of a known concentration of the target substance. During the analysis, all sample spectra are compared to the reference spectra available. The reference spectra form the basis for the calibration. The CALCMET analysis software uses the reference spectra to identify and quantify the target components. Q: How is it possible to make the quantification? What is Beer's law? Measuring the concentration of an absorbing species in a sample is accomplished by applying the Beer-Lambert law. The Beer-Lambert law is the linear relationship between the absorbancy and concentration of absorbing species. The general BeerLambert law is usually written as, A=a( )*b*c where A is the measured absorbance, a() is a wavelength-dependent absorptivity coefficient, b is the path length, and c is the analyte concentration. Using this

formula, the concentration of the component in the sample can be calculated. The applicability of the Beer-Lambert law is limited by chemical and instrumental factors.

Questions Regarding the GASMET Applications and Detection Limits

Q: Which gases can be measured by the GASMET? The GASMET FT-IR gas analyzer can measure any gas, with the exception of the following: Noble (or Inert) gases Homonuclear diatomic gases (e.g., N2, Cl2, H2, F2, etc) H2S (detection limit too high)

Q: Which are good GASMET applications? Any measurement of an infrared active gas in concentrations well above the detection limit are good. Typical measurements include the measurement of process gas or contaminated air. The majority of analyzers are sold for: - Process control measurements - Exhaust air measurements - Emissions monitoring - Work place monitoring/ industrial hygiene - Various research applications The GASMET offers its greatest benefits when the customer needs to: 1) Analyze several components, or 2) Analyze the gas hot/wet (e.g., hot humid applications for HCN, NH3 or HCl etc) 3) Analyze any gas in complicated gas mixtures (limited cross interference effects) Q: What is CEM? CEM stands for: Continuous Emissions Monitoring

Q: What is the typical GASMET performance in CEM applications? The typical performance of GASMET in CEM applications can be seen in the chart below. The ranges depend on 1) customer needs, 2) analyzer configuration (i.e. path length, detector) and 3) H2O concentration
Compound Typical range Lowest concentration range available for CEM in wet gas 0-150 mg/m3 Depends on H2O level Not specified 0-75 mg/m3 0-15 mg/m3 0-15 mg/m3 0-20 mg/m3 0-75 mg/m3 0-75 mg/m3 Not specified Tested up to 0-25 vol-% H2O Highest concentration ranges seen in real customer applications 10 000 mg/m3 5 000 mg/m3 5 000 mg/m3 5 000 mg/m3 2 000 mg/m3 2 000 mg/m3 1 000 mg/m3 5 000 mg/m3 10 000 mg/m3 0-50 vol-% 0-60 vol-%

Nitric oxide NO Nitrogen dioxide NO2 Nitrous oxide N2O Sulfur dioxide SO2 Ammonia NH3 Hydrogen chloride HCl Hydrogen fluoride HF Methane CH4 Carbon monoxide CO Carbon dioxide CO2 Water H2O

0-600 mg/m3 0-600 mg/m3 0-150 mg/m3 0-300 mg/m3 0-100 mg/m3 0-90 mg/m3 0-90 mg/m3 0-200 mg/m3 0-300 mg/m3 0-20 vol-% up to 0-45 vol-%

Detection limit < 2% of the range Linearity deviation < 2% of the range Drifts < 2% of the range Sum of the cross interferences < 4% of the range

Q: What are the detection limits for commonly measured gases? The detection limit is a parameter that is often asked as a first question concerning the analyzer performance. The GASMET provides very good detection limits. Various institutes have tested detection limits in various applications. The table below presents some detection limits defined by TV Rheinland, Germany:
Compound Tested Detection Limit

NO < 1.3 mg/m3 NH3 < 0.3 mg/m3 CO < 0.3 mg/m3 SO2 < 0.9 mg/m3 HCl < 0.3 mg/m3 HF < 0.3 mg/m3 TABLE: Tested detection limits, TV, Germany 1999. GASMET Dx-3000, 180C, 60 s measurement time; analyzer configured for CEM up to 25% of H2O Usually, the detection limit for most components is well below 1 ppm. Temet Instruments is planning to experimentally generate a table of detection limits in air. This will be available in the near future. The difficulty in defining the detection limits is that: even if the detection limits are good, it is very important to define the application in more detail. A specified measuring range is a better way of estimating the detection limit. We have specified the overall performance criteria for the measuring range, for example, detection limit < 2% of the scale, cross interference effects < 4% of the scale, etc. Sometimes, it is the detection limit and other times, the cross interference effects, which limit the smallest possible measuring range.

Q: What is the measurement accuracy? The measurement accuracy depends on the application. We do not know any possibility to prove the real accuracy in all the situations. However, there are some parameters that can be defined when the application is well known (CEM or an application where the customer has the information of all the components). Based on a desktop study, an application engineer is able to define the analytical areas and optimum path length. From this information, it is possible to estimate the possible measuring ranges. In this situation, the analytical accuracy is defined as follows: Detection limit < 2% of the range Linearity deviation < 2% of the range Sum of the cross interferences < 4% of the range The above specification is valid only if the calibration is instrument specific and Temet Instruments has made both the factory calibration and the application. Q: What are the maximum errors in the measurement for each of the following DX-4000 ranges? NOx SOx CO2 CxHy 0-300ppm 0-100ppm 0-20% 0-100ppm

We specify the measurement ranges for each component. The most important parameters defining the accuracy are: sum of the cross interference effects < 4% of the smallest range promised to the customer linearity deviation < 2% of the range The possible measurement ranges will depend on the gas matrix (in emission monitoring applications, it depends mainly on the H2O concentration). If the H2O concentration is < 25%, then the ranges listed above are quite possible. However, CxHy measurement is special and is not comparable to the FID analyzer. Q: What is the factory specific calibration? The factory specific calibration is performed in our laboratory, after the manufacturing and final testing have been completed. Each calibration gas is introduced to the instrument in known concentrations in pure nitrogen. Reference spectra are generated in different concentrations to cover the complete measuring range. Linearity is proofed. If needed, gas mixtures are generated and cross interferences tested. The instrument specific calibration ensures the best possible performance of an analyzer. As calibration involves much work and material costs, it is charged as a 5

separate cost. If the reference spectrum library is used instead of the instrument specific calibration, the accuracy will not be the same. Q: What calibration techniques does Temet use in the factory laboratory? Most gases (NO, SO2, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H4, C3H6, C3H8, HCl, NH3, HF etc) are contained in cylinders. Typically, the accuracy of the calibration gas concentration is 2% or 3%, depending on the gas and on the manufacturer. The calibration gases are usually taken directly from these gas cylinders. If needed, additional concentrations are produced with two identical Brooks mass flow controllers (N2 is mixed with the calibration gas to get the concentration). The mass flow controller linearity is better than 2%. Liquids (H2O, methanol, etc) are calibrated with a special calibration device (Temet Calibrator). The Temet calibrator incorporates a syringe pump, a manual needle valve and a stainless steel injection chamber. A known nitrogen flow is directed to the calibrator by using the Brooks mass flow controllers. The syringe pump injects a known and very precise flow of the liquid into a nitrogen flow in a heated injection chamber, producing a continual flow of a known concentration calibration gas. In each case, a spectrum of a known mixture of the target gas and N2 is measured. There is no need to measure any complicated gas mixtures, unless we want to make additional testing of the performance. This makes the calibration procedure very simple in comparison to some of our competitors. In addition, we gain more cost savings. Q: Which calibrations must be performed after the installation? Zero point calibration (background) is required once a day. Water vapor calibration must be performed after every major maintenance operation (minimum once a year). In typical situations, there is no need to repeat the other calibrations. Q: Why is H2O calibration so important? Water has absorption lines all over the infrared spectrum. In many applications, the H2O concentration can even be thousands of times higher than the concentrations of the target components. In order to separate the H2O absorption lines from the other components, we have to have as good a "fingerprint" of H2O as possible. By remeasuring the H2O calibration, we compensate for any effects from maintenance operations to this spectrum. In other words, proper H2O calibration guarantees accurate analysis of other components, which are usually present in the sample gas in ppm concentrations.

Q: What is the Temet Reference Library Collection? The GASMET library consists of our reference files of gas spectra measured to date with different GASMET gas analyzers. The absorptivity is a physical constant 6

specific to each gas, and the reference spectra (or calibrations) can be transferred from analyzer to analyzer. The library contains hundreds of spectra and each reference spectrum contains both quantitative and qualitative information about the component. In principle, an application can be generated without the instrument specific calibration. All GASMET analyzers are similar in the optical structure. If used correctly, the spectra of the reference library can be used for the analysis with relatively good accuracy. However, each analyzer has minor differences. These differences may affect the measured spectrum and cause some error to the analysis results. It must also be kept in mind that the reference library is generated by different laboratories with different instrument parameters and environmental conditions (path length, pressure, temperature). The temperature and pressure may affect the spectrum line shape and cause some deviation in the results. These library references are excellent if used for semi-quantitative analysis or to help identify unknowns. The Reference Library Collection does not provide as good accuracy as real instrument specific calibration, which is always recommended for obtaining the best accuracy. Even if the Reference Library is used for the analysis, some components should always be calibrated specifically for each instrument. These components include the ones having very sharp absorption lines, for example H2O, HCl, NH3, and CH4. Effective use of the GASMET library requires a good laptop computer, Windows 98 operating system and MS Excel, and the Temet CALCMET for Windows software. The library is delivered on a CD-ROM as reference spectra and ADS software. The license for the Reference Library Collection is free of charge if ordered together with any Dx-series analyzer. The Library Reference Collection is delivered upon request only. Q: What is the accuracy if one uses a reference spectrum measured by a different analyzer? The accuracy will depend on the component. Water vapor references should never be transferred. If the two analyzers have the same path length and the same sample cell temperature, most references can be transferred (not the components with sharp absorption lines) with good accuracy. However, Temet Instrument gives no certification for the analytical performance unless the analyzer is factory calibrated. Q: What is the best way to add new gases to the library? The best way is to make the instrument specific calibration. The second best way is to use the Temet Reference Library. The procedure to add new components to the CALCMET is very easy. The user must specify the correct reference spectra and the spectral area and interferences for analysis. The procedure is described in detail in the manual.

Q: Should the GASMET be recalibrated? Background measurement is required daily. Due to the constant absorptivity coefficients of gases, the calibrations will remain constant and no recalibration is required, if the absoption path length is not changed. The software collects for the changes in temperature and pressure, if set active. H2O is the only exception in normal operation. The H2O calibration must be valid in order to make reliable measurements for other components. We calibrate H2O each time we service an instrument. The water vapor calibration gas is generated with our Temet Calibrator.

Q: Is it possible to recalibrate any component at the factory if the customer requests it? Yes, but there is no need. The calibration is a relatively easy procedure and a trained customer can do it him/herself. It is possible to program the computer to perform calibrations automatically, if absolutely necessary.

Q: How stable is the calibration? Why is it so stable? The answer has 2 dimensions: 1) The wavenumber scale is very precise because: The GASMET has a built-in He-Ne laser. The laser signal is used to measure the exact position of the moving mirrors in the interferometer. The measured interferogram presents the detector signal strength as a function of the mirror position. Now, when we make the FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) to the measured interferogram, the result is the infrared spectrum. The mirror position scale is transformed to the wavenumber (wavelength) scale, which is thus measured with laser precision. As such, the instrument is continuously calibrated with a He-Ne laser, which provides a stable wavenumber scale. High spectral signal to noise ratio and high wavenumber precision are characteristic of the FT-IR method. This yields high analytical sensitivity, accuracy and precision. 2) No span calibrations are needed because: It is necessary to make the 0-calibration (background) measurement once a day. The 0-calibration compensates for all changes in the signal level or in the instrument. Background spectrum is measured by filling the gas cell with an infrared-inactive gas (for example, dry nitrogen, dry oxygen, or even dry instrument air). As seen in the following figure, the background spectrum shows the total radiation detected by the detector as a function of wavenumber.

H2O

H2O

CO2 absorption peak

FIGURE: A background spectrum containing CO2 and H2O as impurity. The transmittance of this gas is the ratio between the sample spectrum and the background spectrum. 100 % transmittance shows that all the radiation is passing the sample gas without any attenuation. Less than 100 % transmittance means that part of the radiation is absorbed by the sample molecules. The above spectrum contains a small CO2 and H2O absorption peak. In this case, about 25% of the total radiation is absorbed by the CO2. If the above spectrum is divided by a clean background spectrum, the result is a transmittance spectrum with the CO2 absorption of 25%, or transmittance of 75% at CO2.

Transmittance spectrum

FIGURE: A transmittance spectrum with CO2 absorption. It is evident that the transmittance spectrum will depend only on the absorption the shape or strength of the background spectrum does not effect the absorption. The span calibration is not needed - it is actually replaced by the 0calibration which ratios out instrument's own inherent response from sample spectra.

Q: How can NO2 be measured in the presence of up to 45% water vapor? If the sample gas is dry, FT-IR is probably one of the best methods to measure NO2. As seen in the figure below, NO2 has a very strong absorption peak at 1550-1650 cm-1. If the analysis is made using this spectral range, the detection limit for NO2 can be as low as 0.02 ppm in dry gas.

However, the strong NO2 absorption is located right under the strong H2O absorption. Consequently, if the H2O concentration is high, the analysis accuracy of NO2 will be affected relatively soon. The strong absorption peak can be used for H2O levels of up to 10-20% vol (depending on absorption path length). If the H2O concentration is above 20%, the spectral range 2800-2950 cm-1 must be used for the analysis. The absorption of this small peak is about 20 times weaker than the main absorption. Therefore, the smallest possible range is about 0-250 ppm (5mpath length) if the weaker peak is used for the quantification.

NO2

Ab so rb an ce

4000 3800 3600 3400 3200 3000 2800 2600 2400 2200 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 Wavenumbers (cm -1)

FIGURE: a NO2 absorption spectrum

Q: Why is the low resolution GASMET better for quantitative gas analysis? The most important parameter in quantitative gas analysis should be overall analytical accuracy. A low-resolution enables better signal-to-noise ratio because of: 1) High optical throughput (large IR source) of a low-resolution spectrometer, and 2) Short interferograms (less noise is transformed to the spectrum). Overall analytical accuracy is the most important parameter of FT-IR gas analyzers for quantitative measurements. Typically, a high-resolution spectrometer needs a liquid nitrogen detector in most applications, which is inconvenient and expensive. In contrast, the low resolution GASMET is equipped with a Peltier cooled MCT type detector, which is fast and offers the benefits of a liquid nitrogen cooled detector in the wavenumber area of 900-4200 cm 1. Using a DTGS detector with a high-resolution spectrometer requires a lengthy scan time. As well, the danger exists that the gas mixture composition will change during the measurement, which may result in unstable results. The scan time of the GASMET is short, resulting in a more reliable measurement. The risk of altering the measured sample spectrum (due to changing the sample gas pressure and temperature) is generally avoided when using a low-resolution spectrum. On the other hand, high-resolution calibration spectra may become

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obsolete in some applications due to these effects (especially if any inorganic gas like H2O is present in high concentrations). A low-resolution spectrometer can be built to be more rugged; for example, the GASMET provides excellent stability over vibrations, shocks and swings in temperature. Due to a more complicated design, high-resolution spectrometers tend to be much more complex and expensive to maintain and service than low resolution spectrometers.

Q: Is it possible to show in figures how much better the signal-to-noise ratio is, if resolution 8 cm-1 is used instead of resolution 0.5 cm-1? Yes. The GASMET operates in most applications with 8 cm-1 resolution. The table below shows relative signal-to-noise ratios between different resolutions. Theoretically, resolution 8 should provide 716 times better baseline than resolution 0.1! The values are valid if the instrument remains otherwise the same, but aperture is changed according to the resolution and the measurement is kept constant. Resolution 8 4 2 1 0.5 0.1 Noise level compared to resolution 8 cm-1 1 2.8 8 23 64 716

Questions Regarding the GASMET Hardware, Life Time, Spare Parts

Q: How is it possible that the Temet Analyzers are so good and rugged? The Interferometer, the sample cell, and the CALCMET analysis software are (much more) superior in design Q: What is so special about the Temet Interferometer? The Temet Carousel interferometer of the GASMET provides excellent thermal stability and vibration insensitivity. It is designed for long term stability in changing environmental conditions. Simple and rugged mechanical structures are essential to withstand the challenges of demanding field use. Temet invested 10 years to develop the Temet Interferometer. The interferometer consists of a beamsplitter and five plane mirrors. Four of the mirrors are mounted on a carousel, which swings back and forth. The only part that requires any alignments is the beamsplitter. After the factory settings, there is no need for our customers to touch the beamsplitter alignment. During the manufacturing process, each interferometer must pass extensive shock and temperature tests without practically any modulation decreases. This excellent

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stability leads to great analytical performance and reliability. As a result, the Temet Interferometer is the most reliable interferometer in the marketplace. Q: Can we compare the Temet Interferometer to competitive solutions? A common interferometer is such where both the corner-cube pair swings back and forth on a common wishbone mount, around the center of beamsplitter, creating a circular interference pattern. This is simply the Michelson interferometer with the cube-corner mirrors replacing the plane mirrors (Michelson 100, patented by Bomem Inc). The tilt problem in the driving system is avoided by the swinging movement of the mirrors. The drawbacks of this solution are the huge distances between the mirrors and the two-dimensional design. This solution is prone to modulation fluctuations caused by vibration and ambient temperature changes. These modulation fluctuations cause errors and instability in the measured spectrum, which in turn reduces the analytical sensitivity, accuracy and precision. Another competitor has designed a relatively good refractively scanned interferometer (Orbital fx-6200 or fx-6250). This interferometer uses fixed cubecorner retroreflectors, and the scanning takes place by moving one half of the beamsplitter, which consists of two wedges. The optical path difference x is increased by increasing the distance the IR-beam travels through the beamsplitter. However, one of the most expensive and sensitive components of any interferometer is the beamsplitter. The above solution will require a specially shaped beamsplitter that will be very expensive and mechanically sensitive. Furthermore, such a structure can be reasonably constructed only from KBr, which is a very hygroscopic material. Consequently, even a small amount of humidity inside the interferometer would cause malfunctioning. The Temet Interferometer has a symmetric design, minimum optical distances and no hygroscopic or fragile materials. In addition to this, the Temet Interferometer is the only interferometer that provides stability in all three dimensions. It produces optical path difference of more than 8 times the geometrical movement of the moving mirrors. Q: What is so special in the Temet Sample Cell? The structure of our sample cell and the interferometer is astonishing simple. This is know-how. The sample cell consists of only three parts: 2 mirrors and the sample cell body. All the parts have special coating. Due to its superior design, two major product properties can be achieved: 1) The sample cell is resistant against corrosive chemicals: the optical mirrors are coated with several thick non porosity gold layers. 2) The sample cell has no optical alignments; the mirrors are made of solid metal! Any competitive solution with alignments has one major drawback: optical alignments tend to change with high temperatures and pressure changes.

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Gold layer 2 Gold layer 1, non-porous Protective Metal 2 Protective Metal 1 Aluminum

FIGURE: During the unique coating process the aluminum mirror is plated with several different metal layers to achieve chemically resistant, high quality, nonporous protection and high mirror reflectivity.

FIGURE: The Gold coated one-piece cell mirror is precision machined with diamond cutting to provide excellent long-term calibration stability and high reproducibility.

Q: Is it possible to change the sample cell or the absorption path length? The gas cell is located in an oven. The GASMET oven construction is very simple. The sample cell can be replaced in about 10 minutes time with another same volume cell. If the customer has different sample cells, he/she can have different path lengths as well. However, the sample cell volume and the dimensions will remain the same. Note: the H2O must be recalibrated every time the sample cell is changed. According to the application, the H2O calibration can take from 30 minutes time up to 3 hours (depending on experience & equipment). Q: Will HCl, HF or similar components corrode the coating of the gold-plated cell? The gold coating is a non-porous protective layer. The corrosion resistance is almost as is for solid gold. There is no problem, for HF or HCl do not damage the cell. There are applications where we measure in hot incineration process HCl in continuous concentrations >> 1000 ppm. There are installations where the instrument has been running in this application for years without any corrosion or signal drop. We have also tested liquid HCl and HF without any corrosion.

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Q: Will CL2 or Br2 react with the gold coating of the cell? Yes, we have learned that even the highest quality gold coating does not survive in an environment where CL2 or Br2 are present in high concentrations in hot wet gas. If the gas contains high concentrations of these gases, rhodium protection is recommended for longer cell lifetime. Rhodium will not react with any known gas. The rhodium is very expensive and the rhodium protection will increase the instrument price remarkably. Q: Should rhodium protection always be recommended? Absolutely not. The rhodium has two drawbacks: 1) The price (about 2000 USD/ 10 g) and, 2) Weak infrared reflectivity. As gold reflects infrared radiation much better than rhodium, the gold coating should always be used unless rhodium is absolutely needed (Cl2 or Br2). When one does not have Cl2 or Br2 in the sample gas, the gold mirrors will definitely provide superior performance, due to better infrared reflectivity. The benefit exists only if the Cl2 is high, otherwise the coating is just more expensive (we charge an additional 2000 Euro / mirror -> 4000 Euro /instrument) for the customer (while weakening the signal throughput). Q: What happens if the sample gas condenses in the cell? A: The sample cell can quite possibly be destroyed. The most important rule is that condense or any liquid should never enter the sample cell. If the system has been built correctly, this situation will never occur. However, the most fatal mistake in the system construction is one that leads to condense formation in the cell. Q: Will the GASMET operate under vacuum (i.e., replacing the heated sample pump with eductor after the cell) conditions? It is strongly recommended that the pump is located before the sample cell. In principle, it would work if the pump were located after the sample cell. However, in this case, the sample cell would have underpressure and the situation would be very difficult to control. If the filters are blocked, the pressure will decrease accordingly. The calibration task would be more complicated. Temet guarantees no analytical accuracy if the external pump or an eductor is located after the sample cell. The sample cell outlet flow should be exhausted to ambient pressure if possible. Q: Must the sample cell always be heated at 180C? In hot /wet applications it is important that the sample does not condense in the cell. Consequently, the cell and system temperature are kept continuously at 180C. The GASMET should never be used in such an application in a lower temperature. 14

A lower temperature is possible, depending on the application. For example, we recommend a temperature of 40C for ambient air applications. Still, it is very important that the gas does not condense in the cell. The instrument specific calibration is valid for one temperature only. If the user has applications at different temperatures, he/she will need separate calibrations for all temperature settings, if highest performance is required. Q: How should the GASMET be maintained? The customer should provide zero gas for daily zero gas calibration. The filters should be replaced and kept clean inside the probe and the system. Other maintenance includes: Once a week: A quick visual inspection by the plant operators (a few minutes), to check that Zero gas is available, sample gas flow is correct, gas lines, pumps and filters are correct, etc. 1-2 times a year : General inspection by a qualified GASMET service technician (1 hour). If there is need for any maintenance operation, a new water vapor calibration must be performed (3-4 hours) after the maintenance. Even if no other maintenance is performed, the H2O calibration is recommended at least once a year. Every 1-2 years in continuous operation: Replace light source. After the light source replacement, the new H2O calibration must be performed. Every 2-3 years in continuous operation: Replace laser tube and power supply. After the laser tube replacement, the new H2O calibration must be performed.

Special remarks for the system construction: In operation, the most sensitive part of the GASMET is the sample cell. If the gas is hot and filtrated, there is no reason to clean or service the cell. However, if the cell becomes contaminated with dust, the mirrors can be easily cleaned. After H2O calibration, normal usage can proceed. The situation becomes dangerous if the sample gas forms condense in the sample cell. If the corrosive gas condenses in the cell, there is a high probability that the cell mirrors will get damaged. The mirrors are very expensive parts. Therefore, the condense must not enter the sample cell under any conditions. This can be avoided by having a good system design. Q: How is it possible that the IR source has such a long lifetime? Even if Temet Instruments recommends that the IR source be replaced every 1-2 years, the average lifetime is in most cases several years longer.

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The optical throughput of the GASMET is so high that we can operate the light source with relatively low voltage (about 9 V). As such, the light source will operate very reliably. We know that some of our competitors use similar light sources with 12V voltage, resulting in lifetimes of a few months only in continuous applications. Even if the price of the light source spare part is relatively low, the long lifetime is a clear advantage in process control and in CEM applications.

Q: What is the price of the spare part for the IR Source? We sell the IR Source element for 120. This price is very low in comparison with any of our competitors. Q: Is air conditioning needed? In continuous operation, the GASMET must be kept at/below room temperature. Therefore, the cabin holding the GASMET must be air-conditioned. The GASMET FX-model is an exception. This model has built-in cooling.

Q: Does the GASMET measure the pressure? Yes, every new GASMET Gas Analyzer (except the DX-3000) has a built-in pressure sensor in the electronics. The sensor measures the ambient pressure for the pressure compensation. Q: How is the pressure compensation done? The GASMET measures the number of molecules in the sample cell. If the pressure in the sample cell changes, the analyzed concentration will change accordingly. All current GASMET gas analyzers (except the DX-3000) have a built-in pressure sensor in its electronics. If the sample cell outlet is into ambient atmosphere, the cell pressure will correspond to the ambient pressure, which is measured with the built-in sensor. Consequently, ambient pressure changes are automatically corrected. An optional pressure sensor can be applied if the customer wants to measure the sample cell pressure directly. However, in most applications the ambient pressure correction is sufficient. Q: How is oxygen compensation done? What percentage?

The default percentage is 11% if the compensation is activated but the parameter values not changed. The calculation is made based on the following formula: C R.O . = C M .O . 21 O R 21 O M

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Where, CR.O. = Concentration at reference O2 CM.O. = Concentration at measured O2 CR = % of Oxygen as reference CM = % of Oxygen measured In order to make the oxygen compensation, the O2 concentration must be measured. Oxygen does not absorb infrared radiation and thus cannot be measured with the GASMET. However, the GASMET can be equipped with an oxygen analyzer or the oxygen signal can be transported to the GASMET from any O2 analyzer as an analog signal.

Q: How much time is required for the usual training of the DX-4000? What does this training consist of? Two days training is usually enough to begin normal usage. The training is hands-on using the analyzer for the task it is made for. A basic knowledge in computers and in sample gas handling is required. The training also involves a short introduction to the technology. If the customer uses the analyzer in a variety of application, or if he is making the applications himself, the learning curve will be much longer. Additional training is recommended after a few weeks. All later training is focused on customer questions and possible problems or application specialties.

Software Questions
Q: What are the special features of the Temet software (CALCMET)? The Calcmet Analysis Algorithm is the only patented analysis algorithm in IR spectroscopy. The advanced, easy to use CALCMET software provides outstanding analytical performance. The software analyzes the sample spectrum, operates the GASMET and controls automated sampling system units. For superior and analytical accuracy, the software utilizes patented multicomponent algorithms to enhance analysis specificity. The software enables simultaneous detection, identification and quantification of up to 50 different gas components. The GASMET measures both organic and inorganic gases in concentrations from g/m3 to several percentages. Cross interference effects are compensated for and analysis accuracy is maintained when analyzing complex gas mixtures with spectral overlapping. Accurate results are available within seconds. Stored spectra can be easily re-analyzed for identification of previously unknown components. The CALCMET automatically carries out spectral identification for accurate analysis to be performed without detailed stream composition information. The software is also designed for easy and efficient processing of results. Since water content of the sample gas is measured, the results can be reported on either a wet or dry basis.

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The CALCMET software supports continuous multipoint on-line applications. When the GASMET is equipped with a suitable sampling system, it has full capability for automatic and remote control operation. The software processes the results into the required format and offers advanced possibilities for multipoint sampling with adjustable alarm settings.

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