3 main problems explaining most of online analyzers non-functioning issues and our advices to avoid them!

On-line analyzers are devoted for the continuous, efficient qualitative and quantitative measuring of Gaz, Liquid and Solid products. Main function of those analytical devices is to ensure the control and the optimization of the process chain.

Investments dedicated on on-line analyzers are significant: Expectations that shareholders are waiting from the online analyzers in term of benefits and Return of Investments (ROI) are at the same level!

Online analyzers use advanced technologies and cover different specialties areas like chemistry, IT, automation, electricity and so on.  Due to the complexity of the online analyzer used technologies, it happens that online analyzers do not work or reach the objectives targeted for.  Let’s understand why!

Reasons of non functioning online analyzers systems are various and the responsibility of such problems could come either from the supplier or the End-User.

The following three problems are the origin of the most common non functioning situations of online analyzers at client site: 

Problem 1: Bad System Design

An online analyzer implies the use of different equipments and represents an entire technological solution. An online analyzer is not only the measurement device but the whole solution including the probe, the sampling system and all other equipments associated to the analyzer. One common problem with online analyzers functioning is coming from a bad design that will characterize the system if the engineering work has been achieved just on the analytical device part and not on the associated equipments that comes with the analyzer. 

How to avoid that situation?

- Analyzers design and conception require experience. The end-user could avoid bad design problems if he is technically advised by specialists during the conception period. Different specialists propose their consultancy services to be the interface between the client and the analyzer manufacturer and avoid conceptual problems at the design stage. Don’t hesitate to get those specialist supports as their costs will be entirely justified if a bad hard situation could be avoided later on and if the equipment will generate the expected benefit. Investment on technical specialist is not significant comparing to the benefit that the company could get from their work so do not hesitate to ask for technical support!!

 

Problem 2: Lack of Training

It happens very often that one online analyzer is well configured and installed at site and stop functioning few days after commissioning activities. This is due to a bad or incomplete know-how transfer done between the manufacturer and the End-User. 

How to avoid that situation?

- By training! Training activities are very important and End-Users should be familiar with the equipments by getting onsite regular training sessions. It is right that some manufacturers will propose just their equipments and not  the associated training services to ensure correct know-how transfer. If it is the case, End-Users should revert to technical specialists that will propose such training services following adapted schedules. A non trained operator will be a non efficient resource for the End-User. Training activities are therefore necessary investment on which the End-User needs to bet for the benefit of it company!

Problem 3: Lack of maintenance

Online analyzers require regular maintenance and follow up that some End-Users will not realize due to lack of resources, time, equipments, tools and so on

How to avoid that situation?

- Reorganize the maintenance activities inside the company. Different advising and consulting companies proposes their support to help the End-User in his maintenance activities organization step. 

- Some End-users will subcontract entirely the online analyzer maintenance activity to external companies which propose such services and who will have the necessary tools and resources to achieve this work.  This solution could be profitable for the End-User who he will get the warrantee of the functioning of its equipments without all the inconveniences linked to an internal heavy maintenance activity management.

Maintenance activities are very important for the End-User. An efficient maintenance approach should be adopted to warrantee efficient functioning of the tools and equipments. Don’t hesitate to get the help of maintenance specialists to review your current maintenance approach and enhance it to reach the goal you are targeting.

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Adopt the right maintenance methodology !

Maintenance activities should be done following strict procedures to ensure correct and continuous functioning of tools, equipments or machines at client site. 

Main objectives of the maintenance are to have working systems with very limited failures to warrantee process efficiency and get the huge expected benefits from the tools and equipments that the company has purchased and invested in.

What are the main steps in the maintenance approach and how to get an efficient maintenance methodology?

STEP 1: ORGANIZE… 

The first important step will be to organize the maintenance activities inside the company and decide about :

1. Maintenance Investment: 

- What will be planned in term of investment for the maintenance 

  activities concerning human resources, tools or equipments?

2. Maintenance scheduling and actions:

- When should we conduct specific maintenance work?

- What are the preventives actions that need to be organized? 

- What are the different diagnostics that need to be realized to avoid 

  possible problems?     

3. Maintenance strategy:

- How to conduct the maintenance at site?

- Would the maintenance area treated by external sub contractors? 

- How to organize the collaboration between subcontractors and onsite 

  maintenance responsible to warrantee a good communication and 

  efficient partnership?

STEP 2: ACT…

The second important step in the maintenance activity will be to put in actions the maintenance methodology chosen by the company and ensure the following work:

1.Inspection & Control activities: 

- To have a clear view on how the systems are performing at a specific   

  scheduled moment.

- Achieve diagnostics, check, note and correct possible alarms.

  This part could be done either remotely or at site through organized 

  visits.

2. Regulars maintenances activities following a strict schedule: 

- Preventive maintenance:

To replace preventively specific parts and avoid possible system failures.

- Corrective maintenance: 

To fix specific problem when an expected failure will happen at site. The corrective maintenance strategy should be well organized to ensure that the defective problems will be treated very quickly and will not engender a long equipment non availability that will be very costly to the client.

STEP 3: Anticipate!

The last step in the maintenance activity will be to improve and modernize the equipments part following relevant schedule milestones to:

- Anticipate possible problems that will occur if the equipment reaches 

  its end life or becomes obsolete. This could be done either by: 

     - Adapt the equipment or renovate it deeply to ensure its 

       continuous correct functioning with time.

     - Installing a brand new system to start a new cycle life for 

       the equipment and warrantee it long term functioning for long 

       period

- Use latest technologies and developments that are getting the brand 

  new equipments and that will provide better efficiency, security and

  handling simplicity for the user.

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Shale Gas a Potential or a Danger ?

Shale gas is non conventional natural gas formed within shale formations at very deep profoundness (3000 m).  Like for the normal conventional gas, methane (CH4) is the principle molecule that constitutes the Shale Gaz. Shale gas is therefore very similar to the conventional natural gas. The main difference between the two gases is not related to the gas chemistry but to the extraction method.

The Shale gas is extracted following non standard methods (Hydraulic fracturing) that will qualify this gas as non conventional gas.  This method that allows extracting the gas from the shale formation consists on propagating fractures on rock layers with high pressurized fracking fluid. This method has raised ecological concerns due to the environment impact it could get. 

Different countries have proven shale gas reserves. Most important reverses are located in China, USA, Algeria and so on.

So does shale gas represent an important potential for those countries and viable conventional gas and alternative source or does shale gas represents such a danger for the environment that it exploitation should be limited?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a product and what do we know today on this gas and it exploitation? 

The response of this question is different following to whom it is addressed: Those who are for this industry or those on the contrary who are against it. 

We will hear therefore that:

- Shale gas could be a big source of energy that could be explored during

  those periods where conventional energies become less abundant. 

  Detractors will say that this new energy source exploitation cost could 

  be very important and even if proven reserves have been found, 

  the exact exploitable portion of this potential gas is much smaller than 

  what we expect. So it is probably not the energy source of tomorrow…

- Shale oil has an environment impact lower than coal. The equivalent of 

  this gas as coal will produce double carbon dioxide CO2 quantities, 

  however  research studies confirms that the exploration of the shale 

  gas will leave in the atmosphere important gas quantities that will 

  make the shale gas harmful for the environment and more than coal…

  Scientists does not agree on this point and different of their respective     studies are in contradiction.

- Users installed near exploitation areas say that potable water 

  contamination problems (hydrocarbon in water) have been seen and 

  are important problems linked to technology used for the extraction.

  Extraction companies will minimize this impact and will speak about 

  punctual accidents that occur in normal exploration activities.

  

So as readers, what are your opinions on this subject?

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Smart Grids

Problematic 

Conventional electric networks are no longer adjusted to the current mode of consumption and energy production. The electricity flows from nuclear power generation to consumers through the electrical distribution network.
Today , the consumer is also a producer of electricity through individual solar panels or wind turbines. This decentralized and intermittent energy must be connected more efficiently to the electrical distribution network. In addition, the new market of electric cars generates new consumption needs which electrical networks must be adapted to.

Solution

To ensure a balance between supply and demand of energy, power grids need to be smarter and better transmitting data production and consumption.
Smart grids become interactive and communicating to exchange data and to take into account the actions of all players in the electrical system.

Smart Electric Meter

The first step of implementation of the smart grid is to install a smart electric meter at the consumer’s house. This advanced electric meter enables real-time monitoring of electricity consumption in the low voltage network.

This project requires that electricity meters installed by distributors must allow service providers to offer their customers different prices according to the time of the year or day and encouraging network users to limit their use during periods of high consumption. A complete energy audit is then offered to consumers to enable them to save energy

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The Mediterranean Solar Plan

Context:

The Union Pour la Méditerranée (UPM) was launched at the Paris Summit in June 2008. It is the continuation of the Barcelona Process in 1995 whose objective is the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade and support the process of integration of energy markets through large-scale projects such as Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP).

The Mediterranean Solar Plan is an important project of the UPM. It aims to increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency in the region. It will thus limit the global warming and reduce the vulnerability of the energy system of each country and the region as a whole.

Objectives:

- Increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency support 

  for the UPM countries.

- Expanding production units including solar renewable electricity in 

  the Mediterranean countries, with a total capacity of 20 Gigawatt 

  in 2020.

- Consumption of a part of the electricity-producing countries in the 

  Middle East and North Africa local market and export part of production 

  to the European Union to ensure the profitability of projects.

Project: Paving The Way for the Mediterranean Solar Plan

This project, as the name suggests, paves the way for the Mediterranean Solar Plan. It includes nine countries south of the Mediterranean partners in the European Union.

- Objectives:

   - Promote the results achieved so far.
   - Create a conducive environment to the Mediterranean Solar Plan.
   - Provide a platform for dialogue and joint activities.
   - Analyze key issues and integrate them into the dialogue to make  
     progress.

- Themes

   - Support the Mediterranean partner countries in creating a 
     harmonized regulatory framework for appropriate investment 
     in the electricity sector based on renewable energy.

   - Share knowledge and experiences between Mediterranean countries 
     and the European Union Member States to promote cooperation in
     research, development and innovation and technology transfer.

   - Support the Mediterranean partner countries to implement 
     sustainable energy policies promoting the use of renewable energy 
     sources in electricity generation and energy efficiency.

   - Improve the economic and financial framework for investment in 
     renewable energy use for electricity generation, particularly solar 
     energy.

- Activities

   - Developing national and regional roadmaps for:

         i. Regulatory reform.
         ii. Institutional development.
         iii. Knowledge transfer (training, research reports, workshops 
             and seminars).

   - Search synergy with regional institutions such as the Regional 
     Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CREATED).

   - Collaborate with other similar projects funded by the European 
      Union such as MED and MED-ENEC EMIP.

- Financing

   - The project is funded by the European Commission over a period 
      of 3 years. Starting in September 2010.

    - The project is entrusted to a consortium composed of:

          1. The German company MVV decon. which leads the consortium.
           2. Two national operators of the electrical distribution network 
               TERNA (Italy), RTE (France).
           3. ENEA (Italy) a major national energy agencies of the
               European Union.
           4. Sonelgaz (Algeria) a major electricity companies of 
               Mediterranean partner countries.

- Members

    - Associate Members of the consortium contribute to the dissemination 
      of knowledge introduced in the project. The most important are:
    
      i.      The European Institute of Florence 
              (Florence School of Regulation).
     ii.      GSE an Italian institution for the promotion of 
              renewable energies.

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