Process Analytical Technology  (PAT) combines analytical chemistry with process technology. PAT installations are used world-wide for process optimization, asset control, safety of plants and environmental measurements. The primary goal is a better management of the plant performance.

Introduction

The reactor gas of a polymerization plant is monitored on-line for process-control. The reactor-gas is heavily contaminated with dust and contains traces of active catalyst. Whereas the dust blocks the flow in the sample conditioning system for the on-line analysis system, the active catalyst has a pyrofore character.

Challenges

The major challenges for the application are:

• Maintaining a constant gas-flow to the process analyzer
• .Finding a way to avoid spontaneouos fire when opening the sample conditioning system for maintenance (e.g. filter replacement and/or cleaning).

Problems

• The heavy dust load of the sample
• Presence of traces of, still active, catalyst which has a pyrofore character
• Spontaneous fii a zone 2 environment should be avoided at all cost.