The Siloxane Meter is a compact, easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain and easy-to-use device that monitors siloxane levels online and provides data in a clear and understandable way.
Siloxane meter characteristics
- Measurement of total siloxane content in gas feeding cogeneration units
- Particularly recommended for biogas from waste digestion, sewage sludge and landfill gas
- Automatic measurement every hour, 24 hours a day 365 days a year
- Possibility of data logging and remote communication
- Operation and maintenance reduced to a minimum
Siloxane meter principle of operation
The meter, using a pump, takes a sample of about 1 liter of biogas, which is passed through a gas chromatography column. In the column, the siloxanes are separated from the other molecules, and are then transported to the measuring tube, which contains an infrared source, filters and a pyroelectric detector. The siloxanes affect the infrared signal received by the detector.
This signal is then processed to obtain the amount of siloxanes in the sample and combined with the sample volume to give a reading in mg/m³. The reading is recorded every hour, with a sampling phase of 15 minutes, a measurement phase of 10 minutes, followed by cleaning of the instrument before the next cycle begins.
The use of carbon filters is the most popular and effective way to remove siloxanes. Nevertheless, knowledge of when to replace a carbon filter currently comes from sometimes inadequate recommendations from the carbon package or historical, unreliable data on the longevity of the previous bed.
The Siloxan meter serves two roles:
- Identifies actual filter bed wear, which helps protect the engine from siloxanes
- Potentially extends the filter fill replacement interval when the suggested filter bed replacement date is ahead of actual wear.
Benefits of online monitoring with a siloxane level meter
The benefits of online monitoring are obvious. On the one hand, extending the life of the carbon bed means reducing costs, while on the other hand, replacing the charge at the right time means effectively preventing harmful siloxanes from entering the engine and the resulting costs of replacing heads, plugs and oil.