Chemical Speciation of Particulate Matter from Steel and Refining Plants

In case of Japan, according to the soot and smoke emissions regulations of the Ministry of the Environment, operators must grasp and record the status of the emissions to the atmosphere as a result of carrying out business activities, and they must take measures necessary to reduce such emissions.

Soot and smoke emitted from a metal refining facility,* one soot-and-smoke-generating facility subject to regulation, contain toxic substances such as heavy metals originated from raw materials. To take effective measures, it is necessary to look into the relationship between the emitted toxic substances and the factory equipment's operating status.

* A facility with emissions over a certain level

Issues

To confirm the relationship with the operating status, it is necessary to detect toxic substances in real time. However, the currently employed technique involves a long measurement cycle (e.g., a 24-hour interval) and takes almost two weeks from sampling until analysis data acquisition. Therefore, with the current technique, it may not be possible to immediately respond to the analysis of generation sources or the verification of measure effects.
In addition, when the current technique is used, analysis of measurement samples must be requested from a third-party institution (expert), which is costly. Conducting such an analysis in-house requires a high level of measurement and analysis skills.
Analysis results may be affected by changes in composition during measurement sample transport.
It is highly troublesome to grasp and analyze the correlation for each toxic substance.

Realizing Continuous Particulate Measurement in Real Time with “PX-375”

Real-time analysis (minimum 30 minutes)
Continuous measurement analyzes changes over time
Enables Speedy verification of effectiveness after emission measures are taken

Features of Continuous Particulate Monitor with X-ray Fluorescence "PX-375"

Continuous analysis of PM mass and the elemental concentration by a single unit directly in the field (at a minimum interval of 30 min).
The pre-processing and analysis know-how required for conventional measurement techniques are unnecessary.
Adoption of world proven technologies: X-ray fluorescence & Beta-ray attenuation.
HORIBA's filter tape provides excellent sensitivity and precise performance. With HORIBA's unique filter that is less likely to show-through, manual analysis following automatic measurement is also possible.
Installed CMOS camera enables observation of collected particulate sample on the filter.
By using the data management system Eco-WEB, measurement data at remote locations can be collected, managed, and visualized, and reports can also be created.

Manual Analysis Flow

Sampling

Sample Preparation

Analysis

Solution

Simultaneous and continuous measurement of PM_2.5 mass concentration and elemental component analysis

Continuous Particulate Monitor with X ray Fluorescence “PX-375”

Data Management System “Eco-WEB”

In addition to use at Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS), the PX-375 can be used at Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Station. This can be done thanks to the low power consumption and small size of PX-375. This will help customers who want to measure the multiple points around the facility.

Air Quality Monitoring Station* (AQMS)

Mobile Monitoring Station

* An air pollution continuous monitoring station is a facility in which an automatic measurement system that can continuously monitor climate data, including wind direction and velocity, as well as the concentrations of sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and others in the air throughout the year is installed.