Cold Weather Monitoring

Depending on your geographic location, ozone season is over or close to being over. Off-season, there is no reason to keep your ozone analyzer running and if you do decide to take your Thermo Scientific Model 49i Ozone Analyzer out of service, you should properly shut it down and prepare it for storage. 

To properly shut down your Thermo Scientific Model 49i Ozone Analyzer and make it easier to start up in the spring, change the filter, rebuild the pump, clean the cells, check the lamp and inspect the scrubber. If the instrument is due for maintenance, perform the maintenance prior to shutting down. Recommended maintenance is to change the scrubber assembly annually (part number 14697), replace the UV lamp (part number 8540) every 3 years and replace the ozonator lamp (part number 8645 ) every three years. To order these replacement parts, email or call Customer Service at (866) 282-0430, option 1.

You may need to adjust your umbilical set point given the cooler ambient temperatures and also to align with new recommendations. The new recommended set point has been reduced to 70°C (approximately 158°F). If the sample line is in an environment where the temperature may exceed 70°C, the sample line should be heated to a minimum of 10° above the existing ambient temperature. If the sample line is in an environment where the temperature does not exceed 70°C, the umbilical should be set to 70°C. For more information, see Technical Bulletin Umbilical Line Temperature on the Thermo Scientific Mercury Freedom System. 

Operating at a lower set point has many benefits. Longer sample line life, easier installation due to sample lines being smaller in diameter and lower capital cost for sample lines. There’s also an added safety feature in that the heating circuit can be designed to eliminate the risk of a runaway condition that will damage the line.

Eliminate trips to the shelter during the cold winter months by setting up your instruments with remote access. Thermo Scientific i-Port software enables full control of the iSeries and C Series gas analyzers through a remote device. It is shipped with every gas analyzer or you can download the software to immediately start remote access or download the i-Port software manual from The Online Library to learn more.

To reduce repair and maintenance trips to the stack during winter months, take extra time to prepare you outdoor probe now. Clean and change filters and make sure orifices are clean. Also check for weather-tightness of your enclosure, air leaks in the tubing, sample leaks, zero air, and blowback air. Instrument operating manuals are a great resource for finding the maintenance schedules. Refer to the manual that was shipped with your instrument or you can quickly and easily download the manual by going to The Online Library, signing in, and selecting Manuals from the Operator's Toolbox. From there, enter the instrument model name in the keyword search bar. Still need help? Feel free to contact Technical Support.

Q4 is often a time when organizations seek ways to spend year-end budgetary excess while bringing maximum value to plant operation. Investing in your technicians through training ensures maximum equipment uptime for years ahead. Many of our Gas Analyzer and Systems courses still have openings and they are designed for users of varying abilities. The end of the year is also a good time to stock up on spare parts. A healthy spare parts inventory keeps your system up, running and properly collecting data. If you know which parts to order email or call Customer Service at (866) 282-0430 option 1 or if you need assistance developing a spare part strategy, contact Technical Support by email or by calling (866) 282-0430, option 2.

Next Month's Topic: CO Monitoring with Dilution CEMS