INTERNAL COMBUSTION LAB. ENG.

: SHEREEN

Exhaust Gas colors

Fig.1 The meaning of exhaust gas colors.

MOAYAD MOHAMMAD 7 ‫مؤيد محمد حامد‬ 1

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION LAB. ENG.: SHEREEN

Orsat gas analyser

An Orsat gas analyser is a piece of
laboratory equipment used to analyse a
gas sample (typically fossil fuel flue gas)
for its oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon
dioxidecontent. Although largely replaced
by instrumental techniques, the Orsat
remains a reliable method of measurement
and is relatively simple to use. It was
patented before 1873 by Mr. H Orsat.

Construction
The apparatus consists essentially of a
calibrated water-jacketed
gas burette connected by glass capillary
tubing to two or three absorption pipettes
containing chemical solutions that absorb the
gasses it is required to measure. For safety
and portability, the apparatus is usually
encased in a wooden box.
The absorbents are: Potassium Hydroxide (Caustic Potash), Alkaline pyrogallol, Ammoniacal Cuprous
chloride.
The base of the gas burette is connected to a levelling bottle to enable readings to be taken at constant
pressure and to transfer the gas to and from the absorption media. The burette contains slightly acidulated
water with a trace of chemical indicator (typically methyl orange) for colouration.

Operation
By means of a rubber tubing arrangement, the gas to be analyzed is drawn into the burette and flushed
through several times. Typically, 100ml is withdrawn for ease of calculation. Using the stopcocks that
isolate the absorption burettes, the level.
The gas is then passed into the caustic potash burette, left to stand for about two minutes and then
withdrawn, isolating the remaining gas via the stopcock arrangements. The process is repeated to ensure
full absorption. After leveling the liquid in the bottle and burette, the remaining volume of gas is assumed
to be nitrogen and indicates the percentage of carbon dioxide absorbed.
The same technique is repeated for oxygen, using the pyrogallol, and carbon monoxide using the
ammoniacal cuprous chloride.

MOAYAD MOHAMMAD 7 ‫مؤيد محمد حامد‬ 2

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION LAB. ENG.: SHEREEN

Infrared gas analyser

An infrared gas analyzer measures trace gases by determining the absorption of an emitted infrared
light source through a certain air sample.
Trace gases found in the Earth's atmosphere
get excited under specific wavelengths found
in the infrared range. The concept behind the
technology can be understood as testing how
much of the light is absorbed by the air.
Different molecules in the air absorb different
frequencies of light. Air with lots of a certain
gas will absorb more of a certain frequency,
allowing the sensor to report a high
concentration of the corresponding molecule.

Construction
Infrared gas analyzers usually have two chambers, one is a reference chamber while the other chamber is
a measurement chamber. Infrared light is emitted from some type of source on one end of the chamber,
passes through a series of chambers that contains given quantities of the various gases in question.

Operation
Earlier analyzers were held back by the fact that a particular gas also has lower absorption bands in the
infrared spectrum in addition to its principal absorption band, and either of these bands may overlap the
principal absorption band of a second gas.
The invention of 1975 has as many detectors as the number of gases to be measured. Each detector has 2
chambers which both have an optically aligned infrared source and detector, and are both filled with one
of the gases in the sample of air to be analyzed. Lying in the optical path are two cells with transparent
ends. One contains a reference gas and one will contain the gas to be analyzed. Between the infrared
source and the cells is a modulator which interrupts the beams of energy.
The output from each detector is combined with the output from any other detector which is measuring a
signal opposite to the principal signal of each detector. The amount of signal from other detectors is the
amount that will offset the proportion of the total signal that corresponds to the interference. This
interference is from gases with a principal lower absorption band that is the same as the principal band of
the gas being measured.
For instance, if the analyzer is to measure carbon monoxide and dioxide, the chambers must contain a
certain amount of these gases. The infrared light is emitted and passes through the sample gas, a reference
gas with a known mixture of the gases in question and then through the "detector" chambers containing
the pure forms of the gases in question. When a "detector" chamber absorbs some of the infrared
radiation, it heats up and expands. This causes a rise in pressure within the sealed vessel that can be
detected either with a pressure transducer or with a similar device. The combination of output voltages
from the detector chambers from the sample gas can then be compared to the output voltages from the
reference chamber.

MOAYAD MOHAMMAD 7 ‫مؤيد محمد حامد‬ 3

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION LAB. ENG.: SHEREEN

Chromatography gas analyser

Gas chromatography (GC) is a common type
of chromatography used in analytical chemistry
for separating and analyzing compounds that can
be vaporizedwithout decomposition. Typical uses
of GC include testing the purity of a particular
substance, or separating the different components
of a mixture (the relative amounts of such
components can also be determined). In some
situations, GC may help in identifying a
compound. In preparative chromatography, GC
can be used to prepare pure compounds from a
mixture.

Operation
A gas chromatograph is a chemical analysis instrument for separating chemicals in a complex sample.
A gas chromatograph uses a flow-through narrow tube known as the column, through which different
chemical constituents of a sample pass in a gas stream (carrier gas, mobile phase) at different rates
depending on their various chemical and physical properties and their interaction with a specific column
filling, called the stationary phase. As the chemicals exit the end of the column, they are detected and
identified electronically. The function of the stationary phase in the column is to separate different
components, causing each one to exit the column at a different time (retention time). Other parameters
that can be used to alter the order or time of retention are the carrier gas flow rate, column length and the
temperature.
In a GC analysis, a known volume of gaseous or liquid analyte is injected into the "entrance" (head) of
the column, usually using a microsyringe (or, solid phase microextraction fibers, or a gas source
switching system). As the carrier gas sweeps the analyte molecules through the column, this motion is
inhibited by the adsorption of the analyte molecules either onto the column walls or onto packing
materials in the column. The rate at which the molecules progress along the column depends on the
strength of adsorption, which in turn depends on the type of molecule and on the stationary phase
materials. Since each type of molecule has a different rate of progression, the various components of the
analyte mixture are separated as they progress along the column and reach the end of the column at
different times (retention time). A detector is used to monitor the outlet stream from the column; thus, the
time at which each component reaches the outlet and the amount of that component can be determined.
Generally, substances are identified (qualitatively) by the order in which they emerge (elute) from the
column and by the retention time of the analyte in the column.

MOAYAD MOHAMMAD 7 ‫مؤيد محمد حامد‬ 4