Process gas chromatograph analyser driving profitable efficiency

With enhanced, user friendly components and capabilities, the analyser enables petrochemical, refining and chemical plants to increase the real-time efficiency, reliability and safety of their industrial processes. 

Matthew Carrara, Vice President, Process Automation, Schneider Electric, stated: “When Schneider Electric acquired AIT’s market leading process analyser business, we made a commitment to extend its innovative technology so we could better enable customers to reap more value from their process operations. The FXI Series seven Process Gas Chromatograph does just that. 

“With its many improved capabilities, including better diagnostics, seamless communication integration with other devices and systems components, and the most recent certifications for use in hazardous areas, the FXI Series seven Process Gas Chromatograph will help our customers drive operational profitability improvements, safely. As a core element of our EcoStruxure Plant platform, it will help convert their process automation investments into the profit engines of their business.”

EcoStruxure is Schneider Electric’s open, interoperable, IoT enabled system architecture and platform. EcoStruxure delivers enhanced value around safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity for our customers. EcoStruxure leverages advancements in IoT, mobility, sensing, cloud, analytics, and cybersecurity to deliver Innovation at Every Level. This includes Connected Products, Edge Control, and Apps, Analytics & Services. 

EcoStruxure has been deployed in over 480,000 sites, with the support of more than 20,000 system integrators and developers, connecting over 1.6 million assets under management through upwards of 40 digital services.

Next-gen analyser optimises operational efficiency

Equipped with parallel chromatography capabilities, the FXI Series seven analyser allows multiple detectors and ovens to be used simultaneously, significantly accelerating analysis time and increasing the range of applications within a single gas chromatography platform. The system continuously analyses and quickly reports component concentrations and physical properties of process gas and liquid streams in a variety of applications, improving quality and throughput, while reducing capital investment, project execution risks and operating costs. 

Additionally, plant personnel can easily service the analyser while it is powered and with the oven door open, without requiring the general shutdown of the analyser, increasing uptime and reducing maintenance cost. 

The system benefits both new and existing Schneider Electric customers. It incorporates seamless communications to connect directly with the company’s IIoT enabled EcoStruxure Foxboro distributed control system. In addition, users of the Foxboro 931 series GC or earlier generation FXI Series GCs can seamlessly modernise to this latest platform, which lowers engineering and maintenance costs and extends asset life. 

Ease of use and improved diagnostics 

For many industrial plants, process gas chromatography is complex, making it difficult to measure and maintain. In addition, process gas chromatographs have historically required extensive and frequent maintenance, which leads to unnecessary process downtime. To attempt to overcome those challenges, the FXI Series seven Process Gas Chromatograph features new electronics and oven components, with user friendly software that provides easy-to-use gas and liquid compositional analytics with fewer human errors.

Joe LaConte, Vice President, Analyser Systems, Schneider Electric, added: “The FXI Series seven Process Gas Chromatograph simplifies deployment and reduces time associated with startup. First of all, because it is built on our field proven analyser platform, it is rugged, yet provides outstanding chromatographic performance. 

“Second, its secure, web enabled data analytics and diagnostics enable predictive maintenance, which makes it highly stable and far more reliable than other gas chromatographs. These features not only improve quality, uptime and throughput, they reduce maintenance, operating and even engineering and project execution costs for a quick return on investment.”

Value-focused Solution Boosts ROI, Safely

The FXI Series seven Process Gas Chromatograph meets the latest revisions of global hazardous area classifications, as well as complies with the most recent ATEX, IECEx and NEC design criteria, making it safe for use in multiple industry applications. And when combined with other Schneider Electric products and solutions, such as EcoStruxure Profit Advisor, customers can see and control in real time how much value the analysers are contributing to their business performance.