How pure is your CO2?

For more than 20 years V&F Analyse- und Messtechnik GmbH has provided analytical solutions for the gas industry. Quality assessment of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in storage tanks and truck loading stations is one such task for which bespoke instruments have been developed and deployed. These instruments provide the CO₂ operator with an immediate response about contaminants and therefore guarantee a consistent quality of the product.

The rising demand for pure carbon dioxide and the shortage experienced during the summer months of 2018 has opened the door for new sources of carbon dioxide as a feedgas. Depending on the gas source, the degree of contamination may vary, rendering the CO₂ non-viable for its use in food and beverage if contamination levels are exceeding industry prescribed limits.

For example, in order for it to be used as an additive in beverages the CO₂ has to comply with industry standards for purity. To assure an end product of the highest quality, impurities need to be identified within the process in a timely manner. Currently this is achieved by taking samples and sending them to a laboratory specialised in gas analysis. However, due to transport and storage time, the actual gas composition may change prior to analysis through adsorption processes or even chemical reactions in all types of sample containers. Furthermore, this mode of analytical procedure cannot provide a continuous quality assessment and therefore does not guarantee a constant influx of high-grade carbon dioxide. An improved instrument developed by V&F solves this long-standing problem. The CO₂Sense mass spectrometer is capable of continuous real time monitoring and detects inorganic and organic impurities over a wide sensitivity range from sub-ppb (parts-per-billion) to Vol% (percent volume).