Simultaneous detection of two gases increases efficiency while decreasing costs. A single, compact device can accomplish this. Axetris Laser Gas Detectors are capable of measuring ammonia and methane for biogas injection into the natural gas grid.
Biogas is a modern energy source independent of the limited supply of fossil fuels. Its production can be adapted to current demand and is, unlike other sources of renewable energy, independent of weather conditions. Because the carbon dioxide set free when burning biogas has been in the atmosphere just a few months before, its environmental impact is easily calculated.
Ammonia and methane are two of the substances central to biogas quality. Because their spectral signatures are relatively similar, it is possible to measure both using a single TDLAS device. In combination with water ammonia is highly corrosive and can damage pipelines. Because of this, regulations on fuel purity demand precise reports on ammonia content before a gas is injected into the gas grid. Since regulatory requirements have continually tightened and the number of biogas suppliers has dramatically increased in recent years, there is a broad market for efficient measurement of biogas quality.
Methane accounts for roughly two thirds of the volume of biogas. High methane levels, on the other hand, indicate fuel of high quality. Methane is the same energy-rich gas found in natural gas and its combustion sets free a large amount of energy. Appropriate procedures can greatly increase the methane level in biogas and essential measurements are indispensable to optimal process control.