Tony Waters - Process Gas Chromatographs

To succeed in its mission, a book needs to so excite readers that they want to read more. It should be so useful that they immediately return to it when they need information. Yet the average book on gas chromatography is abysmally boring and poses an intellectual challenge even to post‐doctoral scientists, let alone the lonely guy faced with fixing a broken process chromatograph at midnight.

This text teaches the fundamental knowledge of process gas chromatography by encouraging the reader to think critically about what is happening in the instrument, mostly without recourse to analogy or math. It also describes some practical procedures for design or troubleshooting.

So, here you have it. A clear yet detailed book that is ideal for classroom instruction, private study, or distance learning. Focused chapters unfold the technology of a process gas chromatograph to an engineer or technician who may have no previous experience of the technique. The content is basic, yet thorough, so it should meet the needs of many readers.

I'm glad that you're here. I hope you enjoy the book!

Tony Waters

Atascadero, California

January 2020

1 Annino, R. and Villalobos, R. (1992). Process Gas Chromatography. Research Triangle Park, NC: Instrument Society of America.

2 Huskins, D.J. (1977). Gas Chromatographs as Industrial Process Analyzers. New York, NY: Pergamon Press.

3 Jennings, W.G. and Poole, C.F. (2012). Milestones in the development of gas chromatography. In: Gas Chromatography (ed. C.F. Poole), 1–18. Oxford, UK: Elsevier.

An international team of expert chromatographers has peer‐reviewed the technical content of this text. This Editorial Advisory Boardcomprised the experienced analyzer engineers listed below. We gratefully acknowledge their contributions. Culpability for remaining errors or omissions rests entirely on the author.

Jerry Clemons, PhD

Process Gas Chromatograph Consultant

Formerly, General Manager

ABB Process Analytics

Ronceverte, West Virginia, USA

Jerry has worked with gas chromatographs during his entire career starting at Virginia Polytechnic University where he earned his PhD with Dr. Harold McNair.

He has held many engineering and management positions at ABB Process Analytics and its predecessors, always focused on their process gas chromatographs. Now retired from active duty, he continues to provide his technical expertise as a consultant to that company.

Jerry has 50 years of experience working with process gas chromatographs.

R. Aaron Eidt, BSc

Process Analyzer Consultant

PEAK PERFORMANCE Analytical Consulting Ltd.

Delta, British Columbia, Canada

Formerly, Analyzer and PGC Manager

Dow Chemical Canada

Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada

Aaron is a chemist with 25 years of experience developing new GC methods for research and industrial chromatographs at Dow Chemical Canada. Aaron specialized in process analyzer validation, troubleshooting and performance improvement. For several years, he led the Dow Global Process Chromatography Technology Network.

Since retiring from Dow, Aaron has had process analyzer consulting engagements with the Sadara Chemical Company in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and with MEGlobal.

Aaron has developed and instructs both introductory and advanced troubleshooting training courses in process gas chromatography for analyzer maintenance technicians.

Aaron has 30 years of experience practicing industrial gas chromatography.

Zoltán Hajdú, RNDr

Marketing Manager

Analyzer System Integration

Yokogawa Europe

Formerly, Analyzer Systems Consultant for Yokogawa

Central and East Europe

Responsible for analyzer system design and analyzer selection, including on site start up, and trouble‐shooting of Yokogawa process chromatographs and analyzer systems throughout Central and East Europe.

Previously, Supervisor of Process Analyzers at Slovnaft Refinery in Bratislava. Now responsible for analyzer system sales for Yokogawa in Europe.

Zoli has 12 years' experience working with various process gas chromatographs.

Phil Harris, BSc MSc

Process Analyzer Consultant

President

Insight Analytical Ltd.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Formerly, Engineering Manager AMETEK Western Research

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Phil has a BSc in Physics and a Master's in Chemistry. His career began in the Research Chemistry branch of Atomic Energy of Canada, where he designed spectroscopic analyzers and built algorithms for numerical analysis of spectral and chemical data.

Phil has been an independent consultant since 1998, primarily on the development of process analytical solutions in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industry. He provided services to AMETEK for a number of years and developed most of the numerical analysis algorithms used on the 900 series of Analyzers.

He has published over 25 papers and has given training courses on spectroscopy and process analyzer sample systems all over the world.

Phil has 35 years of experience with industrial process analyzers, mainly with process spectrometers.

Michael Hoffman

Business Development Manager

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Analytical Products & Solutions

Houston, Texas USA

Michael started in industry at Phillips 66, and continued the journey with Standard Oil Chemicals, BP, Innovene, and INEOS.

His initial work was with laboratory chromatographs. After transitioning to process chromatographs, he focused on online analyzer reliability, advanced control support, materials handling, and analyzer data management technologies.

Michael joined Siemens in 2007. He now provides marketing and technical support for analytical solutions, communications, PGC applications, and sample handling system designs.

Michael has 37 years of experience working with laboratory and process gas chromatographs.

Dirk Horst

Process Analyzer Consultant

Heerhugowaard, Netherlands

Formerly Global QMI Consultant

Shell Global Solutions Team

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dirk has long experience with process analyzers, including startup assignments at Shell jobsites in Germany, India, Nigeria, and Russia. He is also well known for his many classroom and practical training programs for analyzer maintenance technicians.

Dirk has 34 years of experience working with process gas chromatographs.