Emerson’s gas analysis technology meets MCERTS standard and improves efficiency at Fawley Power Station, UK

Emerson Process Management announces that MCERTS approved Rosemount® Analytical flue gas analysers are being used for the continuous monitoring of flue gases at Fawley Power Station, located near Southampton, UK. The operators, RWE npower, rely on continuous oxygen monitoring using the Oxymitter™ transmitters to maintain optimal efficiency and good operation of steam boilers.

RWE npower is one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers with a generating capacity of 8,000MW. Its Fawley Power Station is located on the western shore of Southampton Water, on the edge of the New Forest, and has two 500MW turbines feeding power to the National Grid. The turbines are supplied with steam from boilers which are fired by residual oil.

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“Environmental awareness and compliance with emission consent limits, is of paramount importance to RWE npower,” said Andy Millard, the Site Instrument Engineer at Fawley. “This is especially important in a location such as ours, sandwiched between the New Forest and a nature reserve. Wherever possible, the instrumentation that we use to monitor emissions, both to the air and water, is certified to the MCERTS standard.”

The requirement to use MCERTS (the UK Environment Agency”s Monitoring Certification Scheme) approved instrumentation was the primary reason that RWE npower embarked on a programme of phased replacement of old analysers with Emerson’s Rosemount Analytical Oxymitter 4000. The installation work at Fawley was undertaken by Kan Developments, an approved Emerson Distributor based in Dorset, UK.

The Rosemount Analytical Oxymitter 4000 is a zirconium oxide based oxygen transmitter designed to be directly mounted into high temperature flues. Its gas analysis measurements are used to fine tune the burner air-fuel ratios for maximum efficiency and reduced NOx emissions. The split architecture enables the high-temperature probe to be mounted directly into the flue duct with the associated operator and display electronics mounted up to 60 metres away.

At Fawley there are seven Emerson Oxymitters installed on each unit, one in the flue of the main stack, three on the rotary gas air heater gas outlet and three on the economiser inlet. Based on the success of this installation, a further four Oxymitters have been purchased for installation in the exit flue on each of four auxiliary boilers.
“Reliability, accuracy, ease of calibration and cost of ownership were all factors which were considered during the selection process,” continued Millard. “Our experiences so far indicate that by specifying the Rosemount Analytical Oxymitter 4000, we have made the correct choice.”

The MCERTS scheme provides a framework within which environmental measurements can be made in accordance with the Agency”s quality requirements. Performance certification for continuous emission monitoring applications is now a requirement for operators of certain regulated industrial processes, including large combustion plants. In the UK, MCERTS approved equipment is mandatory for these applications.

The MCERTS certificates for the Rosemount Analytical Oxymitter 4000 were issued by SIRA who operate the MCERTS scheme in England and Wales on behalf of the Environment Agency.

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