ABB celebrates 85 years of providing revolutionary technology for emissions monitoring

ABB is commemorating the 85th anniversary of technology that has contributed so much to gas analysis and emissions monitoring across various industries. Since 1938, URAS (Ultra Red Absorption Recorder) has revolutionised the way chemical plants, refineries, pulp and paper mills, metal industries, power generation facilities, cement manufacturers, and other industrial sectors monitor and control their emissions.

URAS, the first continuous gas analyser capable of instantaneous measurement of the concentration of over 100 gases through infrared spectroscopy, has remained a benchmark for enabling environmental compliance. "“This technology was truly revolutionary from the day it was invented. Today, it is a benchmark for uncompromising environmental compliance. With URAS, numerous industrial companies around the world can monitor emissions and safeguard the environment,” commented Ben Goossens from ABB Measurement & Analytics.

Industrial companies around the globe depend on URAS as a reliable solution for their emission monitoring needs. With its unsurpassed monitoring uptime, this technology is used for continuous monitoring of gases emitted from industrial stacks. Additionally, it measures emissions from marine vessels, enabling shipping companies to comply with the ever more stringent environmental regulations.

URAS extends its influence beyond industrial segments as a versatile continuous gas analyser. Its applications span diverse fields, from aiding in life-saving CO2 level measurements in hospitals' diagnostic breath tests to supporting the process of banana ripening during shipment by analysing the concentration of ethylene.

In 1996, URAS served as the cornerstone for ABB's groundbreaking Advance Optima modular analyser, which unified the operations of various gas analysers in a single, innovative design. Through this advancement, URAS became the first network analyser with its own IP address, marking the dawn of analyser technology digitalisation.

URAS owes its existence to the innovative German engineers Erwin Lehrer and Karl Friedrich Luft, who developed the technology. In 1988, significant enhancements were made by introducing gas-filled calibration cells which eliminated the need for high-pressure test gas cylinders. This improvement reduced operational costs and enhanced ease of use significantly.