Continuous fine particulate emission monitoring system for low particle concentrations

SICK is one of the world's leading solution providers for sensor-based applications for industrial applications. The Process Automation business area supplies sensors as well as customised systems and services for analytical and process measurement technology. With intelligent solutions for waste incineration plants, power, steel, and cement plants, for the oil and gas industry, and for plants in the chemical and petrochemical industries, SICK thus makes an important contribution to maintaining an environment worth living in.

Founded in 1946 by Dr.-Ing. e. h. Erwin Sick and headquartered in Waldkirch im Breisgau near Freiburg, Germany, the company is one of the technology and market leaders and has a presence around the globe with more than 50 subsidiaries and affiliates as well as numerous representatives. SICK employs nearly 12,000 people worldwide and achieved consolidated sales of around EUR 2.2 billion in fiscal year 2022.

At CEM 2023, SICK and its Spanish subsidiary will present next-generation technology for particle analysis. From an industry perspective, this is necessary because there are a growing number of challenges associated with the current capabilities of dust measurement technology. For example, due to stricter emission limits imposed by many international environmental authorities, total dust concentrations in industrial plants continue to decline. As a result, the validation of continuous particle monitors with respect to the initial correlation test becomes more difficult due to the lower particle load of the flue gas streams.

In addition to this, further challenges are encountered when the process conditions change in the stack, i.e., during co-firing, change in plant operation (half load / full load), and degradation of filter hoses due to small leakages. To overcome the problems in the current dust measurement technology, SICK is developing a serial device for measuring particulate mass and particle size distribution continuously.

At CEM SICK will present field test data which we have collected with our partner DRAX Power Limited, UK. SICK will also give an outlook on the use of this technology in all industries as an important reference method for monitoring low dust concentrations.