Real-Time On-Line COD Monitor Saves Money, Energy and Waste

A true on-line monitor that enables accurate, sensitive, real-time analysis of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is now available from Camlab (UK).

The innovative PeCOD® analyser, which is capable of generating a reading every 15 minutes, provides unrivalled analysis data of waste or discharge streams. On-line, real-time monitoring of processes enables them to be adjusted in real-time to reduce energy use, make downstream treatment more cost effective and prevent waste of expensive ingredients.

Having undergone extensive testing of the laboratory model of the PeCOD® analyser in real life applications over the past 18 months Camlab is now supplying the on-line monitor version of the technology to high profile UK food and beverage manufacturers.

David Miller, Business Development Manager of Camlab Ltd said: “This on-line analyser technology is allowing our customers to accurately monitor their processes in real-time for the first time. The on-line PeCOD® analyser is enabling these manufacturers to reduce waste, save money and protect the environment. They are typically seeing payback in a matter of months.”

The core of the new on-line technology is the PeCOD® sensor which gives the instrument the ability to analyse samples more accurately than the traditional dichromate method and does not require the use of toxic reagents like mercury and silver salts. The increased sensitivity of the method enables the measurement of clean water samples with low ppm levels of COD.

The sensor consists of a UV-activated titanium dioxide film coupled to an external electrochemical circuit. The high oxidising power of the sensor gives the analyser a significant advantage compared with the traditional dichromate method. The PeCOD™ COD analyser exhaustively oxidises organics, and counts the electrons that are liberated to provide a direct measure of equivalent COD.