Balancing the importance and expense of preventative maintenance of oxygen analyzers
Nouryon produces chemical ingredients used in countless everyday and industrial products, including cosmetics, plastics, coatings, pharmaceuticals, and construction materials. Numerous analyzers, transmitters and other instrumentation are necessary to monitor their production processes. While maintaining the performance of this instrumentation is of utmost importance, it is extremely valuable when it is possible to reduce maintenance labor and expenses without sacrificing performance. Years ago, Nouryon recognized they had a gold-based oxygen monitoring analyzer with poor reliability and labor- and cost-intensive maintenance requirements. They began a search for a more dependable and cost-effective solution.
As part of one of Nouryon’s production processes, the company injects nitrogen into the product stream as an inerting gas. This process becomes explosive when oxygen levels exceed 4% in the inert environment. Needless to say, it is of utmost importance that oxygen readings are monitored continuously and with confidence to maintain safe operations.
Why the AMI solution works
Nouryon discovered AMI in 2003, when electrical engineer Jeff Mayo—who has been with the company for 30 years—originally evaluated and purchased an AMI Model 70 oxygen analyzer to replace their old gold-based oxygen analyzer. At initial installation, they maintained the weekly preventative maintenance (PM) schedule of the previous analyzer. But once they experienced the reliability of the Model 70, the PM schedule was extended to a couple weeks, then to every month, and eventually to quarterly calibrations. That proved to be a huge maintenance savings in both labor and materials. AMI analyzers have remained, in Jeff’s words, “one of the most reliable instruments they use in the plant, so much so that he wishes AMI manufactured other transmitters. The AMI analyzer is a set it and forget it instrument.”
The reasons are clear why the AMI Model 70 outperformed the incumbent:
It accurately measures percent levels of oxygen in non-flammable gas streams
Its compact, panel mount package is easy to install in general purpose environments
Its oxygen sensor offers stable performance and long life resulting in minimal maintenance
Years later, when Nouryon needed to install oxygen deficiency monitors in their control rooms to monitor potential asphyxiating environments, they again turned to AMI and installed the AMI 221R oxygen deficiency monitor. Their previous experience with AMI oxygen analyzers gave them confidence that the 221R oxygen deficiency monitor would perform just as expected. And they continue to use the 221R whenever new requirements arise for oxygen depletion monitoring.
For Nouryon, the transition to AMI’s Model 70 oxygen analyzer provided exactly what they were seeking: dependable performance, simplified maintenance requirements, and reduced maintenance expenses, resulting in meaningful cost savings without sacrificing safety or performance.
