Real-time gas analysis is the continuous measurement of gas composition as a process happens, rather than analyzing a sample after it has been collected and transported to a lab. CIC Photonics builds this capability into its Integrated Real-Time Gas Analysis Solutions (IRGAS) systems, which combine an FTIR spectrometer, a gas cell, and control software, so that concentration data is continuously available while a process is running, in place of the batch-and-wait cycle that a conventional lab test requires.
Why “Real-Time” Matters for Industrial Processes
In continuous industrial processes, waiting for lab results means a problem can run for hours before anyone knows about it. Real-time gas analysis provides concentration data while the process is operating, allowing operators to identify changes sooner than they could with an off-site or delayed batch-analysis workflow. The actual response time depends on the sampling line, cell volume, flow rate, measurement settings, and data-processing method. That shift, from periodic sampling to continuous data, is what separates a real-time system from a conventional lab-based gas analysis workflow.
How IRGAS Delivers Real-Time Results
An IRGAS system passes infrared light from an FTIR spectrometer through a gas cell containing the sample stream, and the resulting spectrum is processed by the Specialty Gas Analysis Solution (SPGAS) software using fundamental PNNL-based calibration data. Because the spectrometer and cell are configured for continuous extractive sampling rather than single-sample testing, the system reports concentration data on an ongoing basis rather than as a one-off lab result, and the same architecture scales from a single process line to a multi-point industrial installation.
Industrial Applications That Require Real-Time Monitoring
Several categories of industrial work depend on continuous, rather than periodic, gas data:
- Semiconductor manufacturing, where real-time moisture and impurity monitoring of ammonia, HBr, and other specialty gases protects epitaxial process quality in real time
- Combustion and turbine research, where multi-point sampling of CH4, NOx, SOx, CxHy, and total hydrocarbons, combined with pressure and temperature data, calculates thermodynamic efficiency while an engine or turbine is running.
- Emissions and stack-gas monitoring, where ongoing concentration data can support process oversight and environmental monitoring. Compliance requirements and approved test methods depend on the applicable regulation and installation.
- Hazardous chemical or biological agent decontamination monitoring, where gas-analysis data can form part of the evidence used to assess the process. Site-clearance decisions must follow the applicable safety procedures and regulatory requirements.
In combustion analysis specifically, real-time analysis lets a test engineer see how a diesel engine or turbine is performing while it runs rather than only after a test cycle ends. CIC Photonics’ combustion-oriented IRGAS configuration pairs the MB3000 spectrometer with a Scout cell, rated for temperatures up to 300°C, in a low internal volume of 45 cc, or with a 4Runner cell with a 3-meter pathlength, and feeds the resulting data through SPGAS software for a single composite performance display. This same real-time approach extends to steel production gas releases, cannon discharge testing, and aero-turbine engine research.
What to Look for in a Real-Time System
A real-time gas analysis system is only as useful as its response speed and stability. IRGAS spectrometers are permanently aligned for long-term stability, and CIC Photonics gas cells are engineered with a laminar flow plenum so long path cells reach 90 percent gas exchange in two volume changes instead of the usual three, keeping the reading closer to the true, current state of the process gas rather than lagging behind it.
Talk to CIC Photonics About Real-Time Monitoring
CIC Photonics has designed and manufactured gas-analysis systems and related FTIR technology in Albuquerque, New Mexico, since 1994. The company identifies semiconductor, solar, combustion, environmental, and specialty-gas analysis among the applications for its IRGAS systems.
To talk through your real-time gas analysis needs, contact CIC Photonics directly, send an email to request@cicp.com, or call the team at (505) 343-9500. You can also visit the CIC Photonics facility at 6310 Edith Blvd Ste. A NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107, or leave a review on Google to share your experience.