Question

c) Why is the FID so successful and widely used in the oil and petrochemical industries? What precautions must be taken?

Answer 1

FLAME IONIZATION DETECTOR ARE USED TO MEASURE HYDROCARBON PRESENT IN A GAS AMPLE. IN FID, GAS SAMPLE IS INTRODUCED TO HYDROGEN FLAME. ANY HYDROCARBON PRESENT SHALL PRODUCE IONS DUE TO COMBUSTION. THESE IONS ARE DETECTED USING A HIGH VOLTAGE ION COLLECTOR TO MEASURE CONCENTRATION OF HYDROCARBON IN GAS SAMPLE. FID HAS BECOME POPULAR IN OIL & PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES FOR FOLLOWING REASONS:

1. RESPONSE OF FID IS LARGELY LINEAR WHICH MEANS TOTAL HYDROCARBON CONTENT CONCENTRATION IS PROPORTIONAL TO RESULT OBAINED FROM FID.

2. FID HAS VERY LOW MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT.

3. FID CAN DETECT ORGANIC SUBSTANCES BOTH AT HIGH & VERY LOW LEVELS. THEREFORE IT CAN BE USED FOR VARIETY OF GAS SAMPLES WITH DIFFERENT CONCENTRATION.

4. RESULT OBTAINED FROM FID IS GENERALLY EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF TOTAL HYDROCARBON PRESENT WHICH GIVES A VERY GOOD IDEA ABOUT ORGANIC COMPONENTS PRESENT IN SAMPLE.

FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS MUST BE TAKEN WHILE USING FID:

1. FID CAN DETECT ORGANIC SUBSTANCES WHICH PRODUCE CHARGED ION ON COMBUSTION. ANY SUBSTANCE NOT PRODUCING CHARGED ION SHALL NOT BE MEASURED. THUS CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHILE ANALYZING RESULT OBTAINED FROM FID.

2. CO & CO2 CONTENT PRESENT IN SAMPLE SHALL NOT BE DETECTED BY NORMAL FID. THEREFORE, IF CO & CO2 ARE PRESENT, ITS ANALYSIS MUST BE DONE SEPARATELY.

3. HYDROGEN FLAME IS USED IN FID. WHILE USING FID ALWAYS ENSURE THAT ALL CONNECTIONS ARE IN PROPER PLACE & THERE IS NO LEAKAGE. HYDROGEN IS A HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE GAS. ANY LEAKAGE OF HYDROGEN TO EXTERNALENVIRONMENT MAY RESULT IN FIRE HAZARD.