Patent ID: 7851760
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for control of a Limiting Oxygen Value (LOV) of a reactor for producing ethylene oxide, the reactor having an inlet and/or outlet, comprising the steps of: (a) extracting a process sample through a close-coupled extractive sample loop wherein an analyzer is located in proximity to the sampling point; (b) directing a wavelength modulated beam of near infrared light from a tunable diode laser through a gas cell containing the process sample to a near infrared light detector to generate a detector signal; (c) analyzing the detector signal for spectroscopic absorption at wavelengths characteristic for oxygen to determine its concentration in the sample; and optionally (d) adjusting the oxygen level in the ethylene oxide reactor inlet and/or outlet in response to the concentration of the oxygen of step (c).