Assessment of the Bacharach Hi Flow® Sampler characteristics and potential failure modes when measuring methane emissions

•Sampler suitable for measuring methane emissions if operated within its limitations.•Both sensor modes of the Hi Flow Sampler show good linearity (R2 > 0.992).•Noisy mode switch region around 5.9% methane by volume which can be avoided by adjusting flow rate.•Failure due to non-methane hydrocarb...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Measurement : journal of the International Measurement Confederation 2019-10, Vol.145, p.226-233
Main Authors: Connolly, J.I., Robinson, R.A., Gardiner, T.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacharach Hi Flow Sampler
Calibration
Catalysis
Emissions
Failure modes
Heat conductivity
Instrument performance
Linearity
Measuring instruments
Methane
Methane emissions
Methane leaks
Natural Gas quantification
Oxidation
Thermal conductivity
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Summary:•Sampler suitable for measuring methane emissions if operated within its limitations.•Both sensor modes of the Hi Flow Sampler show good linearity (R2 > 0.992).•Noisy mode switch region around 5.9% methane by volume which can be avoided by adjusting flow rate.•Failure due to non-methane hydrocarbons only occurs sometimes.•Recommend to calibrate weekly, verify daily and shut off between measurements. The Bacharach Hi Flow® Sampler (BHFS) has been widely used to monitor methane leaks from industrial sources, however results have been challenged due to possible instrument performance issues. This study focused on improving the understanding of the BHFS performance by investigating its characteristics and potential failure modes. BHFS operation was split into three modes: catalytic oxidation (CO), thermal conductivity (TC) and a transition region. Good linear performance was observed in CO and TC modes (R2 > 0.992), however, the calibration factor changed between experiments highlighting the importance of regular calibration. Measurements in the middle region were dominated by noise with poor linearity. Instrument failure due to high non-methane hydrocarbons occurred sometimes; a hypothesis to explain this has been established. We found the BHFS to be a suitable instrument for measuring methane emissions if operated correctly and with knowledge of its limitations. Some key operational guidelines are provided in the conclusions.
ISSN:0263-2241
1873-412X
DOI:10.1016/j.measurement.2019.05.055