Policy Drivers: Tightening Industrial Emissions Regulations
The global industrial sector is experiencing unprecedented regulatory pressure to optimize combustion efficiency and reduce emissions. The European Union's revised Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2024/1785), effective August 4, 2024, mandates stricter requirements for Large Combustion Plants (LCPs) including gas turbines and boilers with thermal input capacity above 50 MW. The directive introduces “industrial transformation”, and “deep industrial transformation” requirements aimed at achieving significant emission reductions, driving operators to seek advanced solutions for enhanced operational performance.
The stringent regulatory requirements have heightened industry focus on combustion efficiency optimization as an important strategy for regulatory compliance. For gas turbine facilities, where operational efficiency directly impacts both environmental performance and economic viability, complying with evolving emissions regulations requires advanced monitoring capabilities that can deliver real-time insights into combustion performance.
Industry Challenge: The Critical Need for Precise Combustion Control
However, achieving optimal gas turbine combustion efficiency remains a significant challenge for industrial operators, particularly under fluctuating load conditions and variable fuel compositions.
A proven method for evaluating and improving gas turbine combustion efficiency is to monitor specific gas concentrations in post-combustion flue gas. Among the measurable parameters, oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO) are two critical indicators that reflect gas turbine combustion quality. O2 levels indicate the amount of excess air in the process, while CO is a direct signal of incomplete combustion. When only O2 is monitored, excess air may appear sufficient, yet poor mixing or unstable flame conditions can still result in elevated CO levels—indicating unburned fuel and energy loss.
Therefore, relying on a single gas parameter often leads to inaccurate combustion adjustments. By simultaneously monitoring O2 and CO in real time, operators could gain a more accurate, dynamic picture of gas turbine combustion behavior. Monitoring both parameters enables timely air-fuel ratio corrections, reduces fuel waste, and ensures consistently efficient burner performance—laying the foundation for high-efficiency, low emission industrial operations.
Cubic Instruments Solution: Advanced Gasboard-9050 CEMS for Gas Turbine Combustion Optimization
To meet the demanding requirements for industrial applications, Cubic Instruments, a leading manufacturer of advanced gas sensors and gas analyzers, has developed Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) Gasboard-9050, which is well-suited for supporting real-time gas turbine combustion analysis.
Utilizing sophisticated gas sensing technology platforms of NDIR and electrochemical detection (ECD), Gasboard-9050 offers continuous measurements of CO and O2 concentrations -the critical parameters for combustion efficiency optimization-along with CO2, SO2, and NOx concentrations in post-combustion flue gas using Cold & Dry extraction method, ensuring reliable performance under variable industrial conditions.
Engineered with a modular design, the system integrates a pretreatment system that effectively resists moisture, dust, and corrosion, as well as a high-efficiency sampling probe with a 5μ filter elements for easy maintenance. Such design elements ensure consistent measurement accuracy while minimizing operational interruptions under harsh environments.
In addition, Gasboard-9050’s PLC-based data acquisition system is intuitive and fully functional, featuring multiple data output ports for remote real-time monitoring, making integration and control straightforward. The system is capable of fully automated operation—including sampling, purging, calibration, and fault self-diagnosis—reducing the need for manual intervention and lowering maintenance costs.
With reliable performance, intelligent control, and robust construction, Gasboard-9050 empowers industrial operators to precisely monitor key gas concentrations, fine-tune air-fuel ratios, and achieve higher combustion efficiency with minimal effort.
Why Cubic Instruments
Cubic Instruments brings extensive specialized expertise in gas analysis technology to the industrial combustion monitoring sector. The Gasboard-9050's proven micro-flow NDIR technology combines laboratory-grade precision with industrial-grade durability—essential qualities for operators navigating the transition to stricter efficiency and emissions requirements.