SOP No.

: SOP/EQ/17 Amendment Number:00

Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 1 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

STACK SAMPLER

I. PURPOSE : To provide a uniform procedure for the Operation & Use and
Maintenance and performance check (Intermediate check) and in house calibration of
Stack Sampler.

II OBJECTIVE: To have a laid down standard procedure for the operation & Use and
Maintenance and performance check (Intermediate check) and in house calibration of
Stack Sampler to avoid the instrumental errors while carrying out Operation.

III. SCOPE: This SOP is applicable to Stack Sampler in Vitro Labs.

IV. RESPONSIBILITY: It is the responsibility of the ENV Chemists to follow this SOP.

V. DOCUMENT REFERENCE :

1. Equipment manual

VI INSTRUMENTS DETAILS:

Name : Stack sampler

Make : Ecotech
MODEL/TYPE : ESS100

VII INSTRUMENTS SPECIFICATIONS:

Stack gas temperature : Up to 600oC

Rota meter : 0-30lpm for particulate and 0-3lpm for gases.
Digital Clock : 0-60 minutes, 1 second readout.
Power requirements : 230V

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SOP No. : SOP/EQ/08 Amendment Number:00
Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 2 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

VIII. PROCEDURE FOR OPERATION & USE:

1. PRINCIPLE OF OPEARATION:
Flue gas enter the system through the nozzle fitted at the tip of the sampling probe,
pass through the filter thimble, where the particulate matter is removed and reach the
sampling train/ condenser assembly in the cold box section of the instrument panel.
Here the gas stream is split in two sections. One section passes at low flow rate
(0.3 to 3.0 lpm). Through a train of impingers loaded with suitable reagent to absorb
gaseous pollutant,relevant to the emission source while the remaining gas stream
bubbles through a distilled water impingers followed by silica gel.On passing through the
cold box section,the flue gases cool down,where moisture or condensables present are
removed and gaseous pollutants get absorbed in reagent kept in the
impinger.Particulates free cool gases then pass through the rotameter for measurement
of flow rate and are subsequently exhausted into the atmosphere through the vacuum
pump. Provision has been made to accurately measure the pressure drop across the
thimble and sampling train assembly using vacuum gauges. Similarly the temperature of
the gas stream near the flow meter inlet can be measured by a pyrometer with this data
correct flue gas sample volume can be calculated normalized as per gas laws.

2 SAMPLING:
1. Selection of thimble:
Temperature of the flue gases is the major factor in determining/selection of the type
of filter medium to be used. There are two types, one is cellulose filtration thimbles and

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other is glass micro fiber thimbles Cellulose filtration thimbles can be used for ‘IN- Stack’
Sampling of flue gases up to a stack temperature of 120C while glass microfiber thimbles
allow operation up to 500C.
SOP No. : SOP/EQ/08 Amendment Number:00
Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 3 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

2. Preparing the thimbles:

Prior to sampling filter medium must be dried in oven at 105oC for 3-4 hrs and cooling it
down in desiccator and weight. Cellulose filtration thimbles, particularly, are quite
hygroscopic and must be conditioned before using. For best results cellulose thimbles
must be weighted soon after they have cooled. After sampling both cellulose and micro
fiber thimbles must be dried in oven at 105oC and cool in desiccator prior to final
weighment.
3. Loading of the thimble:
Pre-weighed thimble should be loaded into the filter holder for particulate sampling.
Open the thimble holder. Keep the filter casing down. Put the thimble for on the conical
surface, slip the thimble slightly inwards. Tighten the screw keeping the straight
Keep on tightening till the edge of the thimble strikes against back thimble surface. The
filter casing can now be screwed on the front end.
Be careful about the tightening. Over tightening will spoil the thimble while under
tightening will give away to leakages.
Once the above arrangements have been made and required chemicals for gaseous
sampling prepared, stack sampling can be carried out. While using the ESS 100 sampler
the probe assembly, instrument panel and vacuum pump have to be taken up on the

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monitoring platform. On the stack the first operation is measurement of temperature
and velocity of the fuel gas followed by calculation of isokinetic flow rate and selection of
appropriate nozzle which give flow within range of flow meter of this kit. Sampling for
particulates and gaseous pollutants for at least 1 hrs is done else ensure that at least 600
litre flue gas is sampled from stack (or as per requirement).

SOP No. : SOP/EQ/08 Amendment Number:00

Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 4 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

4. Setting up ESS 100 for sampling of gaseous pollutants

Gaseous sampling rates would usually range between 0.5 LPM to 2LPM depending
on the nature of the gas and absorbing reagent selected. However, the selection of
sampling rate should also take into account the gas concentration expected and the total
quantity that can be absorbed before the chemical kept in absorber become saturated.
Since volume of gas sampled would depend on the product of sampling rate and the
sampling time, these two parameters should be selected in a manner so that sufficient
flue gas is sampled to build up a measurable concentration in the absorber.
In general the sampling rate is selected to optimize absorption efficiency while the
sampling time is selected on the basis of expected concentration.
Select an appropriate sampling rate and cycle time and follow the set up instruction
given below in sequence.
1. Check that the vacuum is connected to the VACUUM port of the instrument panel and
its main cord is plugged into the mains.

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2. Check that the gas samplings impingers are correctly connected and absorbing
reagents are kept in the impinger.
CAUTION: A wrong polarity in impinger connection will cause the absorber solution
sucked into the flow meters; pump assembly can DAMAGE the equipment.
3. Similarly check that SPM & Silica gel bottles are properly connected in series.
4. Check that the flow control knobs on both 3 and 30 LPM rotameters are shut off. The
values open ANTI CLOCK WISE rotation of the knob.

5. Insert the probe pipe into the chimney’s porthole and close the opening of port hole.
SOP No. : SOP/EQ/08 Amendment Number:00
Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 5 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

6. Start the vacuum pump.

7. Open the flow control value on the 3 LPM Flow meter slowly to set up the gas
sampling rate (usually 2lpm for SO2). Open the value on the 30 LPM flow Meter to set
up a flow rate (Iso kinetic calculated flow-2lpm (gas flow)). Note that the SPM and silica
gel bottles are in parallel with gas sampling train. by setting up a flow in the SPM flow
meter one can able to ensure that both trains are at a pressure and there is no chance of
reagent mixing between the trains.
Always set up flow in the 3 LPM flow meter first then in the 6-30 LPM flow meter.
Similarly while terminating the sample, shut off the 30 LPM flow meter first and the 3
LPM flow meter last.
Failure to follow this precaution is likely to cause liquids in the gas sampling impingers to
be sucked-back towards the particulate bottles.

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At the end of the sampling time, withdraw the probe first close the rotameter as above
and shut off the power to vacuum pump at the end.
For further details see the test method.

SOP No. : SOP/EQ/08 Amendment Number:00

Issue no. : 03 Amendment date:00

Issue Date:31.07.2018 STANDARD OPERATING Page No.: 6 of 6

PROCEDURES FOR EQUIPMENTS

XIII. EXTERNAL CALIBRATION:

Rotameter, stop watch, Pressure indicator, thermo couple with temperature
Indicator, vaccum gauge and s-type Pitot tube is to be
Calibrated by external NABL accredited calibration laboratory.

XIV. ASSOCIATE DOCUMENTS:

1. Instrument maintenance log.
2. External calibration certificates.

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