Process Analysis for Hydrocarbon and Hydrogen
As the energy landscape and industrial processing continues to change, realtime, accurate monitoring of hydrocarbon and hydrogen streams is necessary. The forefront of this action is Modcon Systems and its online photonics-based process analyzers to provide operational efficiencies, safety, and sustainability in high risk and adverse environments.
Hydrocarbon Gas: Real-Time, Robust Analysis The MOD-1022 Hydrocarbon Gas Analyzer is an unprecedented option for monitoring hydrocarbon gases in stream monitoring applications. It employs a photonics-based platform to provide real-time measured compositional information on typical refinery and LNG gases (C₁-C₆ alkanes). Key features include: • Live, continuous analysis in real-time with negligible drift (<0.2% per month) • No exogenous carrier or fuel gases (lower infrastructure) • Small, rugged design compliant to NEMA4X/IP66, outdoor/portable applications.
These capabilities will allow for accurate, continuous control of hydrocarbon processes which is vital for measuring Heating Value, ensuring product quality and sustaining energy-efficiency.
Hydrogen: Precision in a High-Stakes Arena Hydrogen, because of its instability and importance in clean energy transitions, requires detailed and reliable monitoring. Modcon provides just that with several premium analyzers: MOD-1060 Hydrogen Analyzer — An inline thermal-conductivity (TCD) instrument that has: • Measurement from low ppm levels to 100% hydrogen • A very fast response time — less than 30 milliseconds • An explosion-proof design (Ex d), ATEX/IECEx certified and SIL2-ready • Outstanding ability to withstand moisture, up to 200 bar pressure and harsh environments. MOD-5330 Intrinsically Safe Hydrogen Analyzer — A completely maintenancefree hydrogen monitoring hero. Built on solid-state sensing technology, it provides: • Up to 10 years of continuous, calibration-free operation • No consumables or calibration gases required • Complete immunity to cross-gas interference and contaminant tolerance • Compact design with digital and analog outputs for easy integration. Together, both analyzers equip hydrogen facilities to assure purity, identify leaks early, and work safely throughout the production cycle, from electrolyzers to fuel cells.
The Bigger Picture: Safety, Purity, and Energy Transition Accurate gas analysis is more than a technical convenience, and frequently a safety necessity. In hydrogen processing, even a related trace amount of oxygen or leaked hydrogen creates explosion risk. Ongoing monitoring of H₂ and O₂ is crucial for early warning and process integrity. Modcon has the MOD-1040 Oxygen Analyzer, specifically for high-pressure pipe applications. Using accepted optical sensing technology and certified SIL2 rated safety for analysis, it allows for oxygen measurement through in-situ monitoring. This means there is no need to extract any samples, reducing or eliminating the explosive zone classification. In the 2025 industry overview, one area discussed was how Modcon's analyzers in combination with AI driven reinforcement learning, will substantially improve hydrogen production. By observing purity and reacting to process variations, production operators can reduce energy consumption, lower system wear and tear, and reduce total operational costs.
Beyond Hydrocarbon & Hydrogen: A Unified Approach Modcon's analysis suite is not restricted to gas species. The Beacon-3000 NIR Analyzer is a versatile fiber optic option for real-time liquid hydrocarbon monitoring. It allows for non-contact, multi-channel measurement of both chemical composition and physical characteristics, with minimal maintenance or sheltering requirements. Underneath these products is Modcon's core philosophy: fiber optic, intrinsically safe sensing with AI-enabled data compensation, integrated sample conditioning inside the sample cell, and completely customized turnkey installations.
Conclusion: Driving Smarter, Safer Process Control For industries such as oil refining, LNG, hydrogen production, petrochemicals etc. - there is a heavy burden because being safety responsible and sustainable are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Modcon Systems takes a shot directly at this burden with analyzers built for purpose designed to give fast, accurate, and reliable process analysis in hydrocarbon and hydrogen spaces. • Hydrocarbons: Real time, drift resistant speciation with very little infrastructure. • Hydrogen: Fast, explosion proof, low maintenance purity monitoring. • Oxygen: High pressure, inline analysis for safety and control. • Liquid applications: NIR based and contactless monitoring of complex streams. • AI integration: Autonomous optimization with dynamic analysis and learning. As the global push for decarbonization and cleaner energy solutions continue, understanding the mutual dependencies of the gas composition is paramount. Modcon's analyzers empower industry leaders with the tools to monitor, adapt and thrive—leading the energy transition with intelligence, accountability and ambition.
