The Modern Digital Flue Gas Analyser

As expected with new technology at the time of its release, there are usually technical problems. The digital flue gas analyser was not an exception to this rule but today’s equipment is far cheaper and is made to last longer than its predecessors ten years ago. However, when compared with the problems associated with using and maintaining manual wet combustion testing kits, the introduction of the digital flue gas analyser brought relief to heating professionals all over the world.

Manual versus Digital Flue Gas Analysers

Manual wet combustion testing kits for oil-heating appliances were bulky, susceptible to inaccurate readings, cumbersome, time consuming to operate and contained chemicals that were potentially dangerous to humans. The visual impact of the kit today would leave a customer, and indeed a heating professional, feeling a little apprehensive in view of its ‘archaic’ qualities.

However, in view of the modern professional digital gas flue analyser accompanied by its infra red thermal printer, a heating professional can connect his or her flue gas analyser to the heating appliance flue, monitor the data from the equipment and simply adjust burner components to acquire the required result within seconds of making that adjustment.

Fuel Economy and the Environment

With today’s higher heating fuel prices and depleting natural resources, the flue gas analyser is essential for maintaining fuel economy whilst reducing carbon and toxic emissions into the environment. Customers can now expect a shorter service time with combustion test results printed out immediately and attached to the heating appliance service record within minutes.

Through the use of the latest flue gas analysis equipment, the heating professional requires less service area to work in that helps maintain a cleaner environment within a customer’s property when compared to previous methods of heating appliance combustion testing.

Flue Gas Analyser Calibration and Servicing

Periodic servicing and calibration of digital flue gas analysers is essential. With the wide use of the flue gas analyser throughout the professional heating industry, the cost of servicing and calibrating a unit has seen a substantial fall in recent years. These costs will probably continue to fall, as more heating professionals realise the value and consequently the requirement of a digital flue gas analyser during installation or servicing of heating appliances.

Gas Service Engineer Competency

In 2010, it will be a requirement for all United Kingdom gas service engineers who install and service certain gas heating appliances to certify their knowledge in the correct use of a flue gas analyser. The CPA1 Combustion Performance Analysis of Domestic Appliances is a course and assessment intended for gas service engineers who employ combustion analysis as an essential element of the installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance of a gas heating appliance, that is listed in BS7967 Part 3 2005 Guide, and to take appropriate action in respect of measurements obtained from a flue gas analyser.

In essence, the digital flue gas analyser is a boon for all heating professionals as it provides a customer with confidence and trust in their proficiency whilst in the knowledge that their heating appliance is operating effectively, safely and efficiently.