Thermo Electron improves elemental analysis of steel

Archiv – With the ARL 4460 high-performance optical emission spectrometer from Thermo Electron Corporation, steel producers can now achieve improved analysis of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur at very low levels. The increased sensitivity of this metal analyser permits the cost-effective manufacture of cleaner steels, it is claimed.With the ARL 4460 high-performance optical emission spectrometer from Thermo Electron Corporation, steel producers can now achieve improved analysis of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur at very low levels. The increased sensitivity of this metal analyser permits the cost-effective manufacture of cleaner steels, it is claimed.
The ARL 4460 can rapidly detect extremely low levels of gaseous elements in steel, with results available typically within 55 seconds after just two runs. Such performance allows manufacturers to reduce production and operating costs significantly. Detection limits obtained – 0.4 ppm for carbon, 1.5 ppm for nitrogen, 8 ppm for oxygen, 0.3 ppm for phosphorus and 0.7 ppm for sulphur – represent a considerable improvement in quantitative analysis, according to Thermo.
Higher levels of accuracy, stability and precision are also achieved with the new spectrometer, it is contended. For example, precision is 0.4 ppm at 10 ppm C and 0.8 ppm at 20 ppm N. These analytical results are all the more significant, says the company, given the pressures on the steel industry to improve quality control systems and processes.
Thermo’s metal analysers have already been deployed in hundreds of plants around the world and routinely measure important trace elements. They are constantly being upgraded to offer better levels of detection.