System for analyzing mercury

An analyzer system for measuring mercury, comprising:

• a mercury vapor analyzer for generating and detecting analytical beams;
• a furnace mounted to a measurement cell;
• a sample boat to contain a sample adapted to be disposed within the furnace to release a sample effluent gas from the sample into the measurement cell;
• an optical bench mounted to the mercury vapor analyzer into which the measurement cell can be positioned so that the analytical beams can traverse the measurement cell, interact with the sample effluent gas and return to the vapor analyzer where the amount of mercury in the sample effluent gas can be determined;
• an elongated sample desorption tube connected to the measurement cell, the sample desorption tube having an opening to receive the sample boat,
• the sample desorption tube being large enough that a high flow rate between about 4 L/minute and 40 L/minute does not sweep the sample out of the sample boat disposed within the sample desorption tube;
• and
• a pump station to draw the sample effluent gas from the measurement cell.

A method for measuring mercury vapor, comprising:

• generating analytical beams with a mercury vapor analyzer;
• releasing heated sample effluent gas from a sample heated in a sample boat disposed within a furnace into the measurement cell;
• projecting the analytical beams from the vapor analyzer through the measurement cell to interact with the heated sample effluent gas and returning the analytical beams back to the vapor analyzer where the amount of mercury in the heated sample effluent gas can be determined;
• drawing the heated sample effluent gas from the measurement cell;
• cooling the sample gas drawn from the measurement cell so as to condense any excess moisture carried in the sample gas;
• and
• cooling the sample gas drawn from the measurement cell to near ambient for improved regulation of the gas drawn from the measurement cell.

A method for measuring mercury vapor, comprising:

• generating analytical beams with a mercury vapor analyzer;
• releasing heated sample effluent gas from a sample heated in a sample boat disposed within a furnace into the measurement cell;
• projecting the analytical beams from the vapor analyzer through the measurement cell to interact with the heated sample effluent gas and returning the analytical beams back to the vapor analyzer where the amount of mercury in the heated sample effluent gas can be determined;
• and
• drawing the heated sample effluent gas from the measurement cell;
• heating the sample boat within a furnace having a first heating section and a second heating section;
• and
• separately controlling the temperature in each of the first and second heating sections.

A method for measuring mercury vapor, comprising:

• generating analytical beams with a mercury vapor analyzer;
• releasing heated sample effluent gas from a sample heated in a sample boat disposed within a furnace into the measurement cell;
• projecting the analytical beams from the vapor analyzer through the measurement cell to interact with the heated sample effluent gas and returning the analytical beams back to the vapor analyzer where the amount of mercury in the heated sample effluent gas can be determined;
• and
• drawing the heated sample effluent gas from the measurement cell;
• wrapping potassium chloride sections of a speciation trap in a foil;
• placing the foil wrapping the potassium chloride sections in a boat;
• and
• covering with sodium carbonate.