Pulled from our Smoke Signals Newsletter, here are some tips from an old stack tester.
Static Pressure
The easiest way to measure static pressure is to insert a piece of metal tubing connected to a U-tube water-filled manometer into the approximate middle of the stack, with the other end open to atmosphere. If the manometer deflects toward the stack, record this as negative static pressure (less than barometric pressure). If the manometer deflects away from the stack, record this as positive static pressure. If you are using an inclined manometer, then place the connection to the tubing on the negative (right-hand) side of the manometer to read a negative static pressure. Switch it to the positive (left-hand) side to read a positive static pressure. The procedure is identical when using a stack static tap.
Gear Up for Winter with Insulated Blankets
When cooler weather approaches, sampling trains will require extra protection. One of the most common cold-weather challenges for stack testers is effectively maintaining the temperatures of their heated trains. Temperatures falling below the EPA directive can jeopardize the integrity of the sample runs. Insulated blankets are an easy, cost-efficient way of protecting sampling trains against the elements. We offer specially crafted insulated blankets to protect the most vulnerable spots of your sample train against the cold.
Glass Impinger
Although glass impingers are typically used as the condenser section in Method 4 and other isokinetic methods, you can replace them with a stainless-steel equivalent coil condenser, which results in a rugged and reliable system without the fragility of the traditional glass assembly. Note that this assembly can only be used when analyzing samples for moisture content.
Probe Rinse
Consider using a flask with a socket connector that can be clamped to the ball of the probe to capture the probe rinse. This procedure makes it easier for a single person to recover the probe, it decreases contamination from debris in the environment, and it decreases the likelihood of losing your sample from spills.
Leak Checks
When chasing down a leak, it is a good idea to check common leak areas or to use the “split the system in half” method to quickly identify a leak. Splitting a system in half means performing a leak check from the glass train to the console, which allows the stack tester to determine whether the leak is in the front half or the back half of the train. This procedure can be performed again to keep narrowing down the search area for the leak.
Rain
Rainy days are not fun for anyone. If you get caught out in the rain during a stack test, all you need is a plastic oven bag; put your datasheet inside and keep it dry as you write down your results. Another option is to upgrade to our XD-502 and let the console record the data for you.