Since the foundation of the company in 1971, Specac has been at the forefront of developing innovative spectroscopic solutions to enable our customers to conduct quantitative measurements reliably.
Beginnings – liquid phase process cells
In the 1990s, Specac started working with petrochemical manufacturers to develop robust process analytical solutions for one of the most corrosive liquid sample streams – the production of acetic acid. Whilst laboratory studies showed encouraging results from early on, the installation of a NIR process cell on the main plant was only possible by re-designing the NIR process cells so that they could withstand the harsh process conditions for a long period of time.
In close cooperation with our customers, we also introduced several innovative features to our liquid NIR process cell range to ensure a reliable solution which could then be rolled out to all major production units across the world. These included:
- Tell-tale ports that would show whether a primary seal needed replacement
- Cleaning ports to permit in-situ servicing of the cells
- A variety of sealing techniques to suit harsh chemistries
Specac followed up with a range of gas phase process cells
Beginning in 2000, following the successful roll-out of the liquid cells, the customer then took the agreement further and in close cooperation with Specac a robust NIR gas cell range was developed. With these the composition of several reactor process streams on a demonstration unit could be measured on-line to optimize a new petrochemical production process at the beginning of 2000. The same gas cells were then included early on in the design of the main plant to enable closed loop control of the reactors early on in the commissioning phase.
Specac’s process capability today
Specac continues to deliver innovative process cell solutions to the industry today and is using the decades long experience gained in the field of process analysis to help our customers delivering robust solutions.
We aim to involve the customer right from the beginning of the process, to ensure that all the requirements are captured and understood. We will then specify a solution and provide estimates of timelines for design, manufacture, and delivery.
After installation, Specac continues to offer periodic (off-site) refurbishment as required.