TPI USA DC710 Flue Gas Analysis & Combustion Basics Instruction Manual

: June 4, 2024
: TPI USA

Table of Contents

TPI USA DC710 Flue Gas Analysis & Combustion Basics Instruction
overview
The Combustion Triangle. What is Combustion? Why Measure
Complete Combustion. Combustion Air.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Facts
Monitor & Detect Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Facts
Tech Talk
Cracked Heat Exchangers
References
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TPI USA DC710 Flue Gas Analysis & Combustion Basics Instruction

Manual

overview

The Combustion Triangle. What is Combustion? Why Measure

It?

Combustion cannot happen without ALL THREE sides of the combustion triangle present.
Why Measure or Analyze Combustion?

Safety! Combustion analysis verifies the safety of fuel-burning equipment before and after service. Anything that generates combustion can produce dangerous and even deadly levels of carbon monoxide or other poisonous gases.
Conformance: ensure equipment is operating in conformance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and within legal requirements.
Efficiency: determine how well the equipment is doing it’s job, and assess longevity/warranty issues.
Air Quality: measure the amount of pollution equipment is producing

Perfect Combustion of Methane (CH4) and Oxygen (O2).

Complete Combustion of Methane (CH4) and Oxygen (O2).

Incomplete Combustion has formed Carbon Monoxide (CO).

Complete Combustion. Combustion Air.

Perfect Combustion (also known as Stoichiometric) is the complete burning of fuel with the exact amount of air: 11.7% CO2 and NO Excess Air for Natural Gas, and it is 13.9% CO2 and NO Excess Air for Propane.
Complete Combustion is the burning of fuel but with excess air. Excess air is added to ensure there is enough air present to avoid incomplete combustion.
Incomplete Combustion is due to excess or lack of any one side of the combustion triangle. The usual cause is not enough combustion air or too much fuel. Besides Carbon Monoxide, other contaminants are Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfuric Acid, Sulfur Dioxide, and Aldehydes.

Combustion Air
Consists of Primary & Secondary Air:

Primary Air
This is air mixed with fuel PRIOR to actual combustion.

Secondary Air
This is air added AFTER combustion to allow complete combustion.

10 ft3 Combustion Air is needed for every 1 ft3 Methane.
24 ft3 Combustion Air is needed for every 1 ft3 Propane.

Excess Air
This is air added but not required for combustion; it is a buffer to ensure there is at least enough air supplied for complete combustion. TOO MUCH excess air can carry away heat (high stack temp) and decrease efficiency. Too much air can also lower actual flame temperature and cause some incomplete combustion creating carbon monoxide.

M anufacturer’s Specifications for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) on Boiler Setup

Below are GUIDELINES for acceptable combustion readings:
Minimum & Maximum CO2 for Natural Gas

9.2% to 9.5% CO2 at nominal heat capacity
8.9% to 9.2% CO2 at minimum heat capacity
65 – 150 PPM CO at nominal heat capacity Minimum & Maximum CO2 for Propane
10.3% to 10.6% CO2 at nominal heat capacity
10% to 10.3% CO2 at minimum heat capacity
65 – 150 PPM CO at nominal heat capacity
ALWAYS refer to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Let’s Get to Work! Combustion Mysteries …

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Facts

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and deadly gas – often called “The Silent Killer”.

Auto exhaust counts for 60% of all CO alarm responses.
Unmaintained and misused gas cooking appliances are the second leading cause at 20%.
The third leading cause of CO alarm responses is the poor venting of naturally vented appliances at 19%.
Cracked heat exchangers make up the smallest percentage.
See CO Poisoning Concentration & Symptoms on page 14.

Current UL2034 Standard Requirements for Carbon Monoxide Detector Alarm Response

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Level| Number of Minutes Until Alarm Must Sound| Comments

400 PPM

| Averaged or responding to CO at the level detected between 4 and 15 minutes|

Average CO level for less than 15 minutes

150 PPM| Between 10 and 50 minutes|
70 PPM| Between 60 and 240 minutes|

What level of CO causes a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector to alarm?
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Standard UL2034 requires residential CO Alarms to sound when exposed to levels of CO and exposure times as described above. The Carbon Monoxide level is measured in parts per million (PPM) of CO (Carbon Monoxide over time (in minutes).

Monitor & Detect Carbon Monoxide

What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out or kill you.1

Who is at risk from CO poisoning?
Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning. Infants, the elderly, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.1

Note: All TPI Combustion Gas Analyzers are capable of measuring ambient CO.

770 Ambient Carbon Monoxide Monitor
Palm-sized 770 measures CO in ambient air and displays readings in 1 ppm increments.

Measure 0 to 999 PPM CO
Displays maximum CO reading in PPM, and the amount of time elapsed from when powered on
Displays user set value of audible and visual alarm
Audible alarm set on or off by user

777 Personal
Carbon Monoxide Monitor
Durable, Always-On, CO MonitorEasy operation with audible, visual and vibrating alarm for STEL and TWA. Two-year battery life. Designed for personal safety, and useful in these areas and more:
Fire Departments; Industrial Workers; Home Inspectors; HVACR; Residential Appliance Repair, Property Management and Housekeeping

PGM100
Carbon Monoxide Monitor
Intrinsically Safe CO Monitor This rugged, single gas CO Monitor is intrinsically safe, durable, wearable tech designed to detect and warn the user of hazardous levels of carbon monoxide in a risk inherent environment. Use wherever combustible material may be present, for example Fuel Distribution Centers; and/or Agriculture Warehousing/ Distribution/Processing

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Concentration & Symptoms

CO Concentration| Symptoms
35 PPM| Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure
100 PPM| Slight headache in two to three hours
200 PPM| Slight headache within two to three hours; loss of judgement
400 PPM| Frontal headache within one to two hours; life threatening after three hours
800 PPM| Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 minutes; unconscious within two hours
1600 PPM| Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 minutes; death in less than two hours
3200 PPM| Headache, dizziness and nausea within five to ten minutes; death within 30 minutes
6400 PPM| Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes; convulsions, respiratory arrest, and death in less than 20 minutes
12800 PPM| Unconsciousness after two-three breaths; death in less than three minutes

Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Facts

What is NOx (Nitrogen Oxide)?

Nitrogen Oxides are a family of poisonous, highly reactive gases. These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures NOx pollution is emitted by automobiles, trucks, and various non-road vehicles (e.g., construction equipment, boats, etc.) as well as industrial sources like power plants, industrial boilers, cement kilns, and turbines. NOx can also be created in residential areas. NOx plays a major role in the atmospheric reactions with volatile organic compounds (VOC) that produce ozone (smog) on hot sunny days. NOx is also known to contribute to acid rain.

How is NOx formed in the combustion process?

Fuel Bound NOx: formed when burning fuels rich in Nitrogen (heavy oils).
Prompt NOx: occurs in the low-temperature stages of combustion and accounts for the smallest portion.
Thermal NOx: generated at the higher flame temperatures in combustion.

Combustion Reading Guidelines. Combustion Analysis + Proper Tuning = Increase Efficiency Savings!

Below are GUIDELINES for acceptable combustion readings:
Atmospheric Gas-Fired Burners

Oxygen (O2) . . . . . . . . . . . . .6% to 10%
Stack Temperature . . . . . . . .Mid 325° to 500°F;
High 105° to 128°F
Carbon Monoxide (CO): . . . .<100 ppm
Gas-Fired Power Fired Burners
Oxygen (O2): . . . . . . . . . . . . .3% to 7%
Stack Temperature: . . . . . . . .120° to 500°F;
Carbon Monoxide (CO) . . . . .<100 ppm
Oil-Fired Power Burners
Oxygen (O2): . . . . . . . . . . . . .4% to 7%
Stack Temperature: . . . . . . . .300° to 600°F;
Draft (InH2O): . . . . . . . . . . . .-0.02 InH2O OVERFIRE
-0.02 to -0.04 InH2O
STACK DRAFT
Carbon Monoxide (CO): . . . .<100 ppm
Smoke: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
ALWAYS refer to the manufacturer’s specifications

How to Calculate CO Air Free
20.9 ÷ (20.9 – Measured Oxygen) x Carbon Monoxide = CO Air Free

Savings Per $100 in Fuel Cost with Combustion Analysis and Proper Tuning

Original Efficiency| Increased Efficiency
| 55%| 60%| 65%| 70%| 75%| 80%| 85%| 90%| 95%
50%| $      9.10| $ 16.10| $ 23.10| $ 28.60| $ 33.30| $ 37.50| $ 41.20| $ 44.40| $ 47.40
55%| | $      8.30| $ 15.40| $ 21.50| $ 26.70| $ 31.20| $ 35.30| $ 38.90| $ 42.10
60%| | | $      7.70| $ 14.30| $ 20.00| $ 25.00| $ 29.40| $ 33.30| $ 37.80
65%| | | | $      7.10| $ 13.30| $ 18.30| $ 23.50| $ 27.80| $ 31.60
70%| | | | | $      6.70| $ 12.50| $ 17.60| $ 22.20| $ 26.30
75%| | | | | | $      6.30| $ 11.80| $ 16.70| $ 21.10
80%| | | | | | | $      5.90| $ 11.10| $ 15.80
85%| | | | | | | | $      5.60| $ 10.50
95%| | | | | | | | | $      5.30

Tech Talk

What else can you do with a Combustion Gas Analyzer? Most TPI Analyzers will measure:

Temperature
Gas pressure
Ambient CO
NOx

All TPI Analyzers have the ability to print measurement data for accurate documentation and verification. See the chart on page 19 to see the features each TPI Combustion Gas Analyzer offers.

709 Combustion Analyzer with Built-in Manometer

Measure CO, O2; and calculate efficiency, CO2, excess air, and bCO air free.
Dual input temperature measurement.
High resolution 0.001in H20 differential manometer for high efficiency and oil equipment.
For increased safety unit will not shut off if 15 ppm CO is present.
The pump is driven for a fast response time
Will not shut off if 15 ppm CO is present for increased safety
Store up to 50 readings (716 stores 100 readings)
1 ppm sensitivity (CO)
Optional A740 IR printer for hard copies of test results
Push on fittings for fast and easy use
Large easy to read backlit display
Selectable fuels
Protective rubber boot, flue probe, and soft padded carrying case with shoulder strap

Tech Talk

621C3 Dual Input Differential Manometer Kit
Work on all appliances, mid & high-efficiency furnaces, boilers of all sizes, hot water tanks, tankless hot water heaters, fireplaces and more. Use the 621C3 to adjust manifold pressures, pressure switches, draft supply pressure, HRV, and air handling unit balancing.

621 temperature compensated manometer with over range protection to 15 psi, protective boot, static tips, t-fittings, silicone tubing, adapter tube, and carrying case.

Cracked Heat Exchangers

Combustion gas analyzers offer an effective method of detecting a cracked heat exchanger. Giving customers a printed analysis report helps them make the right decisions about repair or replacement – and it gives them confidence in your work.While conducting combustion analysis on a forced air appliance, shut the main blower fan down temporarily. If the O2 level reading on your analyzer drops, this is a sure indication that some extra O2 is being introduced “fireside” by the positive air pressure surrounding the hear exchanger. This leak may be due to a crack, corrosion, or faulty gasketting at the heat exchanger. You can reverse this test and start you test with the fan off. If when you enable to main blower, the O2 level rises, the same conclusion is evident. No matter how you perceive it, the end result is the same: AN UNACCEPTABLE CONDITION.

Ambient CO Testing should not be done directly ON the heat register/vent. DO NOT place your ambient CO monitor on the heat register or vent to expect an accurate reading. Shown in the picture at left are three different units with three different results. The other units have a sensor on the back. With an operating temperature of 32° to 104°F, these units, placed with the sensor directly over the hot air, are likely out of range when placed on a heat vent for more than a few minutes. Place an ambient CO monitor on any surface fairly close to the heat source, but NOT directly on the heat source.
Also, be sure to choose a monitor with visual AND audible alarms. If the monitor is upstairs and the work is being done downstairs, AUDIBLE is important!

TPI Combustion Analyzers

TPI Analyzers:| 708| 709/709R| DC710C1| 716| 716N| 717/717R
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
O2| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%
CO| 0 to 10k ppm| 0 to 10k ppm| 0 to 10k ppm| 0 to 10k ppm| 0 to 10k ppm| 0 to 10k ppm
CO2| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%
CO Air Free| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
NO| | | | | 0 to 5k ppm|
NOX| | | | | 0 to 5,250 ppm|
CO2 Ratio| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%| 0 to 25%
Excess Air| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Efficiency (Gross & Net)| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Temperature| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Temp. Differential| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Pressure Measurement| No| Yes| No| Yes| Yes| Yes
Internal NOX Filter| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Printer (Optional)| IR| IR| Bluetooth| IR| IR| IR
External Oil Filter| Optional| Optional| Optional| Optional| Optional| Optional
1ppm CO Resolution for BPI| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Residential, Commercial, Industrial| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Compatible with PC| No| No| No| Yes| Yes| No
LCD Display| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| Yes| Yes
Smart Sensors (Field Replaceable)| No| No| Yes| No| No| Yes
Onboard Memory| 50 Tests| 50 Tests| Free App| 50 Tests| 50 Tests| 100 Tests
Backlight| Yes| Yes| N/A| Yes| Yes| Yes
R (Rechargeable) or A (Alkaline Battery)|

| 709: Alkaline 709R: Recharge|

| 717: Alkaline 717R: Recharge
Data Logging| No| No| No| No| Yes| No
USB Output to PC| No| No| No| No| Yes| No
Optional Bluetooth| No| No| Included| No| Yes| No
Combustible Gas Leak Detection| No| No| No| Yes| Yes| No

Find the right tool, for the right price.
Value and performance are at the core of each and every TPI product. Since 1997, TPI has been offering the latest technology at the most affordable price to technicians, contractors, engineers and others seeking value-based test and measurement instruments. With headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, TPI combines innovation, performance, customer service, and high-value in products which include: Vibration, Combustion, Pressure (manometers), Temperature, Combustible gas, Digital Multimeters, Clamp Meters, IAQ, specialty test and measurement instruments, and a wide range of accessories.TPI has a global footprint with wholly owned subsidiaries in Canada and the UK. Sales and service centers are located in Beaverton, Oregon, USA; Milton, Ontario, Canada; and Crawley, West Sussex, UK. Whether you have questions regarding instrument selection, application or calibration, a TPI Team Member is always happy to help.