Title

Analyzers for the Quality Control of Industrial Gases

Analyzers for the Quality Control of Industrial Gases

Authorship

CHESTER, FRANK; NEWELL, TODD; FERREIRA, SERGIO L.C.

CHESTER, FRANK

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NEWELL, TODD

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FERREIRA, SERGIO L.C.

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DOI

10.5151/2594-3626-22EnergPC-155-162

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Abstract

Medical gases represent an excellent market for Industrial Gas companies since many of the gases they produce for their process industry customers also have applications within the medical market. From a production standpoint, there may be no difference in how these gases are made. The difference between the process and medical gas markets is primarily in the quality control tests and documentation required of a medical gas. Production and sale of the medical gas comes under the close scrutiny of regulatory agencies such as the USFDA in the States, and failure to comply with the relevant regulations can result in fines, confiscation of product, and even jail terms for company officials who fail to comply. Although medical gas standards currently differ between Europe and the States, these standards are in the process of “Harmonization”. This harmonization program will ultimately result in one consistent quality control program applied to the industrial gas industry worldwide. Gas analyzers will play an important role in this effort. Gas analyzers play an important role in the safe, efficient operation of cryogenic plants. Likewise, gas analyzers will continue to play an increasingly important role in the verification of the key quality control parameters of medical gases. The same analyzers can fulfill both purposes. In this paper, we discuss the quality controls required of the most common medical gases, and show how properly applied gas analyzers allow Industrial Gas companies to continue to operate their facilities in the most efficient manner while meeting the stringent quality control requirements placed upon medical gases.

Medical gases represent an excellent market for Industrial Gas companies since many of the gases they produce for their process industry customers also have applications within the medical market. From a production standpoint, there may be no difference in how these gases are made. The difference between the process and medical gas markets is primarily in the quality control tests and documentation required of a medical gas. Production and sale of the medical gas comes under the close scrutiny of regulatory agencies such as the USFDA in the States, and failure to comply with the relevant regulations can result in fines, confiscation of product, and even jail terms for company officials who fail to comply. Although medical gas standards currently differ between Europe and the States, these standards are in the process of “Harmonization”. This harmonization program will ultimately result in one consistent quality control program applied to the industrial gas industry worldwide. Gas analyzers will play an important role in this effort. Gas analyzers play an important role in the safe, efficient operation of cryogenic plants. Likewise, gas analyzers will continue to play an increasingly important role in the verification of the key quality control parameters of medical gases. The same analyzers can fulfill both purposes. In this paper, we discuss the quality controls required of the most common medical gases, and show how properly applied gas analyzers allow Industrial Gas companies to continue to operate their facilities in the most efficient manner while meeting the stringent quality control requirements placed upon medical gases.

Keywords

analysis, medical gases, quality control

analysis, medical gases, quality control