THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOINDUSTRIAL

REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING

Why representative sampling is important to operational success

© 2016 Sentry Equipment Corp.

Running an efficient operation requires controlled, real-timedata obtained through representative sampling.

What is representative sampling?

Representative sampling is the act of capturing a limited volume of material from a process stream that accurately reflects the characteristics of the entire lot, batch or process stream. Most material within a production environment or when being stored and transported can be sampled and then analyzed for product quality and process monitoring.

Basic grab sampling such as a bucket and spigot collection or a bin scooping method merely reflect insights into the process stream at the point in time when the sample was collected. Depending on the characteristics of the materials being sampled and the process conditions, a grab sample may not be suitable due to segregation or separation. It also can be very dangerous. There are also many human errors that can come into play when using a grab sample approach, creating uncertainty in the sample analysis results.

On the other hand, composite sampling consists of a collection of numerous individual samples taken at regular intervals over a period of time using the appropriate sampling technique for the application. The material being sampled is collected into a sample container for analysis off line in a laboratory, or the sample is conditioned and sent directly to an on-line analyzer. Additionally, the number and specific locations of your samplers has an impact on whether they truly will be representative of your complete process.

REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING BENEFITS

The controlled methods of representative industrial sampling:• Provide reliable and accurate analysis results• Save money by reducing waste and downtime• Protect operators and the environment• Ensure product quality and regulatory compliance

Let’s take a closer look at how representative sampling helps chemists, maintenance planners, engineers, plant managers, QA managers and operators collect reliable samples. Representative sampling combines safety, simplicity and accuracy to deliver benefits unmatched by other sampling methods.

RELIABLE AND ACCURATE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

Garbage in, garbage out. This expression originating from the computer science industry refers to an electronic device (a computer) that will unquestioningly process unintended input (garbage in) to produce nonsensical or undesired results (garbage out). This sentiment certainly applies to sampling and analysis, conducted either in situ or off line in a lab.

To avoid garbage inputs and increase confidence in your product quality or process, obtaining representative samples for accurate analysis is dependent upon the application and the quality of the sampling methodsthemselves. Or in other words, your sampling

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Should these application criteria be overlooked, the samples taken will not sufficiently represent the complete lot, batch or process stream. Most importantly, many samples may need to be conditioned by bringing the temperature, pressure and flow rate to a suitable state for reliable analysis. Should this conditioning step be ignored or not conducted properly, the sample analysis results could lead to misguided operational decisions that directly impact customer loyalty, profitability or safety.

SAVE MONEY BY REDUCING WASTE AND DOWNTIME

Process monitoringRepresentative sampling and analysis is essential for efficiently monitoring plant processes and maximizing output. Many operating environments run very harsh materials through their equipment. Plant assets are a significant investment and vital to the success of maximizing output and profitability. Therefore, monitoring is an important part of process control for many industries, especially power generation, oil & gas, petrochemical, chemical and others.

To regularly monitor the chemical properties of the process stream and their impact on pipelines, storage tanks, turbines or other equipment, representative sampling must be collected, conditioned as needed and regularly analyzed to avoid downtime. Neglecting monitoring puts your plant assests and equipment at risk of catastrophic failures, environmental spills or, even worse, fatal accidents.

PROCESS STREAM PROCESS CONDITIONS SAMPLE TYPE MATERIALS

CHARACTERISTICS

Conveying Area Classification Gas AbrasiveDistillation Towers Composition Liquid Boiling PointMixers Corrosiveness Powder DensityPipes Flammability Slurry ExplosiveReactors Flow Rate Solid Freezing PointStorage Vessels Pressure Steam Hardness

Radioactivity Water MagneticTemperature Moisture ContentToxicity Particle Size

Particle ShapeMaterial CompatibilityThermal ConductivityStratificationVapor Pressure Viscosity

method should be designed for the specific process stream, process conditions, materials characteristics, safety hazards, certification standards and regulatory requirements.

TYPICAL SAMPLE APPLICATION CRITERIA

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Yield improvementIn the food and beverage industry, as an example, a plant must maintain proper moisture content to stay profitable. To avoid potential product waste, the moisture content of ingredients or finished food products must be monitored by representative sampling and analysis in order to:

• Detect moisture irregularities• Identify over-drying or under-drying• Screen for product breakage

One specific way a plant can improve its yield is by keeping ingredient moisture content in the proper band. If it is too low, a plant may be giving away product, and if it is too high, the product will deteriorate more quickly. Improper moisture content also is key in product shrinkage or expansion, which directly affects the volume a product takes up in packaging. Plus, by sampling after a dryer, a plant can not only identify if a product is being over-dried or under-dried, but also monitor and control the drier power consumption.

In addition, sampling can help monitor product breakage to identify potential disruptions or issues within the process. Poor performance of the sizing equipment can result in a direct increase in product needing to be discarded in landfills or sold at lower price points for non-target users.

Process optimizationIn the power generation industry, for example, automated sample conditioning and analysis systems easily and safely condition and analyze with limited human interface. In a chemical or food processing plant, for example, an automatic sampler can ensure sample integrity and provide several other advantages:

• Production continues during sampling with no downtime• The sampler controller can be incorporated into existing equipment to allow sampling to begin

without operator engagement• Operators are not exposed to potentially harmful equipment pressure and temperatures• Consumer protection is enhanced because operators cannot inadvertently contaminate the process• Plants can cycle up much faster, saving time and money

PROTECT OPERATORS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

In many manufacturing plants or facilities, process streams are maintained at certain temperatures, pressure and flow rates. The vessel from which the sample is retrieved – pipes, tanks, mixers, conveying belts, chutes, towers, reactors or other equipment – must be taken into consideration in developing the best sampling method. Automatic or manual samplers or fully integrated sample conditioning and analysis systems should be installed in the right location(s), capturing the right sample volumes at the right frequency using a sampling technique compatible with the application criteria.

Each operation is different, yet your product quality and processes must be consistent, based on trusted data. That’s why your sampling methods must be compatible with the characteristics of the process

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material to ensure safety without sacrificing representation. For example, sampling a gas that is extremely flammable held under high pressure in a pipeline would require a very different method than a small particle-sized solid material free flowing from a conveyor belt. Or a viscous slurry with moisture content would require a different sampling solution than a radioactive wastewater application.

Many operational environments must handle hazardous products or wastes such as deadly H2S (hydrogen sulfide) sour gas or water, explosive materials or toxic or abrasive materials. A grab sample approach in this type of environment would pose a health and safety risk to operators and the environment.

Operator safetyMany manufacturers are closely aligned to regulations that ensure the safety of their employees. For example, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces U.S. federal government mandates regarding workplace safety, while the International Labour Organization (ILO) works with over 180 member countries to ensure occupational safety and health for workers. Employers are required to strictly follow employee safety regulations or risk sanctions and other penalties.

To that end, closed-looped, representative sampling is an ideal solution. The design of these samplers protects operators by:

• Keeping liquids and gases fully contained to eliminate worker exposure to hazardous vapors and potentially scalding fluids

• Using a series of valves and vents that control very low-emission sampling instead of unprotected buckets and spigots

• Leveraging sampling system automation to reduce the need for human operational steps and minimize risk in extreme plant conditions

OSHA DefinedThe main goal of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to protect the rights and safety of workers by preventing workplace injuries and deaths. OSHA holds employers accountable for safe workplaces through a strict set of U.S. federal safety standards that cover things like hazardous materials disposal, required personal safety equipment such as safety goggles, permitted noise levels and fall protection.

ILO DefinedThe International Labour Organizaton (ILO) aims to ensure that it serves the needs of working women and men by bringing together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes. The very structure of the ILO, where workers and employers together have an equal voice with governments in its deliberations, shows social dialogue in action. It ensures that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in ILO labour standards, policies and programmes.

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Environmental safetyProtecting the environment from harmful contaminants that can have an impact on our soil, air and waterways, as well as the planet’s climate, now and well into the future, requires diligence and discipline. To be good citizens of the planet, nearly all facilities or plant factories are required to adhere to environmental regulations, some more than others. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is empowered by the U.S. federal government to oversee protection of the natural environment and human health. Broadly speaking, the EPA regulates the manufacturing, processing, distribution and use of chemicals and other pollutants. Internationally, The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) sets environment protection policy through the United Nations.

For compliance, closed-looped, representative sampling and corrosion monitoring solutions are ideal. The design of these protect the environment by:

• Minimizing the potential for spills of contaminants• Stopping prolonged release of toxic vapors into the air• Reducing sample testing sizes from a “bucketful” to the minimum volume necessary,

which eliminates leftover sample waste and concerns over its safe disposal• Sampling and measuring process waste streams for contaminants before release back into

the environment

EPA DefinedThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a U.S. federal organization that conserves the natural environment and improves human health by researching and regulating the manufacturing, processing, distribution and use of chemicals and other pollutants. In addition, the EPA is charged with determining safe tolerance levels for chemicals and other pollutants in food, animal feed and water.

UNEP DefinedThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

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Food safetyYou are what you eat. That old adage refers to nutrition, yet takes on new meaning when it comes to food safety. Trace levels of toxins and pesticides, contaminants and micro-organisms all pose real public health risks as well as potentially serious financial and criminal damages to food and beverage brands.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for controlling safety standards in food, drugs, cosmetics, animal food, dietary supplements, medical devices, biological goods and blood products. To ensure compliance with government protocol and the recent FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 (FSMA) legislation that expands FDA jurisdiction, frequent sampling and food safety testing is required. Yet, food safety is a global food supply issue with the import and export trade of foods and ingredients. Having complete confidence in food sampling and analysis results from raw ingredients to finished product is critical.

To reduce risk, automated, representative sampling solutions expedite the process and:

• Ensure food safety testing is accurate and reliable to avoid product recalls• Identify and prevent microbial, allergen or chemical contamination by sampling throughout

the production process• Validate raw ingredients authenticity and quality• Help producers confidently report and trace product lots and batches to comply with

food safety regulations• Ensure sample integrity with easy-to-clean, sanitary designs and FDA-approved seals

FDA DefinedThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency of the federal government that is responsible for monitoring trade and safety standards in food, drugs, cosmetics, animal food, dietary supplements, medical devices, biological goods and blood products. In 2011, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 (FSMA) was signed into law and granted the FDA new regulatory powers regarding food growth, harvest, and processing. The FDA also was given mandatory recall authority.

World Health Organization INFOSAN DefinedThe World Health Organization (WHO), International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) contains national authorities of 181 Member States are part of the network. Increasing globalization of food trade increases the risk of contaminated food spreading quickly around the globe. Through INFOSAN, WHO assists Member States in managing food safety risks, ensuring rapid sharing of information during food safety emergencies to stop the spread of contaminated food from one country to another. INFOSAN also facilitates the sharing experiences and tested solutions in and between countries to optimize future interventions to protect the health of consumers.

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© 2016 Sentry Equipment Corp.

Talk to a representative sampling expert today by calling+1-262-567-7256 or by completing our online contact form.

ENSURE PRODUCT QUALITY AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

In addition to complying with local, national and international regulations, a manufacturer’s commitment to quality and safety leads to maintaining the highest industry standards and numerous national and international certifications. When you stop to consider how standards and regulations work to foster customer loyalty, profitability and safety, why would they not apply to your sampling methods as well? This is particularly true in markets like food and beverage, power generation, oil and gas, petrochemical, chemicals, concrete and more, where safety and quality aren’t goals – they’re expectations.

For example, a longstanding American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certification means materials strength, chemical composition, and pressure testing and ratings comply with the strictest industry quality mandates. Sampling products that receive the pressure vessel designation (ASME “U” stamp) guarantees their alignment with written ASME procedures, specifications and test requirements. Sampling products also should adhere to National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) standards that are globally recognized as the authority in defining design criteria to ensure safe operation by mitigating corrosion.

Likewise, compliance with Hazardous Location (HAZLOC) requirements is of particular importance, where sampling needs to accommodate dangerous, flammable and explosive environments. Thinking beyond on-location safety to on-the-road safety means also maintaining the Department of Transportation (DOT) certification required to collect and transport pressure vessels between sites for contents evaluation.

ASME certification and HAZLOC are not unusual within the process sampling industry, nor are their international counterparts like the Canadian Registration Number (CRN), Conformité Européene (CE), Pressure Equipment Directive (PED), and the European Directive for Equipment for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX).

In the end, when a manufacturer partners with a sampling expert who also has ISO 9001 certification, this further assures that the sampling solutions installed in their operations meets the quality management system recognized as world-class.

What are ISO standards?International Standards make things work. They give world-class specifications for products, services and systems, to ensure quality, safety and efficiency. They are instrumental in facilitating international trade. ISO has published more than 19000 International Standards and related documents, covering almost every industry, from technology, to food safety, to agriculture and healthcare. ISO International Standards impact everyone, everywhere.

With proven sampling expertise since 1924, Sentry® products and services provide business operations the critical insights to optimize process control and product quality. We deliver true representative sampling and analysis techniques to customers around the globe, empowering them to accurately monitor and measure processes for improved production efficiency, output and safety. Standing behind our commitments, we are determined to tackle any application, anywhere.

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