85 years of URAS

ABB celebrates 85 years of the technology that revolutionized gas analysis and emissions monitoring through light absorption technology. URAS, the continuous gas analyzer, is in demand whenever real-time, ultra-precise measurement of gas parameters is needed.

Today you can find Uras in these products

A journey into the history of URAS

URAS was created in 1938 when infrared spectroscopy (light absorption technology) was first used to inspect the composition of gases in real time. Known as “ultra red absorption recorder” (in German, Ultra Rot Absorptions Schreiber or URAS), it was the first gas analyzer capable of instantly measuring the concentration of a broad range of gases.

URAS was invented by two brilliant engineers Erwin Lehrer and Karl Friedrich Luft who were working for BASF in Germany. This invention set revolutionary standards in gas measurement.

In 1988, the technology was improved by adding gas-filled calibration cells in place of the high-pressure test gas cylinders that had been necessary for calibration up until then. The new technology made URAS cheaper to operate and increased the ease of use.

URAS was licensed to Frankfurt-based company Hartman & Braun, which, in turn, was acquired by ABB in 1999.

URAS continues to lead the way

At ABB, URAS continued to make history. 

It measured carbon dioxide in flue gases at a time when nobody was talking about climate change. 
It was used as a foundation in ABB’s groundbreaking Advance Optima modular analyzer, which in 1996 unified the operation for all types of gas analyzers in one single design. Building URAS into the modular analyzer was a revolution in itself. 

As part of the AO2000 analyzer, URAS became the first network analyzer with its own IP address. The AO2000 analyzer had set the stage for the digitalization of analyzer technology. 

URAS also evolved into the smart and simple EasyLine series which feature the high-quality analysis capabilities of the AO2000 in an optimized solution. It also became part of the robust EL3060 used for measuring gas in hazardous atmospheres. 

 

Where can you find URAS today?

URAS plays a key role in the control of cement rotary kilns. It secures the quality, safety and operational uptime of cement production using ABB’s ProKiln technology to get the sample gas into its measuring cell. This turnkey solution helps the cement industry overcome the challenges with alternative fuels used in cement plants worldwide.

In emissions monitoring, URAS has become a benchmark of uncompromising environmental compliance. It is used for continuous monitoring of the stack emissions that come out of industrial chimneys as it can guarantee an unrivalled monitoring uptime. As part of the AO2000 System, URAS is a key plug and play solution that helps industrial companies meet their environmental obligations without compromise.

URAS not only controls emission on land, but it also measures emissions from marine vessels, helping shipping companies comply with environmental regulations with the CEMcaptain technology. Thanks to URAS we can ensures that the exhausts from ships remain below limit.

You will also find URAS in chemical plants that produce ammonia-based fertilizers and where the production process depends on precise measurement of process parameters, such as the control of the natural gas methane that is converted into ammonia.

In refineries, URAS is used for the measurement of carbon monoxide (CO) in hydrocracking units to control the efficiency of the cracking process in the furnace flue gas stream.

As a continuous gas analyzer, URAS has a wide range of applications beyond the industrial segments.  It helps saving lives in hospitals by measuring the concentration of CO2 in diagnostic breath tests used in hospitals to diagnose lung function and determine the health of patients recovering from infections.

URAS also supports the process of ripening of bananas during shipment by analyzing the concentration of ethylene.

URAS continues to write the future

The flexibility of URAS makes it a continuous gas analyzer that can be used in nearly all industries whenever real-time, ultra-precise measurement of important gas parameters is required to ensure safe operations, control, and monitoring. It is in demand in chemical plants and refineries, in the pulp, paper and metal industries, in wastewater treatment, in power generation, cement, and many more.

URAS is leading the way and it will continue to write the future – even in the future.

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