Fluegas calibration lab a first in South Africa

ECOSERV has launched a new laboratory in Durban to calibrate fluegas analysers, saving a valued client the time and expense of sending analysers overseas for calibration. It’s thought to be the first lab of its kind in South Africa and is proof of the environmental group’s determination to continually improve its game.

The local calibration service has met with the approval of ECOSERV’s client, Unitemp, suppliers of a wide range of Testo portable fluegas analysers. Testo analysers play a key role in providing reliable and accurate data for the management of combustion systems and the monitoring of harmful emissions such as Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrous oxides.

“Before we launched the lab, Unitemp was sending their clients’ fluegas analysers to Germany every six months for calibration. It took the units out of operation for too long. Our local calibration service has a definite advantage in that the turnaround time is much quicker,” says Mark Baird, Business Manager for SGS Environmental Services: Southern Africa.

Turnaround time, however, was not the primary consideration for the parties involved. “We had to match the quality of service and price that Unitemp was accustomed to getting from Germany. Our client is also German and is very particular about having a top quality service that would meet the demands of industry and authorities.”

However, once Unitemp was satisfied that ECOSERV’s laboratory met their expectations, they signed a co-operative agreement pledging to make use of ECOSERV’s new lab to calibrate and service its analysers. “That was a real pat on the back for us,” says Mark.

The thumbs-up was especially heartening for ECOSERV instrument technician Dustin Naicker, who spent six months developing the capability. Setting up the lab proved to be a major undertaking but Naicker rose to the challenge. “We started from scratch,” Dustin recalls. “Most of the installations needed lab partitioning, so we designed and installed the work benches ourselves.”

Ecoserv use SANAS and NMISA approved calibration gases, for the calibration of Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide cells. These gases are traceable to national standards.

“We have an in-house method and have proved that it is capable by comparing it to national standard gases,” says Dustin. “Unitemp recently sent us brand new calibrated analysers from Germany. We tested these analysers using our in-house methods and have been satisfied with the results. In terms of our co-operation agreement with Unitemp, they will send all new fluegas analysers directly to us so that we can compile data on it and compare our calibration to the initial calibration. This will enable us to maintain the quality of our calibration service.”

ECOSERV is in the process of preparations for accreditation for the lab. “We believe it is not only the first calibration lab in South Africa, but is also the first within the SGS group,” says Dustin. “We would like to extend that service to include ambient air quality analysers for calibration.”

The lab will be run by Dustin and fellow instrument technician Austin Mzimela and is expected to calibrate about 10 to 15 fluegas analysers every six months. “We are proud to provide another key service to our clients,” says Mark. “We were previously using the service for only our own internal work and it now provides an additional revenue stream.”