Gas Analyzers—Tools for Cleaner, Smarter Industrial Combustion

Nov 5, 2025

Why Gas Analysis Matters in Modern Industry

Combustion’s Impact in Boilers, Kilns, Oxidizers, and Process Heating

For many manufacturers, the heart of their operation is heat, including boilers, kilns, oxidizers, and process heating. Combustion is doing the heavy lifting, but if the mixture of fuel and air is off, everything suffers. You get wasted fuel, inconsistent temperatures, and emissions you can’t easily control.

A good gas analyzer gives you a look inside the process. It tells you how much oxygen remains, if there’s unburned fuel, or excess emissions. With that info, you can adjust burner settings, tweak airflow, and keep your system running cleaner, safer, and more reliably.

Fuel Efficiency, Safety, and Compliance All Rely on Measurement

It’s not enough to “feel” that combustion is working well. Fuel bills don’t lie. Excess air means more fuel is used than necessary. Unsafe gas levels pose a risk to employees and can lead to regulatory violations. Measuring gas levels enables you to achieve three key objectives with one tool: reduce fuel costs, ensure safety, and meet environmental compliance.

Whether your location needs continuous gas analyzers or periodic checks with portable gas analyzers, knowing what’s happening inside the flame matters. As fuel costs rise and emissions standards tighten, measurement is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.

The Financial and Environmental Stakes of Getting Combustion Right

If you cut corners on combustion, you’ll end up paying more in the long run. You could face more CO₂ emissions, higher fuel consumption, more frequent maintenance, or fines or citations if emissions limits are exceeded. There could even be potential injury or loss of property if gas leaks or toxic levels go unnoticed.

On the flip side, responsible and frequent gas analysis pays off: you save fuel, avoid penalties, extend equipment life, protect workers, and the environment. Every percentage point of efficiency and every drop in pollutant emission adds up—financially and reputationally.

Combustion Problems You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Excess Emissions, Unburned Fuel, Heat Loss: Common Red Flags

Visible smoke, fluctuating stack temperatures, or an unstable flame might seem minor at first, but they’re usually pointing to bigger issues. Things like unburned fuel or excessive air can quietly drain efficiency and increase emissions.

Gas analyzers give you a real-time read on carbon monoxide and oxygen levels, so you can see exactly when and where combustion is falling short. That gives you time to make small adjustments before those losses turn into bigger problems.

Regulatory Risk and Maintenance Costs from Poor Combustion

Air quality violations aren’t just line items. They can mean steep fines, permit delays, or even forced downtime. But the hidden costs inside your operation also add up: clogged burners, soot buildup, stressed components, and unexpected maintenance that divert resources away from production.

The sooner you know something’s off, the better. With continuous gas monitoring in place, you can catch early signs of incomplete combustion and address them before they impact your budget or reliability.

Real‑Time Measurement Prevents Small Problems From Growing

Manual checks and occasional sampling have their place—but a lot can change between readings. Fuel quality shifts, load demands fluctuate, and before you know it, combustion has drifted out of spec.

That’s where real-time monitoring steps in. With in-situ sensors or well-designed extractive systems, you get instant feedback the moment conditions start to slip. Whether you’re relying on continuous analyzers or portable units for high-priority systems, having that immediate visibility helps you stay ahead, not just react after the fact.

How Gas Analyzers Work: A Quick Technical Primer

Key Gases That Tell the Combustion Story

Each gas in the combustion process tells part of the story. Oxygen (O₂) levels help you understand if there’s too much or too little air in the mix. Carbon monoxide (CO) indicates unburned fuel, which means wasted energy and potential safety concerns. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) are tied to flame temperature and fuel type and often come with strict emission limits.

Moisture and dew point readings are just as important. High moisture can skew results or even damage sensors and refractory materials over time. Tracking all of these helps you stay efficient, compliant, and ahead of maintenance issues.

Tuning and Control: Balancing Air/Fuel Ratios for Peak Performance

At the core of combustion control is one simple goal: burn just enough fuel with just enough air to get the heat you need—no more, no less. That’s where gas analyzers come in. By continuously measuring O₂ and CO levels, analyzers provide operators with real-time feedback needed to fine-tune burners for optimal efficiency.

If O₂ levels are too high, you’re burning extra air and wasting heat. If CO creeps up, you may be starving the flame or burning inefficiently. Real-time tuning, powered by accurate gas readings, helps you to maintain precise control over combustion. This not only improves fuel economy but also reduces wear on your equipment and keeps emissions within safe, compliant limits.

Sampling Method: In‑Situ vs. Extractive vs. Portable

How you collect combustion gas samples matters just as much as what you measure. The right method depends on your process, equipment, and the environment you’re working in.

  • In‑situ analyzers are installed directly in the gas stream. They deliver fast, continuous readings with minimal components: no long sample lines or conditioning systems. If your process runs relatively clean and you want real-time feedback, this is often the most efficient setup.

  • Extractive analyzers pull gas from the process and route it through a sample conditioning system before analysis. Moisture is removed, particulates are filtered, and sensors are kept protected. This method works best when you’re dealing with hot, dirty, or corrosive exhaust that would wear down in‑situ probes too quickly.

  • Portable analyzers offer mobility and convenience. They’re perfect for field diagnostics, burner tuning, or verifying performance across multiple systems. You won’t get continuous data, but for spot checks or maintenance, portable tools are incredibly valuable—especially when paired with multi-gas capabilities.

Environmental and Safety Wins

Lowering Emissions to Meet Standards

Regulations around NOx, CO₂, and SO₂ aren’t getting looser anytime soon. Whether it’s the Federal EPA or your local environmental agency, accurate reporting and consistent emissions control are expected—not optional.

Gas analyzers give you the visibility to track emissions continuously and make adjustments proactively. Instead of reacting to problems after the fact, you stay ahead of them. That means fewer surprises during audits and more confidence that your operation is running clean.

Protecting Workers and Neighbors

When combustion is off, harmful gases like CO, low explosive limit (LEL) combustibles, and other byproducts can escape into the air, both inside your facility and beyond.

Gas analyzers act as an early warning system. They help you catch unsafe conditions before they become safety issues. And while that protects your team first, it also helps maintain air quality in the areas where your business operates. It’s not just about meeting standards—it’s about doing right by the people who rely on you.

Extending Equipment Life & Reliability

Another benefit of responsible gas monitoring is extending the life of your equipment. Unburned fuel, flame impingement, and corrosive compounds can quickly degrade metal, refractory, and burner components. Soot fouling reduces heat transfer, leading to increased operating costs, reduced efficiency, and production quality issues. Maintenance costs add up fast!

With accurate gas analysis, you can detect harmful conditions early. If you adjust combustion accordingly, you reduce wear, stretch maintenance cycles, and increase uptime.

Efficiency Through Insight: Fuel Savings with Smart Monitoring

Minimize Excess Air & Thermal Loss

When there’s too much air in the mix, your system ends up heating more air than necessary, and that’s energy that doesn’t contribute to your process. It goes straight out of the stack. Gas analyzers help you dial in the right air-fuel ratio so you’re not overcompensating. O₂ and thermal conductivity sensors are especially useful here, giving you the necessary feedback to minimize waste and keep combustion.

Measurable Savings in Real Settings

Facilities that closely monitor combustion often see real-world fuel savings—and not just small ones. Double-digit percentage improvements aren’t uncommon. Even shaving off a few percentage points makes a significant difference when you’re dealing with high fuel usage. Sites with energy-intensive systems or remote operations can gain even more from the insights provided by gas analyzers.

Preventive Maintenance Pays Off

Poor combustion leads to soot, corrosion, and wear, all of which shorten equipment life and drive up repair costs. Cleaner combustion, on the other hand, helps parts last longer and reduces unplanned downtime. Accurate gas and moisture readings mean you’ll know exactly when maintenance is truly needed. You’re not just protecting your system, you’re extending its performance and reliability over the long haul.

Proven Tools: Types of Gas Analyzers Martin Control Offers

In this section, we’ll provide an overview of the tools available, their strengths, and which ones Martin Control offers that align with your needs.

In‑Situ Fixed Oxygen Analyzers

These are analytics embedded in your system—ideal for continuous, real‑time O₂ monitoring. Because they are installed directly in the gas path, you get fast feedback, reduced lag, and fewer mechanical components. Martin Control offers the:

These options are best when you require constant oxygen readings, need faster burner tuning, or must maintain precise control at high throughput.

Also available is the ECOM-ST, a model that offers semi-continuous emissions monitoring. While it is a stationary analyzer, this model doesn’t sample as frequently as a true continuous system, so it may not meet compliance needs where a true CEMS is required. 

Portable & Field Diagnostics Units

For flexible, on‑the‑go testing and diagnostics, portable analyzers do the job. They’re built rugged, with multi-gas capability and options for dew point or moisture control. They often include logging, wireless output, and easy field calibration. Martin Control offers a variety of these portable models, including:

These are best used when tuning burners across sites, verifying performance after maintenance, or when you want to gain spot insight without installing new, permanent equipment.

Choosing the Right Type for Your Use Case

Not sure which gas analyzer is the right fit? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on how your system runs and what you need to measure. Here’s how we help you narrow it down:

  • Gas conditions – If your process gas contains moisture, particulates, or corrosive compounds, we’ll factor that into the analyzer type and sensor selection.
  • How often do you need data? – Are you tracking continuously, checking occasionally, or just running diagnostics? That tells us whether you need a fixed system, a portable one, or a combination of both.
  • Regulatory requirements – If you’re reporting emissions or staying within permit limits, we’ll focus on accuracy, compliance-ready outputs, and long-term reliability.
  • Installation logistics – From available space to probe length, temperature, and safety certifications, we ensure your analyzer fits both your plant and process.

Whether it’s in-situ, extractive, or portable (or a strategic mix), we match you with tools you can rely on—no overengineering, no overspending.

Where They Work: Key Use Cases

So, where do gas analyzers really make a difference—and who benefits the most from using them? Here are a few of the industries and scenarios where they prove their value every day.

Pulp & Paper, Cement, Chemical Industries

In these industrial sectors, combustion systems are massive, fuel consumption is constant, and emission limits are tight. These operations rely on steady, efficient heat, and they can’t afford to guess at what’s happening in the stack. Continuous gas monitoring helps them stay efficient, compliant, and avoid costly shutdowns.

Field Maintenance, Diagnostics, and Tune-Ups

Not every system needs 24/7 monitoring, especially when you’re servicing multiple units or making adjustments in the field. Portable gas analyzers are a go-to tool for service technicians performing burner tuning, post-repair checks, or spot diagnostics. They deliver fast, flexible insights without the need for permanent installation—and often catch issues before they become inefficiencies.

Compliance-Driven Monitoring and Emission Control

When your permit requires detailed tracking of NOx, SO₂, CO₂, or other emissions, accuracy matters. So does documentation. In these projects, a mix of in-situ and extractive analyzers often gives the best results. You get continuous feedback, enhanced control, and the data you need to demonstrate compliance, whether to a regulator, a community stakeholder, or your own environmental team.

Selecting the Right Gas Analyzer

What You Should Look For

When you’re choosing a gas analyzer, it’s not just about what it measures. It’s about how well it fits your system. Sensor type, durability, and accuracy are a great place to start, but don’t overlook things like calibration ease, maintenance frequency, or the amount of sample conditioning required.

Features like dew point detection, moisture monitoring, or reference flow control often go unnoticed, but they can significantly impact the reliability and consistency of your readings over time.

Matching Tool to Task

If your system runs clean and you need steady oxygen readings, a fixed in-situ unit is often the most efficient choice. But in harsher environments with moisture, dust, or corrosives, an extractive analyzer will provide greater reliability and longer sensor life. For regular tune-ups, diagnostics, or facilities with multiple systems to check, portable analyzers are the most flexible and cost-effective solution.

At Martin Control, we help you weigh all of this—not just what works today, but what will still work years from now. Our goal is to help you make a smart, long-term choice that fits your process and your budget.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next in Gas Analysis

Smarter Connected Systems

Gas analyzers are now part of larger digital ecosystems. Many connect directly to plant monitoring systems, IoT dashboards, and cloud platforms. With wireless data, remote logging, and trend alerts, it’s easier than ever to spot combustion drift before it causes real problems.

This kind of visibility helps teams respond faster, reduce downtime, and improve decision-making across the board.

Predictive & Sustainability Trends

Advanced software and AI models are making gas analysis more predictive than reactive. Facilities can now spot potential issues early and make real-time adjustments to stay ahead of failures or emissions spikes.

At the same time, there’s growing pressure to reduce CO₂, NOx, and overall emissions. Smart analyzers and tighter control strategies make it easier to hit sustainability targets without sacrificing performance.

Final Thoughts

Gas analysis isn’t a “nice-to-have,” it’s a must for modern combustion systems. Whether you’re focused on fuel efficiency, emissions compliance, or equipment longevity, the right analyzer makes all the difference. From in‑situ O₂ monitoring to extractive and portable multi-gas tools, it’s all about finding the best fit for your process and goals.

At Martin Control, we offer a full range of gas analyzers backed by hands-on experience. We’ve helped countless facilities dial in their combustion, stay ahead of regulations, and extend equipment life, and we can do the same for you.

Let’s talk about your combustion system, your constraints, and what you’re trying to achieve. We’ll help you choose a solution that’s built for your plant, not just the spec sheet.

Ready to optimize your process? Contact Martin Control today.