The process Raman analyzer that reads Thiosulfate in the stream.
Spectrally X1 INLINE is a process Raman analyzer built for the absorption line. Inline means the spectrum is taken in the process itself - no sampling, no conditioning loop - so thiosulfate concentration, N/S ratio and solution homogeneity read continuously and reach your control system in about 5 seconds, instead of a 20-60 min wait on the lab. Below is the hardware, the probe, the software and the installation, at catalog specification.
A process Raman analyzer built for the absorption line.
Spectrally X1 INLINE measures chemical composition directly in the installation - 24/7, without sampling and without consumables. Inline means the spectrum is acquired in the process itself: the reading arrives in seconds and streams to your control system continuously, in place of a 20-60 min wait on the lab.
Two excitation wavelengths are available - 785 nm and 1064 nm, the latter for strongly fluorescing media - at 600 mW and 800 mW respectively, limited to 30 mW for ATEX applications. Detection is a back-thinned, TEC-cooled CCD.
| Measurement principle | Raman spectroscopy |
| Laser wavelength | 785 nm / 1064 nm |
| Laser power | 600 mW @ 785 nm; 800 mW @ 1064 nm; 30 mW for ATEX applications |
| Spectral range | 300-1650 cm⁻¹ or 300-3500 cm⁻¹ |
| Spectral resolution | 8 cm⁻¹ |
| Acquisition time | 5-300 s |
| Detector | Back-thinned CCD, TEC-cooled |
| Measurement channels | Up to 2 (expandable on request) |
| Fiber optic reach | Up to 100 m |
| Communication | PROFIBUS, PROFINET, GSM |
| Calibration | Automatic - reference integrated in the probe |
| Laser lifetime | Min. 2 years |
| Warm-up | 30 min from power-on |
| HMI | Touchscreen (SpectrallyUI) |
| Software | Spectrally OS on Debian GNU/Linux 13.2 |
| Probe | Spectrally X1 PROBE - IP67, ATEX / IECEx Zone 0, self-cleaning module |
Values per the Spectrally Raman Analyzers product catalog.
The part of the system that lives in your stream.
An immersion Raman probe for direct in-situ analysis of the absorption stream - no sampling, no conditioning loop. Rated to 16 bar and +125 °C, pH 2-10 in continuous service and 1-14 short-term, with IP67 ingress protection and an ATEX / IECEx Zone 0 rating.
The probe measures in the absorption stream, pipelines and process tanks, in batch and continuous operation. It handles liquids, suspensions and slurries; ATS, KTS/CaTS and AMS run as clear, low-fouling aqueous liquors.
| Probe type | Immersion, fiber-optic connection to analyzer |
| Process pressure | Up to 16 bar |
| Process temperature | -40 to +125 °C |
| Process pH | 2-10 continuous; 1-14 short-term |
| Ingress protection | IP67 |
| Hazardous areas | ATEX / IECEx Zone 0 |
| Housing | 316L stainless steel; POM-C / POM-C ESD (ATEX version) |
| Optical window | Fused silica |
| Mounting | Flange, Tri-Clamp, retractable process holder |
| Cleaning | Self-cleaning retractable module - automatic retract-rinse-return cycle |
Fiber-optic connection
The probe connects to the analyzer over a fiber-optic cable - up to 100 m of reach - so the cabinet can sit well away from the absorption stream while the optics stay at the process.
Immersion install, no bypass
Mounts directly in the absorption stream, pipeline or tank via flange, Tri-Clamp or retractable process holder. No sample extraction, no conditioning system between the process and the measurement.
Zone 0 by design
ATEX / IECEx Zone 0 rating, 316L housing with POM-C ESD in the ATEX version, and laser power limited to 30 mW for ATEX applications - relevant where NH₃, H₂S and SO₂ feed gases are handled.
Probe at the absorption stream, analyzer cabinet up to 100 m away.
Process rating of the immersion X1 PROBE, up to +125 °C.
Across a 300-1650 or 300-3500 cm⁻¹ spectral range.
Two measurement points per analyzer, expandable on request.
From raw spectrum to an operational answer.
Spectrally OS is the analytical layer of the platform. It turns spectra into thiosulfate concentration and N/S ratio, flags deviations against spec, raises alarms and writes the quality record - locally, on the analyzer.
Spectrally OS runs on AI and advanced chemometrics with a CNN core - benchmarked against, and beating on accuracy and speed, the traditional PLS and PCA it replaces. For ATS the workhorse is classic Raman on the sulfur oxyanions in the aqueous stream (roughly 70% of the model stack); SERS is held in reserve for any trace-level analyte at ppb-ppm (roughly 20%), with NIR and other techniques covering the remainder.
| Supported instruments | Spectrally X1 LAB / X1 PORTABLE / X1 INLINE |
| Predictive models | AI / advanced chemometrics, CNN core |
| Spectral database | Proprietary + public, ~28,000 spectra |
| Operator interface | SpectrallyUI, touchscreen |
| Operating system | Debian GNU/Linux 13.2 |
| Calibration | Automatic, based on the reference signal readout |
| Data export | CSV / PDF / RAW |
| User management | Role-based access control (RBAC) |
| Data storage | Local database |
| Industrial protocols | PROFIBUS / PROFINET / GSM |
Deviation flags, not just numbers
PASS/FAIL classification, anomaly detection and conformity checks on thiosulfate concentration and N/S ratio against specification. Off-trend is caught in-process, before it becomes a customer complaint or a CE-certification problem.
A model lifecycle, not a black box
Calibration, validation, maintenance. Models start in feasibility on your ATS/KTS/AMS matrix, are refined on production data, and re-calibrated when the product changes. Every model change is logged and auditable.
No line stop for updates
Model updates deploy without stopping the analyzer or the line. Measurement and local logging keep running if the network drops - data lives in the local database.
One software layer across the Spectrally family. Models built during feasibility on Spectrally X1 LAB migrate to Spectrally X1 INLINE in production - the same analytics, moved from the lab bench to the absorption line.
What changes against FT-IR, NIR and offline methods.
The differences are physical, not promotional. These are the factual points that matter for aqueous sulfur-fertilizer streams - and the two cases where Raman is not the right tool.
Where Raman is not the answer
The point is not to abolish the reference. Iodometric titration and ion chromatography remain the analytical reference methods - inline Raman moves the measurement into the process, where decision time and continuity matter, and leaves the offline methods as periodic verification.
The installation, in practical terms.
What the analyzer needs from your plant, and what it does not.
The probe sits at the absorption stream. The analyzer cabinet can sit up to 100 m away, connected by fiber.
One analyzer serves two measurement points. More channels available on request.
Runs against a reference integrated in the probe - no manual recalibration routine.
From power-on to measurement. Continuous 24/7 operation after that.
Utilities
230 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 300 W power draw. Operating environment 0-45 °C.
Process connections
Flange, Tri-Clamp or retractable process holder into the absorption stream, pipeline or tank. Custom designs on request.
No consumables
No reagents and no consumables in routine operation. Rated laser lifetime is a minimum of 2 years.
Service and model upkeep
Installation and service are performed by authorized Gekko Photonics technicians. Model maintenance runs through Spectrally OS - validation, re-calibration when the product changes, deployed without stopping the line.
Put the analyzer through your ATS stream first.
Send representative samples or process data from your ATS, KTS/CaTS or AMS stream. We build and validate a chemometric model on your matrix in the Gekko lab and hand you the numbers Spectrally X1 INLINE will read on your line - spectra, band assignments, model metrics against your iodometric titration or ion-chromatography reference, and a clear result - before any hardware decision. Feasibility runs 3-5.5 months; CAPEX lands in the 75-250k EUR range.