Unlike other toxic gases, carbon dioxide (CO2) is all around us, albeit at levels too low to cause health issues under normal circumstances. It raises the question, how do you zero a CO2 gas detector in an atmosphere where CO2 is present?
Continue reading “The don’ts and don’ts of zeroing your CO2 detector”
Reducing time exposed to hazards is key to minimising risk. We review some of the multiple benefits that developments in gas detection technology are introducing, to reduce the amount of time operators must spend in hazardous areas and improve worker safety.
Logically, people assume the lower the gas detection alarm level, the safer the working environment, as the body will be exposed to less poisonous gas. However, this is not always the best option! If set too low, they can cause spurious alarms and unnecessary disruption. Worse still, these wolf cries have led to many incidents of detectors being ignored or switched off; with terrible results1.
Next in our series of short videos is our hydrogen sulphide detection factoid.
Hydrogen sulphide is a significant danger to workers in many industries. It is a by-product of industrial processes, such as petroleum refining, mining, paper mills, and iron smelting. It is also a common product of the biodegradation of organic matter; pockets of H2S can collect in rotting vegetation, or sewage itself, and be released when disturbed.
Yes that’s right – Crowcon is another year wiser making our business 45 years old. From the humble beginning of gas engineers wanting to improve the safety of their workplace, to today, where our detectors are used in 100’s of applications across tens of thousands of sites worldwide, one thing remains; our focus on Saving Lives!
Continue reading “Celebrating 45 years of Gas Detection with photography!”
Here is our final video in the series illustrating the working of hydrocarbon gas detecting sensors. This time, we show the basic mode of operation of an infrared (IR) sensor for flammable gases.
Infrared emitters within the sensor each generate beams of IR light . Each beam is of equal intensity and is deflected by a mirror within the sensor on to a photo-receiver, which measures the level of IR received. The “measuring” beam, with a frequency of around 3.3μm, is absorbed by hydrocarbon gas molecules, so the beam intensity is reduced . The “reference” beam (around 3.0μm) is not absorbed, so arrives at the receiver at full strength. The %LEL of gas present is determined by the difference in intensity between the beams measured by the photo-receiver.
There are many things to consider when selecting the best gas detector, and cost is not the least of them. But how many of you consider total cost of ownership?
Once the desired specification has been determined, there are likely to be a number of detectors, available over a range of purchase prices, that come close enough to meeting that spec to be considered. But the purchase price is not the only cost associated with owning a gas detector. There are also on-going costs of maintenance, which can be significant over the life-time of a unit.
So, other than purchase price, what kinds of things should be considered when thinking about cost of ownership?
Gas detection is a critical safety function in many industries, to protect people from harm and avoid costly plant disruption or damage. Not only must you use a suitable instrument for the task and the environment, but it must be used correctly and maintained properly if it is to fully serve its purpose.
As a founding member of CoGDEM (the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring), we are really pleased that the Communities Minister, Penny Mordaunt, has made it mandatory for private landlords to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in rented properties.
The key to reducing risk – spend less time exposed to hazards! Technological advances, driven by increasing safety awareness, are providing opportunities to reduce detector maintenance and therefore also reduce the amount of time operators must spend handling detectors and transmitters in hazardous areas.
Andy, Crowcon’s Senior Product Manager, has reviewed the benefits that these developments bring.
