Gas hazards can be broadly categorised as either asphyxiating (depriving the body of oxygen), toxic, or combustible. For petrochemical processing facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and a host of other industries, understanding the potential gas hazards in a given environment is an essential part of ensuring personnel safety.
Once specific gas hazards have been identified in a given environment and all possible measures taken to minimise the chances of dangerous accumulation or leaks of gas, vigilance must be maintained. Gas detectors, both fixed and portable, are essential life-saving devices that should be properly deployed in any environment where a gas hazard may be present.
Gas detection technology is highly diversified: there exists a huge range of different detectors, both specialised and generic, to suit virtually any conceivable application.1
Devices generally fit one of two form factors: portable or fixed. Portable gas detectors are generally small enough to be worn on clothing or attached to a belt or lanyard. They can be carried around, providing constant monitoring of one or more target gases and alerting the user via audible alarm, vibration, and/or flashing lights when gas concentrations exceed a predefined level. Fixed gas monitors are installed in high-risk locations, and often provide higher accuracy, often including gas concentration measurement and data logging capabilities.
Both portable and fixed detectors are available as either single gas or multi-gas detectors. Which of these to use is a question of application?
For most environments, where multiple gas hazards may be present, the decision to choose between single and multi-gas detectors requires careful consideration. Confined spaces must be tested for combustible gases, oxygen deficiency or enrichment, and the presence of two or three specific toxic gases. Many companies that primarily need to monitor a single gas choose to supplement this with monitoring of combustible gases, O2 and CO.3 Measuring these three gases along with H2S is especially common in the oil and gas industry.
Multi-gas detectors are increasingly affordable and versatile: some portable gas detectors are capable of measuring as many as seven different gas components simultaneously.
Of course, gas detectors alone cannot save lives if they’re not properly maintained and used. Virtually all gas detectors are prone to “drift”, a loss of accuracy due to environmental effects and age. All non-disposable gas detectors must be calibrated regularly to ensure that they are working properly. Multi-gas detectors contain multiple sensors for different gases, all of which must be calibrated: this can make calibration particularly time consuming. Fortunately, the time and effort required to calibrate a multi-gas sensor can be drastically reduced by using a multi-component calibration gas mixture. Using a multi-component reference gas mixture makes calibrating a four- or five-gas detector no more time consuming than a single gas detector.
If you have multi-gas detectors in need of calibration, Air Products can provide calibration gases for all common gas combinations. Our range of calibration gases are available in a range of canister sizes and concentrations – down to parts-per-billion levels. If you’re not sure what calibration gas mix to use for your multi-gas detector, get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to advise you: 0800 389 0202, apukinfo@airproducts.com.