LAYERS OF SAFETY STRATEGY DETECTS DANGEROUS GAS LEAKS WITH MULTIPLE SENSING TECHNOLOGIES


Compared to only 20 to 30 years ago, the most recent advances in gas sensing technologies have led to more reliable and effi cient gas and fl ame detection systems. The latest generation of fi xed point gas sensors is now being joined by newer technologies including ultrasonic gas leak detection (UGLD) and enhanced laser diode spectroscopy (ELDS) to maximize effectiveness and mitigate risk.


As effective as conventional fi xed point gas sensors are, they still have one limitation: there is always the real possibility that leaking gas can fail to reach them in suffi cient concentration and in enough time to prevent a serious incident or accident. In general, the faster a gas sensing technology can detect a leak the quicker the safety system can respond and prevent a potential accident for a safer workplace.


This reality is leading to a new “layered” gas detection strategy for safety. This strategy begins with conventional point fi xed gas detectors and adds another layer of newer gas sensing technologies such as UGLD and ELDS to provide more comprehensive protection.


These gas detectors offer several distinct improvements in gas detection starting with their sensor technologies. Their unique XCell® gas sensors with TruCal®


technology offer calibration cycles of up


to 18 months (local calibration respected). Every six hours, TruCal sends an electrical pulse through the sensor to measure the sensors capacity. As humidity, temperature, and pressure change the sensor’s capacity, it is detected and corrected for by TruCal. TruCal also notifi es users if and when a manual calibration is required, or if the sensor is no longer capable of detecting gas due to loss of sensitivity.


Due to tight plant equipment layouts, gas detectors are often placed in diffi cult to reach high locations or crowded equipment areas near piping, valves and other installed equipment where gas leaks can potentially occur. Plant technicians can now securely connect wirelessly to these gas detectors from up to 75 feet (23 meters) away using their Bluetooth enabled smartphone or tablet. The real-time availability of this data helps workers rapidly set-up, operate and maintain the detectors for better effi ciency and use of their time.


This platform’s capability to connect two gas detection sensor inputs into one transmitter also reduces the cost of wiring, conduit and installation time to make safety even more affordable. During routine maintenance or scheduled retrofi t projects, these detectors have been designed for simple swap-out with their predecessors. They share the exact same mounting footprint, making installation simple using the existing conduit and wiring. All of these innovations lead to lower maintenance and a higher level of safety.


Ultrasonic Gas Leak Detection Fig 1. ULTIMA X5000 Gas Detector


Fixed Point Gas Detection With the next-generation of MSA ULTIMA®


In outdoor industrial facilities, conventional gas detectors have to be installed so the leaking gas will most likely reach the detector. If there is just a small amount of wind, the gas can be carried away from the gas detector. A dangerous gas leak can go undetected for a very long time under these conditions.


X5000 and S5000 Gas


Detectors (Fig 1), conventional fi xed point gas detection takes a giant step forward. This new platform integrates cutting-edge gas detection technologies with non-intrusive touch button operation, dual sensor capability, extended calibration cycles and Bluetooth® wireless communication.


Windblown gas clouds also can be a source of false alarms when they reach detectors that are some distance away from the location of the actual gas leak. In fact, the real danger is at the point of the gas leak’s origin where the gas concentration is the highest—and yet there is no alarm there to alert staff to the real leak source. The failure to detect and alarm at the leak’s point of origin is a serious issue that can lead to accidents.


Ultrasonic Gas Leak Detectors (UGLDs), in comparison, are a non-physical contact sensing technology that is nearly impervious to windy conditions (Fig 2). UGLD sensors “listen” for a specifi c acoustic noise signature from a leaking gas source and issue an alarm when leaking gases are detected from pressurized pipes or tanks. UGLDs react instantly when the leak starts so that the plant safety system can adjust operations to reduce the fl ow of the gas within a fast response time--essential in all effective safety systems.


In comparison to UGLDs, point gas detectors rely on a gas concentration measurement, which is measured as ppm for toxic gases and LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) for fl ammable gases.


Fig 2. UGLD Gas Detector


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