DESIGNING GAS DETECTORS THAT WORK SMARTER AND HARDER TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND PLANTS MORE EFFECTIVELY
Plant managers and technicians are tasked today with continuously enhancing productivity and reducing costs, while at the same time meeting stringent environmental, health and safety regulations. Safety systems, including fi xed gas detectors, must also support this paradigm, which has led to recent, signifi cant advances in detection technologies.
The consequences of failing to upgrade and/or maintain fi xed gas detectors can be catastrophic, resulting in accidents with the tragic loss of life, equipment damage and more. One of the biggest complaints about safety systems, however, has been their maintenance schedules, which require regular calibration checks for an effective system. The safety industry has been listening, and as a result a new generation of highly intelligent electrochemical gas sensors with self-diagnostics is now available.
THE PROBLEM
Typically, facilities calibrate fi xed gas detection instruments with electrochemical cells every 90 days (dependent on the environment and company guidelines). Most devices that have been on the market, however, are only able to communicate a cell’s end of life during calibration. Therefore, the 89 days between calibrations represents an unknown for the end user.
The problem is electrochemical cells lose sensitivity to a point where they are no longer able to respond to gas; a condition only discovered during a full calibration. There are even some instances where a sensor opening becomes blocked and gas is unable to diffuse into the cell.
NEXT-GEN SOLUTION MSA’s innovative XCell®
The pulse check calculates the change in sensor output response electronically. A pulse is applied to the sensor where the response is analysed and used to indicate the sensor’s output sensitivity and verify that internal sensor components are functioning properly. Sensor output sensitivity is comprised of quantifi able aspects of internal sensor components. Sensitivity can be measured without the use of gas. The pulse check analysis determines output sensitivity changes using measurements associated with the sensor’s electrode catalytic loading and increases or decreases in ionic conductivity.
Another TruCal innovation is Diffusion Supervision which warns users when an electrochemical sensor inlet becomes blocked and unable to detect gas. It uses a proprietary acoustic mechanical design to measure sound across the sensor’s inlet every six hours. If the inlet is blocked with a material, such as ice, the difference in the sound is detected and the unit goes into fault after a 24-hour period. When the obstruction is removed, Diffusion Supervision detects the clearance and returns to normal operation.
USER ADVANTAGES
This MSA developed approach to sensor self-diagnostics provides seven important advantages to users that enhance safety while also reducing the possibility of missed leak events or false alarms.
sensors with TruCal® technology are a TruCal Print Ad - 280x320mm +
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more effective solution. This technology reduces this unknown period of sensor capability from 89 days to 6 hours with self- checks of the sensor conducted four times per day. The pulse check within the sensor provides a reliable sensor interrogation method that identifi es and corrects for changes in output sensitivity (Fig 1).
This advanced pulse check approach uses MSA’s patented technology to calculate gas response by applying an electronic pulse to the sensor and analysing the response curve. Through proprietary algorithms, TruCal can quantify gains and losses in output sensitivity that result in real-time accuracy adjustments during the pulse check. Users not only save time but can also be assured of accurate indication of sensor functionality.
1. Notifying if the sensor inlet becomes blocked. 2. Validating that the sensor is operating normally.
3. Compensating for sensitivity drift due to changing environmental conditions.
4. Recommending when a full calibration should be performed.
5. Warning when a sensor needs to be replaced in the near future.
6. Reporting the life and health status as “Good” or “Fair.”
7. Alerting users that a device is no longer able to monitor the area by initiating a fault alert.
TruCal sets a new industry standard for longer sensor life, longer warranties, better stability, extended calibration cycles and multiple sensor status checks per day to ensure operation. TruCal is found exclusively on XCell Hydrogen Sulphide (H2
S)
and Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas sensors for the Ultima X5000 and General Monitors S5000 gas monitors from MSA (Fig 2). This platform has integrated cutting-edge technology such as non-intrusive touch button operation, dual sensor capability, and Bluetooth®
wireless communication offering benefi ts such
as a low total cost of ownership and a completely new user experience making it years ahead of its time.
CONCLUSIONS
The newest generation of fi xed gas detectors from MSA with advanced technologies is helping plant technicians work smarter while helping to protect against hazardous gases. Many of the advantages provided by TruCal technology not only result in gas detectors that work harder, but offer valuable performance, productivity and cost advantages that make them worth considering sooner rather than later in conjunction with annual plant maintenance schedules and activities.
10/9/19 12:28 PM
Author Contact Details Richard Balt, Product Line Manager, MSA Safety • 1000 Cranberry Woods Dr, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066, USA • Tel: +1-724-776-8600 • Email:
Richard.balt@
MSAsafety.com • Web:
MSAsafety.com
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER •
WWW.PETRO-ONLINE.COM
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