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FEATURE GAS DETECTION


ELIMINATING THE SILENT KILLER T


he old adage that prevention is better than cure is true in many circumstances;


however, sometimes it is impossible to predict when something is about to go wrong. Refrigerant gas, for example, has no colour or odour and, in the majority of cases, escapes before anyone realises there is a problem. Identifying a leak as quickly as possible is


absolutely vital, both for the environment and the safety of staff. Exposure to such gases can be extremely harmful, with symptoms ranging from irritation of the throat, eyes and skin to frostbite, chemical burns and even lung or brain damage. Meanwhile, the Carbon Trust estimates that a leak of 1kg of refrigerant gas can have the same impact as a van driving continuously for around 10,000 miles. For businesses, gas leaks also lead to


spiralling energy costs. When gas escapes, equipment must work harder to remain at the right temperature, which means it uses increasingly greater amounts of energy. This can prove extremely costly. For example,


if left unrepaired for three months, a small leak in an average 300kW refrigeration system could result in increased energy costs of £1,400 – not to mention the bill for the repair when the leak is eventually identified. Increasingly stringent penalties have been introduced for breaching F-gas regulations,


Demand is growing for gas detection equipment, with organisations looking to improve the efficiency of cold store systems while safeguarding staff wellbeing. Shaun Evers, managing director of Stonegate Instruments, discusses how technology is playing a pivotal role in reducing both gas leaks and the costly associated effects


with a number of successful prosecutions by the Environment Agency taking place. Under the latest Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment) Regulations 2018, operators in England and Scotland who allow potent gases to escape now face fines of up to £200,000. If sufficiently serious, those who deliberately


allow a gas to escape may face a criminal prosecution instead of being ordered to pay a civil penalty. Fines of up to £100,000 apply for less serious


offences, for example contravening procedures for minimising emissions or if non-certified individuals are found to be handling F-gases. A full set of regulations has been in force


since 2015 across the EU to govern the use of F-gases; these will remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, say ministers. These regulations include bans or restrictions


on F-gases in new equipment such as refrigerators, heat pumps and air conditioners, conditions on the quantities of gases and rules regarding containment, use, recovery and destruction of HFCs. While in new equipment, chlorofluorocarbons


(CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) have been replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), even these gases are not environmentally friendly and still have a global warming potential of more than 3,000 times that of CO2


.


Detectors alert workers with audio and visual alarms


Responsibility for complying with these


restrictions lies with the equipment operator, who may not necessarily be the owner but may be a third-party contractor taking responsibility for equipment upkeep.


SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY Gas leaks happen for a number of reasons, including equipment malfunction, improper maintenance work, mechanical damage and accidental release during replenishment. Technology plays a vital part in identifying


leaks as soon as they occur. As around 60 per cent of gas escapes before anyone notices, it is impractical to expect employees alone to identify leaks. Various detection devices are available, and the latest generation can be programmed to detect a wide range of toxic and non-toxic gases, including HFCs. These high specification detectors alert


workers with audio and visual alarms and also feature a battery back-up system in the case of power failure. LED colours can be used to indicate the status of each sensor. These are arranged in different zones, so in the event of a gas leak, it can be swiftly identified and repaired without delay. Even the most sophisticated devices on the


market have a return on investment time of just two years, therefore installing technology to monitor leaks in cold storage offers a simple yet effective solution for operators in any sector.


Stonegate Instruments www.stonegate-instruments.com


22 WINTER 2019 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE / INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE


The latest sensors can detect a wide range of toxic and non-toxic gases, including HFCs


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