Which Gas Detector To Choose

Combustible Flame Arresters are considered one of the most basic equipment of safety needed when there’s combustible gas in the plant site. The auto ignition temperature as well as lower explosion limit describe potential dangers of the combustible gases.

The auto ignition temperature is lowest temperature where the combustible gas may be ignited spontaneously without any source of fire ignition. Meanwhile, the LEL or the Lower Explosive Limit is lowest concentration of the combustible gas in air which propagates flames on being exposed to ignition of source.

Types of combustible has detectors

There are mainly 2 variants of combustible gas detector available in market. The very first kind is catalytic bead or electro catalytic or passive gas detector. The other variant is the infrared detector that employs the infrared absorption as the detecting technology. It’s considered to be active type.

The electro catalytic detector is mainly used in different industries and usually applied as the single point detector for the combustible gases. The principle of operation is mainly based on the reaction of oxidation of the combustible gas as well as oxygen from air on heterogeneouscatalytic elements. Heat due to reaction heats up the platinum coils embedded in catalyst and it changes the resistance of coil as well. Then it’s monitored and measured.

Factors which affect sensitivity of the catalytic type

There are mainly 2 factors which affect sensitivity of the catalytic type of gas detectors that is blockage of flame arrestors through which the combustible gases flow through and poison the active bead. Besides, the mechanical failure might be possible because of vibration. Vibration might break platinum wire.

The benefits of the electrocatalutic sensors are low cost of the unit relatively, better and simple accuracy as compared to the other methods of detection.

On the contrary, the infrared type of detectors help in detecting presence of the combustible gas on the basis of the absorption of the infrared radiation sat certain wavelength.

Some of the key benefits of the infrared type include maintenance free as its calibrated by factory could be used for the single point as well as open path device could be located at the inaccessible locations in plant site, failure to a safe technology, no possibility of chemical poisoning, doesn’t need oxygen for measuring combustible concentration of gas, internal compensation helps in eliminating the span drift and apt for continuous gaseous environment.

While you have to select the combustible gas detector you need to buy, below are some tips. You will have to conduct a brief research before choosing one.

• State your particular requirements of the combustible gas detector clearly


• Choose single type or multiple types


• Check the range of detection of the combustible gases


• Select the type of sensors


• Choose the alarms required for alerting the gas leakage


• Get the price of the spare parts of gas detectors significantly the sensors


• Choose just the detectors which are certified by the common standards

Buy from a trustworthy manufacturers only. You may check for their testimony from the other customers