Must Know Facts About Gas Detector

Multiple gas detector is primarily designed to measure 4 types of gases, namely Oxygen, H2S, CO and LEL ( Explosive Hydrocarbon ).

Explosive Hydrocarbon could be any of the 10 hydrocarbons, methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane and decan.

It is equipped with 4 cartridges, the sensitivity of which is known , adjusted and calibrated towards the targeted gas.

It is used for personal protection as a detection device in the oil and gas field and to give early signal before the toxic gases reach deadly concentrations.

It must be routinely tested and calibrated.

It gives characteristic sound ( bleep ) if activated by the toxic gases.

Oxygen concentration to be accepted must range between 19.5 and 23.5 %.

LEL means lower explosive limit.

Example of LEL

Methane 5 %

Ethane 1.2 %

Gasoline 1.2 %

H2S 4.3%

LEL is adjusted to give early warning by detecting as low as 10 % of the real LEL.

In case of methane it starts bleeping at 0.5% ( which is 10 % of the 5 % ) .

H2S PEL ( Permissible Exposure Limit , is 10 ppm over 8 hours followed by 16 hours rest away from H2S ).

H2S PEL does not apply in confined spaces.

In a confined space zero tolerance is adopted and immediate ventilation to wash out H2S is applied.

We should have zero tolerance for H2S in a confined space.

CO PEL ( Carbon Monoxide PEL , permissible Exposure Limit ) is 35 ppm.

In a confined space zero tolerance is adopted and immediate ventilation to wash out CO is applied.

I hope you find this information helpful.

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