Combustible Gas Detectors Explained
ResourcesVape detectors can cause explosions in the air when they are in concentrations higher than their Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) or Upper Explosive Limit (UEL). Combustible gas detectors help prevent these accidents by monitoring levels of liquid vapors and gases.
There are many different types of combustible gas detectors, but they all operate using electrical or chemical sensors to identify the presence of flammable gases in the air. This information is then used to trigger alarms that can alert employees to a danger, or even shut off the source of the dangerous gas.
Combustible Gas Detectors Explained: How They Work
The most common combustible gas detectors are electrochemical, and work by sensing gases in the air by allowing them to diffuse through a porous barrier into an electrode, where they will either be oxidized or reduced depending on the concentration of combustible gas. Electrochemical combustible gas detectors can be customized to detect specific gases or to detect toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
Semi conductive combustible gas detectors use a combination of semiconductor materials and circuits to detect the presence of combustible gases in the air. Combustible gases can enter the semiconductor material and change the charge density of the material, which can then lead to physical changes in the circuits. This type of combustible gas detector is the most widely available and can be used to monitor light, medium or heavy gases/mixtures such as ammonia, hydrogen, propane and methane. Both types of combustible gas detectors can also be fixed detection monitors that are hardwired into a facility’s system, operating continuously to provide early warnings and automate critical procedures such as worker evacuation and equipment shutdown.