Home | About ICEweb | Acronyms | Actuators | Alarm Management | Analysers | Books | Burner Management | Can Open | Charges | Control | Choke Valves | Control Valves | Condition & Machine Monitoring | Composite Valves | Coriolis Flow | Corrosion | Data Comms | Data Loggers | EX Web | Education | Electrical Web | Emission Monitoring| Employment | Enclosures | Fieldbus | Fire & Gas | Fittings | Flow | Forum | Foundation Fieldbus | Fuzzy Logic | HART | Hazardous Areas | Health and SafetyHeat Tracing & Bundles | HIPPS | Humidity | Hydraulics | ICEnews | Industrial Ethernet | Instrument | Instrument Enclosures,Sunshades & Supports | Instrument Valves & Access | Laser Instrumentation | Level | Links | Manufacturing and Automation Safety | Modbus | Motion Control | Multiphase Flow | New | Networks | News | New Technology | Oxygen Analysers | Oil in Water Analysers | Optical Fibre Instrumentation | PH Measurement| Profibus | Pressure | Pressure Regulators | Pressure Relief Valves | Register | Rupture Discs | Safety Instrumented Systems | Samplers | Sample Systems | Security | Severe Service Valves | Shutdown/ESD Valves | Simulators | Solenoids| Suppliers | Surge & Lightning | Technical Information | Terminals | Temperature | Test And Calibration | Tools | TubingUltrasonic Flow | Valveweb | V-Cone Flow | Wireless | Wish List | Contact ICEweb |

Whilst every effort is made to ensure technical accuracy of the information supplied on iceweb.com.au, Keyfleet Pty Ltd and its employees accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by error or omission from the data supplied. Users should make and rely on their own independent inquiries. By accessing the site users accept this condition. Should you note any error/omission or an article offends please do not ignore it, contact the webmaster and we will review, rectify and remove as necessary.

Gas Detection

Sponsored by

The following papers have been generously provided to ICEweb by our valued sponsor Honeywell Analytics - Please support our sponsors, without them ICEweb could not exist.

11.09 Honeywell Analytics Gas Book - This handbook is intended to offer a simple guide to anyone considering the use of gas detection equipment. It provides an explanation of both the principles involved and the instrumentation needed for satisfactory protection of personnel, plant and environment. The aim has been to answer as many as possible of the most commonly asked questions about the selection and use of industrial gas detection equipment.

11.09 Gas Hazards & Areas - This technical article covers Flammable Gas Hazards, Flammable Limit, Flammable Gas Properties, Flammable Gases Data , Toxic Gas Hazards, Hygiene Monitoring, Toxic Exposure Limits, Toxic Gases Data, Asphyxiant (Oxygen Deficiency) Hazard, Oxygen Enrichment, and Typical Areas that Require Gas Detection.

11.09 Principles of Gas Detection - This technical article covers Combustible Gas Sensors, Catalytic Sensor, Sensor Output, Speed of Response , Calibration, Semiconductor Sensor, Thermal Conductivity, Infrared Gas Detector, Open Path Flammable Infrared Gas Detector, Electrochemical Sensor, Chemcassette® Sensor  and Comparison of Gas Detection Techniques. 

11.09 Gas Detection Systems - This technical article covers Cables and Junction Boxes, Location of Sensors, Typical Sensor Mounting Options, Typical System Configurations, Installation Methods.

11.09  Certification & Classification - Covers European and Rest of World Hazardous Area Standards and Approvals, ATEX, Equipment Markings, Area Classification, Apparatus Design, Apparatus Classification, Ingress Protection of Enclosures and Safety Integrity Levels (SIL).

Honeywell Analytics Gas Detector Newsletter - This is packed full of features and articles on Gas Detection.


Other Links

GAS DETECTION technology and applications- This is a 52 page booklet full of good F&G information.

4-20mA Transmitter Wiring - -Transmitters are available with a wide variety of signal outputs. The 4-20mA analogue signal is by far the most commonly used in industrial applications. Several physical 4-20mA wiring options exist. This guidance note aims to outline these options.

Comparison of Optical Detection Systems for Infra Red Hydrocarbon Gas Detection - This document gives a good comparison of IR techniques.

Infra Red Open Path Gas Detection - A Technical note from ICEweb

Infra Red Point Gas Detection- A technical note from ICEweb

Monitoring of Air Ducts - Some really useful information here about gas detection monitoring in air ducts- thanks to Simrad Optronics and ICEweb sponsor PROdetec 

IR Open Path IR Gas Detector Manual from Simrad, section 1 describes the principal of operation thanks to Simrad Optronics and ICEweb sponsor PROdetec 

IR Point Gas Detector Manual from Simrad, section 5 describes the principal of operation thanks to Simrad Optronics and ICEweb sponsor PROdetec 

How to Manage Hazardous Areas effectively by using Gas Monitors - Electrical equipment installed in hazardous areas, necessarily has to conform to the area classification for that area. However, frequently, practical problems arise, where the specified equipment may not be easily available. For example, an area classified as Zone 1 under the IEC system, theoretically can accept only Zone 1 equipment. However sometimes, especially in case of specialized equipment, Zone 1 certified equipment of that type may not be available. In such cases what could be done? This paper presents the background of such situations, possible solutions and current international practices regarding this issue - Thanks to our valued sponsor Abhisam Software.

E-learning course on Gas Monitors -From our valued sponsor Abhisam Software- This course includes the whole range of gas detectors and monitors providing training covering the following;
  • Introduction to Gas Monitors
  • Basic Concepts- Fire Triangle, Lower Explosive Limit & Upper Explosive Limit, Flash Point, Accuracy & Inaccuracy, Calibration, Linearity, Repeatability & Accuracy
  • Explosive & Toxic Gases - Regulatory & Standards Bodies, Terminology, Time Weighted Average, Short Term Exposure Limit, IDLH & Ceiling Limit, REL, PEL & TLV ---What do they mean?
  • Types of Gas Monitors - Catalytic Combustion, Electrochemical, Semiconductor, Infra Red, Photo Ionization
  • Gas Monitoring Systems - Dedicated and Open Systems
  • Installation, Calibration & Maintenance - Planning & Installation of gas monitors, Calibration & Testing, Maintenance

The following technical articles have been supplied courtesy of Draeger Australia  

Detecting combustible gases and vapours -catalytic bead or infrared? -Anyone wishing to detect combustible gases and vapours is generally faced with the following important questions: Is it better to use the more economical catalytic bead sensors or the longer life infrared sensors? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What points are important to note? Are there certain applications which are better suited to one or the other method? This article aims to provide answers to the questions most frequently asked in this context.
Fire and Gas detection for Gas Turbines - Modern gas turbines are designed to burn light oils (Naphtha) or natural gas. Fuels and the lubricating oils along with cooling agents like hydrogen add-up to a high degree of hazard potential. For these reasons a multiple line of defence has to be established to guaranty protection against fire and explosion risks. Gas detection instruments and optical fire detectors are the central element in the protection systems.
Planning of Gas Detection Systems -This brochure is a guide for the planner and installer of gas detection systems. Whilst it is written around Polytron gas detection systems it gives a number of answers for recurring questions emerging during the installation of typical sytems.
Planning and Designing Gas Detection Systems - With a grasp of gas sensor basics, and a methodical plan for installing the detectors, you can build a system smart enough to save your life - Wolfgang Jessel
Positioning of Sensors Guidelines  - The problem for gas detection systems in general , for 95% of installations there are no precise guidelines , either national or international, that could be followed to determine the number, spacing and positioning of gas detectors for a given industrial installation. This paper addresses this issue.
Polytron IR -calibration made easy 
OpenPath detectors - photoelectric barriers for detecting flammable gases- This is an excellent technical paper on open path IR gas detection.
Upgrading to infrared technology made easy - Pellistors or catalytic bead sensors already installed into various industries can easily be replaced by IR – without any technical hurdles. Neither the control system nor the electrical wiring need to be adapted.
Polytron – challenging tests, passed with flying colours - The Polytron 2 Offshore and Polytron 2 IR transmitters were type-tested for use on sea-going vessels, industrial sites and installations surveyed by classification societies. This article gives the details of these tests.

The following articles are from the Interscan Corporation
Gas Detection Knowledge Base - Many useful articles on Gas Detection here.
Useful Conversions for Gas detection - These are very handy.
Interfering Gases-
No analytical method is completely specific. Gases present in the environment, other than the "target" gas of measurement, may affect instrument response. Interferences are not necessarily linear, and may also exhibit time dependent characteristics.

The following handbooks and technical papers are from General Monitors.
Combustible gas safety monitoring: Infrared vs. Catalytic gas detectors - A booklet which advises when to use the various technologies.
Fundamentals of Combustible gas detection - A 36 page technical Guide on the Characteristics of Combustible Gases and Applicable Detection Technologies.
Infrared Technology for fail to safe hydrocarbon gas detection - In the past few years Infrared technology has provided an alternative to Catalytic Detectors.

Other Links
6.10 An introduction to Toxic Gas Monitors - Industrial plants that manufacture chemicals, fertilizers, petroleum products, or, facilities that produce oil & gas, have to handle various toxic chemicals in their day to day operations. Many of these toxic chemicals are in the form of gases or vapors. This article will give a brief overview of the various kinds of toxic gas detectors used to detect these poisonous materials - From our valued sponsor Abhisam Software
Planning and Designing Gas Detection Systems - This paper has a wealth of questions, answers, positioning tips etc, from the ISA and InTech it is well worth a read.
Photoacoustic infrared technology is the newest method of gas detection. It enables gases to be detected at extremely low levels due to its inherent stability and reduced cross-sensitivity- Thanks to MSA
Gas Detection using Lasers - A good tutorial on this new technology from Boreal Laser.
Technology Status Report on Natural Gas Leak Detection in Pipelines -  The reliable and timely detection of failure of any part of the pipeline is critical to ensure the reliability of the natural gas infrastructure. This report reviews the current status of the technology for leak detection from the natural gas pipelines. The first part briefly reviews various leak detection methods used in the natural gas pipelines. The second part reviews the optical methods used for natural gas leak detection, and the final part reviews the potential sensors that can be used with optical methods.
11.09Addressable Gas Detection Systems - Analogue Gas detection systems serve many applications and are installed across the whole spectrum of industry. These systems have provided solutions to monitoring problems for many years gathering information on changing levels of gas for trending and logging applications or as part of safety warning/shutdown systems for Toxic and Flammable gas applications. From Extronics.