Factories, hospitals, and laboratories all need safety equipment and monitoring instruments, such as gas detectors. A gas detector is an instrument that acts as a sensor to detect various gases, including oxygen, toxic gases, and flammable gases. It helps control safety and prevent gas-related hazards in factories, hospitals, and other places where work is carried out in confined spaces. Accidents in confined spaces, whether injuries or fatalities, are common and are mostly caused by asphyxiation. This makes gas detectors extremely important for monitoring gas levels in these areas.
In this article, we’ll explain what a gas detector is, its benefits, how it works, the different types of gas detectors, and where to buy high-performance gas detectors.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Gas Detector (Gas Leak Detector)?
- What Gases Can a Gas Detector Detect?
- Types of Gas Detectors
- What Are the Benefits of a Gas Detector? Why Should Industrial Plants Use One?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Gas Detectors
- Summary: What Is a Gas Detector and Where to Buy a Quality One
What Is a Gas Detector (Gas Leak Detector)?
A gas detector is a device or instrument that works like a sensor to measure gas levels in an area, especially in industrial plants, hospitals, laboratories, or places where there are toxic or flammable substances, or where oxygen must be kept at a sufficient level. A gas detector helps improve safety and prevent hazards that may arise from gas problems, toxic gases, or gas leaks.
There are many types of gas, and you can choose a gas sensor that matches the type of gas you want to measure. Gas leak detectors are designed to measure specific types of gas, so for more accurate and effective measurement, you should choose a gas detector that suits your application.
Besides measuring gas levels, gas leak detectors can also alert workers when a leak occurs. There are many types of gas detectors to suit different jobs, with displays ranging from digital and numeric readouts to indicator lights. Portable gas detectors are also available for even greater convenience.
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What Gases Can a Gas Detector Detect?
Now that you know what a gas detector is, and as mentioned above, there are many types of gases in the air, so gas detectors also come in many types for more accurate gas measurement. Here’s a rundown of the types of gases a gas detector can detect:
- A gas detector is a gas meter that can detect oxygen
Gas detectors can detect oxygen. If oxygen is displaced by other gases, oxygen levels may drop to the point where they become dangerous to workers.
- A gas detector is a gas meter that can detect hydrogen
Gas detectors can detect hydrogen, a combustible, flammable gas that can cause explosions.
- A gas detector is a gas meter that can detect propane and methane
Gas detectors can detect propane and methane, which, like hydrogen, are combustible gases.
- A gas detector is a gas meter that can detect carbon dioxide
Gas detectors can detect carbon dioxide, a gas that can displace oxygen. In high concentrations, it is dangerous to workers.
- A gas detector is a gas meter that can detect ozone
Gas detectors can detect ozone, which is considered a toxic gas. A leak can be life-threatening to workers.
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Types of Gas Detectors
A gas detector is an instrument used to measure levels of gases that may be hazardous to workers. There are several types of gas detectors, each suited to measuring different kinds of gas:
Electrochemical Gas Sensors
Electrochemical gas sensors are gas detectors that work on the principle of electrical changes caused by a chemical reaction with the target gas. They use chemicals that react to the gas being detected, and when the chemical reaction occurs, it produces an electrical change that the instrument can measure.
An example of an electrochemical gas detector from PICO is the Polytron 8100 EC, a fixed gas detection instrument that can measure more than 100 types of toxic gases and oxygen, providing continuous detection, fast response, and high sensitivity. For details or to see more products, visit PICO’s website at https://pico.co.th/product/polytron-8100-ec/
Catalytic Bead Sensors
Catalytic bead sensors are a gas detection technology based on changes in the electrical resistance of their main sensing material, called a “catalyst”. When oxygen is present, the target gas combusts on the catalyst, changing the resistance inside the sensor. This change is output as an electrical signal that can be used to detect hazardous or explosive gases.
An example of a catalytic bead gas detector from PICO is the Polytron 8310 IR, a durable gas detector that is easy to manage through digital communication and can measure at distances of up to 30 meters (100 feet). For details or to see more products, visit PICO’s website at
https://pico.co.th/product/polytron-8310-ir/
Infrared Gas Sensors
Infrared gas sensors are gas detectors that work using infrared light. They are not affected by catalyst poisoning and can detect flammable gases with high accuracy and reliability. They are widely used in many industries, such as food production, wastewater treatment, process analysis, and indoor air quality control in buildings and factories.
An example of an infrared gas detector from PICO is the VarioGard 2320 IR, a highly accurate instrument that can measure flammable gases, reduce potential errors, and raise an alarm when a gas leak occurs. It is also highly durable and robust. For details or to see more products, visit PICO’s website at https://pico.co.th/product/variogard-2320-ir/
Photoionization Gas Sensors
Photoionization gas sensors are gas detectors that measure gas levels using UV (ultraviolet) light. When UV light strikes the target gas molecules, they become ionized and turn into ions, which can be measured electrically. The electrical current produced and measured by the sensor corresponds to the concentration of the target gas.
What Are the Benefits of a Gas Detector? Why Should Industrial Plants Use One?
Gas detectors, or instruments for measuring gas levels, offer many benefits and advantages, especially in factories, hospitals, and laboratories. These include:
- Gas detectors can measure gas levels inside laboratories. Laboratories carry a high level of risk, because the chemicals or compounds being analyzed or synthesized may produce gases that are dangerous to staff.
- Gas detectors help improve work efficiency. In industrial plants or workplaces where gas leaks can occur, gas detectors reduce risk and give workers more confidence on the job.
- Gas detectors provide timely alerts and measurements of toxic gases, helping prevent hazards and ensure safety.
- Gas detectors help prevent explosions in factories by measuring levels of highly flammable gases and alerting staff when gas levels exceed safe limits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gas Detectors
Here are some frequently asked questions about gas detectors:
What Are LEL and UEL? How Do They Relate to Gas Detectors?
LEL and UEL are both related to gas detectors. Here’s what each value means:
- LEL, or Lower Explosive Limit, is an experimentally determined value: the lowest concentration of a flammable substance mixed with air that can explode or ignite. If the concentration of flammable gas in the air is below this level, it will not explode or ignite.
- UEL, or Upper Explosive Limit, is the concentration of a flammable substance above which the mixture with air will not ignite. This means that if the concentration of flammable gas in the air is higher than this level, it will not explode or ignite either.
LEL and UEL relate to gas detectors because they tell us when gas levels pose a risk of explosion, so workers know the gas concentration and can prevent potential hazards.
Summary: What Is a Gas Detector and Where to Buy a Quality One
A gas detector is an instrument used to measure levels of various gases. The sensor varies depending on the type of gas you want to measure, such as toxic gases, ozone, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and others. There are many types of gas detectors depending on the gas you need to measure, so you can choose the one that best suits your application.
If you are interested in or looking for a gas detector, PICO offers many models and types of gas detectors to meet your needs. To view the instruments’ features, visit PICO’s website at https://pico.co.th or call +662 939-5711 (12 lines), +662 513-2333 (12 lines), Line: @PICO