Selection Misunderstandings and Working Principles of Gas Detectors
Every gas detection process is a major issue involving personnel health and safety, as well as national and personal property safety. In China, due to historical and cognitive reasons, there are still many problems when choosing various types of detectors, which are specifically reflected in:
The detection of combustible gases is more important than the detection of toxic gases;
The detection of gases that may cause acute poisoning is more important than the detection of gases that may cause chronic poisoning. At present, we attach great importance to the detection of gases that can cause acute poisoning, such as hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide.
However, we do not pay enough attention to the detection of gases that can cause chronic poisoning, such as aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols. In fact, the latter poses no less harm to the health and safety of workers than gases that can cause acute poisoning!
Due to the lessons learned from numerous explosion accidents caused by combustible gas leaks, people attach great importance to combustible gas detection. It can be said that in any petrochemical or chemical plant, the vast majority of hazardous gas detectors are LEL detectors. However, equipping only with LEL detectors is still far from enough to truly protect the safety and health of personnel.
It cannot be denied that most volatile hazardous gases are flammable and explosive gases. However, catalytic combustion based combustible gas detection instruments (LELs) do not have lower limit concentrations for all combustible gases that are much higher than their allowable safe concentrations. Choosing a specific toxic gas detector based on the different gases being detected is much safer and more reliable than simply choosing an LEL detector.
