Tim Holmes Safety Gas Detection
This means that levels of carbon dioxide may become dangerously too high before the alarms are triggered.
Tim said: “Historically, oxygen depletion sensors have been used to detect carbon dioxide due to cost factors. Years ago, infra-red carbon dioxide sensors were about 20 times more expensive than oxygen depletion sensors.
“However, due to technological advances in surface mount and processor technology, the cost of infra-red carbon dioxide sensors has now plummeted although many organisations are still using oxygen depletion sensors to detect carbon dioxide and this is very risky.”
Tim went on: “We still recommend, however, the use of oxygen depletion sensors where the target is an inert gas such as nitrogen or helium.”
Safety Gas Detection, based in Leyland, Lancashire, provides gas alarm systems that monitor the presence and depletion of a range of gases including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), flammable gas, oxygen, refrigeration gas, and toxic gas for a diverse range of clients in both the public and private sectors, including the University of Manchester, University of Leicester, University of Wales Institute Cardiff, University of Liverpool, car parks and businesses using refrigeration.
The company also provides free, no obligation site surveys, risk assessments, hardware installation, training, maintenance, calibration and alarm call receiving.
The company has also embraced some of the most recent advances in technology and offers gas monitoring systems, with connection via the internet, which allows it to dial into the system in the event of an alarm, and provide SMS text messages and emails to a client’s key personnel.
For further information gas detection, please visit www.safetygasdetection.co.uk or call 0845 034 0960.
-ENDS-
Issued by Red Flame Marketing on behalf of Safety Gas Detection
For further information, please contact Richard Boyd at Red Flame Marketing on 0845 052 0862 or 07792 819 059.
Notes to Editor:
Calculation to support the fact that oxygen depletion sensors are not sensitive enough to detect carbon dioxide:
Note, the COSHH EH40 Short Term Exposure Limit for carbon dioxide is 1.5%.
Imagine the scenario where the carbon dioxide levels in a room begin to rise from the normal background level. Oxygen content as standard is 20.95%. The normal industry standard alarm levels for oxygen depletion is around 19% for the first warning alarm.
This, therefore, requires a reduction of 1.95% (20.95% – 19% = 1.95%) in oxygen before the alarm is triggered – caused by a dilution.
The amount of dilution, therefore, expressed as a percentage = 1.95/20.95 x 100 = 9.30%.
Therefore, the level of carbon dioxide would have to reach 9.3% before the alarm was triggered - which is far too high!
Working the other way around, we can calculate what the oxygen level alarm should be to trigger at 1.5% carbon dioxide:
20.95% oxygen diluted by 1.5% = 20.95 x (1-(1.5/100))
An oxygen alarm set at this level would likely give rise to false alarms since oxygen levels in rooms do fluctuate slightly, and temperature and pressure transients can influence the oxygen sensors reading by a small amount.
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Safety Gas Detection manufactures and installs permanently fixed systems for monitoring gas levels. We provide a total solution which can include a no obligation site survey, risk assessments as well as hardware installation. With an impressive warranty package and dedicated ongoing support, you can be sure your investment is in safe hands.
Gas alarm systems monitor the abnormal presence or depletion of a range of gases. Most common systems we supply provide alarms for Oxygen depletion / enrichment, Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). We also cover Refrigeration gases as well as other Hydrocarbons, Flammable and Toxic gases. All of our systems can monitor more than one gas and can cover multiple areas of buildings.
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