The Various Types of Gas Monitors and Detectors

There are many different types of gas alarms available on the market in Lawrenceville, GA, so you might be wondering which type you need for your specific purposes. Industrial facilities in particular need to have several types of gas monitors on their premises to prevent potential illnesses to their workers—gas monitors are an important safety feature and ensure your employees will not inhale potentially damaging chemicals.

Gas monitors use a series of sensors to monitor the amount of gas in a given area. These monitors should not be mistaken for gas detectors, which are essentially the same thing as a smoke detector but for harmful gases. Instead, gas monitors are frequently intended for individual use, and workers in an industrial setting will wear them on their clothing or gear. Each one of these detectors features a sensor to monitor gas levels.

There are several types of gases that these sensors might monitor. Oxygen is one, and while many people might not consider oxygen to be a problematic gas, there are circumstances in which too much oxygen can be damaging to the body’s nervous system. With an oxygen monitor it becomes easier to track the levels of oxygen and alert workers when those levels are too high.

Sensors might also track carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulfide levels. Carbon monoxide can cause vomiting and headaches, and can result in oxygen deprivation in the body, leading to suffocation in severe cases. Hydrogen sulfide can also cause headaches, and too much of it at a time can result in a person passing out or even dying. The gas is also flammable, which is important to be aware of in industrial settings that may have open flames.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the types of sensors used in gas detector systems in Lawrenceville, GA:

• Toxic sensors: These sensors are generally electrochemical in nature. They track the presence of harmful vapors and gases, such as carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
• LEL sensors: LEL sensors monitor lower explosive levels in a particular area. LELs are gases found in the air that could potentially spark a fire if the gas comes into contact with a flame. Given the information we already provided above, you already know that hydrogen sulfide would be one example of an LEL—it is flammable and therefore dangerous to have around open flames.
• Four gas sensors: These are sensors that are capable of tracking multiple types of gases simultaneously, including oxygen, LELs, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. They’re very handy to have in any type of industrial area where there are likely to be multiple types of gases floating around in the environment.

Ultimately, in selecting the right monitor for your workplace you will need to consider how long you’ll be using it and where you’ll be using it. Some gas monitors have shorter shelf lives because they can’t be turned off, while others are rechargeable.

For more information about gas alarms in Lawrenceville, GA, including help in determining which type might be best for your situation, contact AAA Fire Protection Resources, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Gas Detection and Monitoring

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