A combustibles detector is a critical safety device in oil refineries, chemical processing plants, and other industries where flammable gasses are used. These gases are often essential to industrial processes, but when they leak, it can lead to life-threatening conditions and massive fires and explosions. Fortunately, the right combustibles detector can detect leaks and prevent these disasters before they occur.

These devices use semiconductor materials and circuits to detect combustible gases in the air. When a combustible gas enters the sensor, it causes changes in charge density within the semiconductor material. These physical changes then trigger an alarm signal. Different combustible gas sensors function in unique ways, but they all monitor the presence of combustible gases to ensure a safe workplace.

Using semiconductors, these detectors can sense combustible gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, propane, acetone, heptane, butane, ethylene hexane, methanol, toluene, formaldehyde, and ammonia. They can also detect common mixtures that might contain more than one of these gases.

Sampling Gas Samples: The Role of Gas Analyzer Sample Pumps

Other combustibles detectors use catalytic bead and infrared absorption technology to measure the amount of hydrocarbon gas present. These detectors can detect gases over long distances, making them ideal for monitoring large areas. These detectors are more susceptible to error conditions than semiconductor sensors, so it is important to conduct frequent calibrations (also known as “bump tests”).

To test a combustible gas detector, it should be exposed to a high concentration of the target gas to check for its response. It is recommended to use a bump gas that matches the type of gas for which the detector was calibrated. This helps avoid the sensor poisoning issue, which can cause the device to ignore lower levels of the target gas.