What is Ammonia Gas?

As one of the most commonly produced industrial chemicals in the United States, ammonia gas is often used in agriculture and manufacturing as a crucial part of making an array of products. Chemically, it is a colorless gas with a pungent, suffocating odor that is highly corrosive. While it isn’t flammable, containers of ammonia gas can explode in high concentrations. Ammonia gas is essential for many biological processes and is also produced naturally from the decomposition of plants or animals.

Gas Detector Features

To keep employees safe from these hazards, many industrial facilities and laboratories rely on advanced ammonia detection systems to monitor the vapors in the air. Learn more about the various aspects of ammonia detection by understanding the five most important features.

1. Alarm integration
2. Pipe and equipment leak detection
3. Custom installation

1) Alarm Integration

In many industrial buildings and laboratories, ammonia leaks often take place in confined spaces where equipment breakdowns or malfunctions occur. Unfortunately, since these areas are difficult to monitor, many of these leaks go undetected until they become very dangerous. With alarm integration, ammonia detectors  can be part of a network of detectors connected to a common system. This system would monitor each detector and could activate audible/visual devices, turn off valves, and/or notify emergency personnel remotely.

2) Pipe and Equipment Leak Detection

When ammonia leaks occur, they are often due to pipes and equipment that have suffered from corrosion. Not only can this lead to dangerous situations for workers, but it can also result in companies having to spend thousands of dollars on repairs that may have been preventable. Since it is very difficult to guess the location of any future ammonia leaks, open-path detectors are preferred to monitor this gas at long distances.

3) Custom Installation

To the surprise of many people, ammonia leaks are some of the fastest-spreading leaks in industrial settings. According to experts, these leaks can increase in size by as much as 850 percent in only a matter of minutes, giving nearby personnel little time to evacuate. In addition, ammonia gas is lighter than air, which means it will rise and accumulate at the top of your building. An ammonia gas detector can be installed at any height on the wall and customized to your facility’s layout, giving you the ability to keep safe breathing zones at all times.

Reliable Ammonia Gas Detection Systems

Having an ammonia sensor installed in your gas detection system is the first step in keeping your employees safe from harm. Our gas detectors are built to withstand the toughest conditions so that you can focus on keeping your operations up and running.

Get in touch with our team for a customized quote for your facility.

The first step of proper gas detection placement is to identify the areas where natural gas is most present. Because natural gas is void of both color and odor, uncontrolled concentrations in the air can become very dangerous fairly quickly. For many facilities, enclosed areas or poorly ventilated areas near industrial equipment should be the first points of concern when installing gas detection systems. If gases can leak from anywhere in the room, then it’s necessary for you to monitor the whole room with multiple gas detectors.

Know the Density

When monitoring combustible gases, it’s important to know the density of the gases in question. Propane and gasoline gases have a higher density and are heavier than air, which means having a gas detection near the floor is most beneficial. Lower-density gases such as natural gas are lighter than air and are known to collect near the ceiling of a building. With that in mind, it would be best to install your fixed gas detector within inches of the ceiling.

Consider Ventilation Areas

Does your building have open windows or exhaust ducts? While good ventilation is necessary to lower the concentration of gases in your building, airflow can affect the performance of gas sensors. When you’re installing your gas detector, be sure to place it away from air ducts blowing fresh air or the opening of doors and windows. 

Determine Your Monitoring Limits

Fixed gas detectors are designed with a sensor that measures gas concentration on a continuous basis. Much like your nose, these sensors can only detect what’s within its coverage limit. If you can determine where leaks are most likely to occur, your gas detectors should be placed strategically to cover your entire area. When detecting gases, there are several things to keep in mind such as density of the gas, expected sources of leaks, i.e. seals, valves, etc., airflow, and expected sources of ignition.

Guard Against Natural Gas Leaks

Installing proper gas leak detection starts with knowing your working conditions and the properties of the dangerous gases in your vicinity. By identifying the leak sources and physical characteristics of your building, you can invest in a gas detection system that will meet your needs. 

Not sure where to start? Get in touch with our team for a one-on-one consultation to determine what kind of gas detector would protect you and your employees.

Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic gas that is readily detectable in small concentrations, but high levels of H2S can impair your sense of smell, making it much harder to detect dangerous leaks. The effects of hydrogen sulfide poisoning can range from shortness of breath to convulsions and imminent death. Given the potential dangers, the importance of H2S gas detection can’t be ignored. Do you have a way to detect and measure the hydrogen sulfide in your air?

Popular Uses of H2S Gas

Hydrogen sulfide is predominantly used in the production of sulfuric acid and elemental sulfur. Products such as pesticides, leather, paints, and pharmaceuticals all contain a measure of hydrogen sulfide in their makeup. Whether it’s used as a reagent in a chemical reaction or as a byproduct of natural gas emissions, the presence of H2S gas is a daily occurrence for many workers.

Evaluating Potential Risks

To accurately measure hydrogen sulfide gas in your facility, it’s important to evaluate any potential risks. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Where are the hydrogen sulfide sources located?
• Is there any nearby equipment that could catch fire or explode?
• What type of personal protective equipment is worn by workers?
• Are there any confined spaces that lack oxygen?

Pro Tip: Low oxygen levels can affect the performance of H2S detectors. Install an oxygen depletion sensor to ensure accurate readings.

Testing for High Concentrations of H2S

With every new technological advance and scientific study, engineers have manufactured better ways to detect high gas emissions. Analyzers such as colorimetric gas detection tubes require manual operation and traditional lead acetate tape doesn’t provide accurate results. While the “rotten egg” smell may help signal H2S gas leaks, it’s important to have monitoring equipment that won’t break down over time.

GDS Corp provides both gas detectors and gas sensors designed to work in a number of hazardous areas. Every situation may warrant a different solution, which is why our selection of H2S products are fully customizable. You can choose from a number of components to configure your detection system correctly, such as:

• Fixed Gas Detectors – Fixed gas detectors are used to detect the presence of hydrogen sulfide in ambient air. These depend on the diffusion of toxic gases from areas of high concentrations (leak source) to areas of lower concentration (gas detector). Since hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air, in most cases fixed detectors should be mounted down low to the ground. 
• Sample Draw Detectors – Sample draw monitors pull a sample from a fixed location and measure the gas in real-time. These are extremely useful when used to measure sumps, storage areas, and other relatively inaccessible locations. 
• Open Path Detectors – These use a beam of infrared light to detect the presence of relatively high levels of hydrogen sulfide that may exist between two points some distance apart. These can prove useful as ‘early warning’ devices when monitoring a fence line or area between two buildings. 

Sense of Smell isn’t Enough

Unlike other toxic gases, hydrogen sulphide can be identified by an odor. That smell, distinct as it is, isn’t very reliable when it comes to detecting leaks. Due to a process known as olfactory desensitization, high concentrations of H2S gas can cause your sense of smell to disappear. For facilities or treatment plants dealing regularly with hydrogen sulfide, it’s important to have a detector you can trust.

Connect with our sales team to view our full line of fixed H2S gas detection systems.

Like many toxic gases, VOC emissions are usually colorless and can spread rapidly without warning. It’s important to maintain safe VOC levels to guard humans from breathing in toxic chemicals. One of the most common ways to measure levels of VOC is by installing a photoionization detector (PID). Learn more about the impact of volatile organics and why PIDS should be installed in your facility.

What is VOC?

Volatile Organic Compounds (or VOCs) are toxic chemicals that are emitted as gases from solid or liquid products. According to the EPA, concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors. VOCs are usually found around chemical processing facilities or refineries. If your workplace has products that utilize dangerous organic chemicals, measuring the amount of volatile organics is key.

Pro Tip: Don’t think that stored products or those sitting on the shelf aren’t dangers. VOC emissions can be released and can contaminate your air, even if not being used.

Measuring VOC in Your Environment

When measuring VOCs, it’s important to know what kind of volatile organic compounds are in your environment. Some of the most common types of VOCs include acetone, butanal, ethanol, formaldehyde, toluene, methylene chloride, and others.

In the same way, you should be familiar with the following units of measurements:

• Parts-Per-Million (PPM) – The ratio of one gas to another. 1,000 ppm CO means that of one million gas molecules, 1,000 of the molecules are carbon monoxide and the other 999,000 are other gases.
• Electron Volt (eV) – A unit of measurement of the energy contained in a photon generated by a UV lamp. In other words, a “10.6 eV Lamp” will generate photons with an average energy of 10.6 electron volts. 
• Ionization Potential (IP) – A measurement (in Electron Volts) of the energy in a photon necessary to ionize a specific material. 

Photoionization Detectors Explained

PIDs use a specially-designed ultraviolet (UV) lamp to create high energy photons, These photons hit volatile organic compounds present in the air and if energetic enough, knock an electron loose, creating a small current flow. This flow of electrons indicates the presence of VOCs. Each organic compound has an ‘ionization potential’ (IP) value which represents the amount of energy necessary to liberate an electron.

If the UV lamp’s energy level is higher than the compound’s ionization potential, the detector will indicate the presence of VOC molecules. The choice of lamp “IP” value (10.0 eV, 10.6 eV or 11.0 eV) should be determined by the IP of the target VOC molecules. 

Finding a reliable PID is essential to monitoring the air quality in your industrial environments. GDS Corp offers the following photoionization detector options. These detectors are available with 10.0 eV, 10.6 eV and 11.0 eV PID sensors:

• GASMAX CX Gas Monitor with VOC Sensor – Single or dual channel gas monitor certified for hazardous areas where gas readings need to be transmitted in real-time.
• GASMAX II Gas Monitor with VOC Sensor – Single or dual channel gas monitor that supports both local and remote sensors for added convenience.

Monitor the Air Pollutants of Your Facility

A wide range of VOCs are found in almost every work environment, which makes gas detection crucial. GDS Corp can help you determine the best type of detector and lamp IP value for your specific application. 

Are you looking for an accurate way to measure VOC levels? Connect with our team to get a VOC sensor installed in your detection system.

Ultimately, no, a carbon monoxide detector cannot detect a natural gas leak. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas created when fuel is burned in the presence of low levels of oxygen. Carbon monoxide is very different from methane and cannot be detected with the same sensor. Carbon monoxide might appear during a gas leak, but a carbon monoxide detector is not normally capable of detecting natural gas.

Carbon Monoxide or Natural Gas?

Carbon monoxide is difficult to detect by the human nose but is known to cause rapid loss of consciousness. Similarly, natural gas is normally odorless but gas companies add mercaptan to make it smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. What’s more, natural gas leaks can usually be identified by a hissing sound or visible damage to a gas line.

That being said, not having a complete gas detection system could cause disastrous results. Along with the high flammability of natural gas, carbon monoxide can be fatal under certain conditions. Without proper warning, you could be at risk for sudden fire, explosion or toxic gas. To protect your environment, install a reliable gas detection system to detect dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and methane.

Pro Tip: Does your gas alarm configured to detect carbon monoxide? Install a high-performance sensor in your detection system to combat the poisonous health effects of carbon monoxide.

Types of Natural Gas Detectors

Monitoring unsafe levels of methane in natural gas is crucial to combat natural gas poisoning and combustion. GDS Corp offers a number of gas detection solutions to monitor your gas lines.

• GASMAX CX Gas Monitor – Single or dual channel gas monitor certified for hazardous areas where gas readings need to be transmitted in real-time.
• GASMAX II Gas Monitor – Single or dual channel gas monitor of any combination of one toxic and one combustible (bridge-type) sensor.
• GDS-50 Gas Sensor – DC-powered infrared gas sensor of any toxic or combustible gas in Class I Div 1 hazardous areas.
• GDS-IR Gas Sensor – Infrared gas sensor used to detect carbon dioxide or explosive levels of methane or propane in harsh environments.

Choosing the Best Gas Leak Detectors

Whether you’re protecting against natural gas leaks or the presence of carbon monoxide in your manufacturing or industrial process, finding the right gas monitor is important. In addition to carbon monoxide alarms and smoke detectors, a complete detection system can be customized for you. Be sure to protect your health and working environments from the many dangers of natural gas.

Do you need an accurate and trusted detection system? Connect with our professional technicians to help you choose the best gas leak detector.

Machine-Mounted Detectors

According to federal regulations, all coal mining operations are required to have mining detector technology in place that monitors for methane and oxygen levels that may be at dangerously low levels. Because of this, detection equipment is placed on all drilling equipment, and is calibrated specifically to detect methane levels that reach a concentration of one percent or higher, which will trigger an alert from the detection equipment. Since it is vital the electronics in these detectors be protected against dust, dirt, and vibrations, they are fitted with special caps that protect them from damage.

Portable Monitoring

Along with meeting federal requirements for machine-mounted detection systems, many mining operations also use portable mining detectors to keep workers safe from dangerous methane leaks. Since these detectors are very small and can be clipped to a miner’s clothing or belt, they allow for hands-free monitoring while working in virtually any area of a mine. Along with this, just as it is with fixed detectors, portable mining and industrial sensors are equipped with wireless technology, enabling them to send real-time data to monitoring stations and mining safety engineers.

Quick Response Times

In many mining operations, methane leaks occur when a shaft first starts to be opened. Thus, once drilling operations stop and equipment is moved to another location, methane can be released through cracks in the ground or through cracks in rock walls, and can lead to dangerous buildups in a matter of minutes. Due to the potential for a fire or explosion in these cases, a quick response time is required once high methane levels are detected. To make this happen, mining sensor technology relies not only on advanced electronics and precise calibrations of sensors, but also detectors equipped with various alarm systems. With most detectors, the alarm systems include sirens, flashing lights, and strobes, all of which can be useful should a shaft need to be evacuated in the event of an emergency.

Due to the many complexities associated with mining operations, it is essential the best possible detection systems be selected and installed in shafts and other areas where methane levels may rise or oxygen levels may drop to dangerous levels. Therefore, it is best to not leave these decisions to chance. Instead, contact an Applications Engineer at GDS to discuss which detection system will best meet your needs.

Portable Gas Detectors

For companies that may be on a tight budget, portable gas detectors are a smart option to consider when wanting low cost gas sensors. Very affordable, most cost between $100-$200 each, and can allow workers to use them in any area of a facility. Especially useful for buildings that have confined spaces, they offer hands-free monitoring, accuracy and reliability in areas that may be difficult to monitor, and wireless technology that allows them to send data in real-time to on-site and off-site personnel.

Monitoring Kits

While portable detection systems offer a low cost gas detector option for many companies, monitoring kits are priced significantly higher, yet come with a number of specialized features and advantages. Costing between $2,000-$3,000 in most cases, these kits offer the versatility to detect numerous types of gases, including methane, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen. Along with this, they are also equipped with multiple alarm systems such as strobes, sirens, and flashing warning lights, making them adaptable to virtually any work environment. In fact, most gas monitoring kits are designed to withstand severe temperature extremes, and can be used in areas where temperatures range from below-freezing to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, to make sure they can record accurate and reliable readings for an extended period of time, they are equipped with rechargeable batteries that can last for as much as 24 hours.

Fixed Gas Detection Systems

For many companies that want to get the most out of their safety budgets, fixed gas detection systems often provide the best gas sensor prices. Costing on average $1,000 per sensor, these systems in recent years have made excellent use of infrared technology. By doing so, they can use multiple pathway detection to scan for various gases, which results in even the smallest of leaks being detected much quicker than in years past. As a result, engineers and technicians can be alerted to potential problems, and can begin repairs or other troubleshooting measures in an effort to keep a situation from escalating into a catastrophic event.

Since not all work environments, facilities, and company budgets are alike, it is always best to discuss your gas detection needs with an experienced professional. To do so, contact an Applications Engineer at GDS by calling 409-927-2980 or visiting www.gdscorp.com.