Air contaminated with oxidising gases will endanger plant personnel and equipment. If employees are exposed to low concentrations of these gases for extended periods, the safety limit will be reached. Higher concentrations will affect the respiratory system of the personnel and corrode machines resulting in costly repairs.
The gas leak detector monitors the contents of oxidising gases in the air, indicates leaks and warns the personnel in plants where chlorine or some other gases are generated, stored or metered.
The unit will initiate a visual and audible alarm if the pre-set value is exceeded. The maximum value is the maximum permissible gas concentration in the air of an area where people are working. Maximum values are toxicological limit values. They were laid down by law to protect people at their job site against certain chemicals.
In the case of big chlorination plants, generally separate rooms are used for the gas metering units and the chlorine cylinders or drums. If required, different alarm levels can be set for the different rooms, for example 2 ppm for room No.1 and 5 ppm for room No.2. It is also possible to use two detector cells for each room, set at different alarm levels to provide for a pre-alarm and a main alarm. By means of the working contacts it is possible to operate all kinds of ancillary equipment such as alarm horns, exhaust fans, automatic gas shut-off valves, sprinkler systems or air scrubbers.
