Combustibles sensor help workers avoid dangerous, costly mistakes that put their safety and the well-being of others at risk. By continuously monitoring environments where combustible gases are present, combustible gas detectors can trigger an alarm and alert employees of the presence of hazardous chemicals and gases.

A combustibles sensor measures the concentration or volume of combustible molecules in air to determine if the mixture is rich enough to ignite when exposed to an ignition source. It uses a combination of chemical and physical properties to measure the percentage of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases present in an atmosphere.

Sensing Combustibles: Understanding the Function of Combustibles Sensors

Most combustibles sensors, like the catalytic diffusion sensor or explosimeter, monitor concentrations through subtle temperature increases in a wire within the device. This change in temperature can only occur when the combustible gases are at or above their LEL (lower explosive limit) concentration, which is defined as the minimum amount of gas needed to ignite under specific conditions.

Another method for combustibles detection is by non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) technology. This measurement technology relies on the atomic C-H bonds in the molecules of a combustible gas to absorb infrared energy from the dissimilar atoms in different gases. This changes the wavelength of light that passes through the sensor, and the NDIR gas detector can use this distortion to identify a combustible gas.

Choosing the right combustibles sensor for your workplace involves understanding how the different types work, the environment you’ll be using them in and how to interpret the results. In addition to ensuring that you get the most accurate readings, it’s important to understand how daily bump testing helps ensure your combustible gas detectors are functioning properly.