A gas leak sensor is a crucial piece of equipment. Not only do they ensure the safety of workers in several industries, but in many settings, such as the food industry, a gas leak sensor also monitors gas levels to ensure the products maintain high quality and standards.

Many gases commonly used in industry such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide have detrimental health impacts at high concentrations or in poorly ventilated areas. As most of the gases are colourless and odourless, this presents huge healthy and safety implications for staff working in these environments. Gas leak sensors provide a level of protection for staff in workplaces that use potentially hazardous gases.

Edinburgh Sensors has a range of products for N₂O, CO and CO₂ leak detection that can be applied to a number of industries. In this article, we will look at some of the applications of our gas leak sensors and how they can be used to keep your staff safe and standards high.

Gas Leak Sensor Applications

Life Sciences

CO₂ incubators are a key piece of equipment for many life science studies. Carbon dioxide is used for a number of reasons including stabilising the pH of the sample as well as the temperature and humidity of the incubator. It is important to monitor the CO₂ levels within the incubator but also to ensure there are gas leak sensors surrounding the incubator so users can quickly be alerted incase of a CO₂ leak.

Transport

Gas leak detectors are required in transportation, not only for transporting gas canisters but also for situations where gases can be used during transportation.

Dry ice, cooled and condensed CO₂ can be used to transport products that need to remain cold. As CO₂ sublimes, it produces CO₂ gas that can keep goods cold without risking any moisture contaminating the products. As trucks and lorries are small, confined spaces it is vital that there are CO₂ leak detectors in the driver’s cab.

Agriculture and Farming

A CO₂ leak detector is necessary for several applications within the agriculture and farming sectors, to keep both staff safe and when considering the welfare of livestock.

CO₂ is used to stun animals before slaughter, or if a cull is required. CO₂ renders the animal unconscious so they can be killed humanely. The levels of CO₂ must be closely monitored to ensure the exact concentration required is administered and to ensure that there is no build up beyond the slaughter chamber. Installing a gas leak sensor can monitor gas concentrations elsewhere to maintain safe working environments for staff working in surrounding areas.

Food and Beverage

The food and beverage industry has several uses of CO₂ that require gas leak sensors for ensure staff safety and the standards of products.

Drink carbonation – CO₂ gas is used to carbonate beverages such as soft drinks and beer. CO₂ is also used in wine making to achieve desired flavours.

Fermentation – During wine production, fermentation is used to produce alcohol however a byproduct of this process is CO₂. As wineries tend to be small, enclosed spaces, and CO₂ leak detector can help to monitor the CO₂ levels during wine production and mitigate the risk of CO₂ build up.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging – To keep food as fresh as possible for as long as possible, food products are often packaged under a modified atmosphere. Oxygen in the air can react with food, leading to microbial growth and food spoilage. A typical modified atmosphere is a blend of nitrogen and CO₂. This must be carefully monitored to ensure the correct concentration of each gas is present, as what is necessary can change depending on the food. Using an atmosphere with elevated CO₂ concentrations poses obvious health risks for staff so CO₂ detection is necessary to ensure staff can work safely.

Gas Leak Sensor from Edinburgh Sensors

As mentioned in each of the above applications, Edinburgh Sensors has a number of products for your gas sensing requirements.

Our Guardian NG Gas Monitor can detect levels of CO₂, CO or CH₄, depending on your needs. The Guardian can detect gas levels between 0-3000 ppm and 0-100% by volume. With a user friendly graphical display, it is easy to set up your Guardian unit and possible to display historic readings and password protection will prevent any changes to your settings without your knowledge. The Special Guardian NG Gas monitor can also be used as a nitrous oxide gas detector.

The IRgaskiT is a flexible, modular gas sensor offering users high performance infrared measurements of CO₂ with temperature compensation. Data from the IRgaskiT can be easily logged to a PC allowing you to monitor gas output. The compact design allows for use in small spaces, such as incubators and it runs with a low power consumption, minimising the energy used in your operations.

If you are interested in a gas leak sensors, or more specifically a CO₂ leak detector, please contact our sales team who will be happy to discuss your requirements.

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