Almost every day there are explosions and various degrees of fires that occur when gas enters the room. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to use a gas leak sensor. It serves to establish its content in the air. At critical indicators, the device notifies the surrounding personnel of a serious leak. The gas leak sensor can be equipped with various shut-off valves that serve to shut off the fuel supply. The simplest models determine the concentration of a particular gas. And if the allowable limit exceeds the norm, it signals this. Externally, this is a compact mobile equipment that can be installed anywhere. As a rule, it is used for safety in domestic conditions. But other models used in industrial premises are widely used on the market.
What are leak sensors
They come in two varieties. Wired and wireless. Looking at their name, you can tell that they are different from each other.power source. The first type is connected to a household power supply, with a voltage of 200 V.
The second type works with special batteries. The latter are placed in the sensor itself.
Also, the gas leak sensor is classified according to the method of determining the concentration of fuel entering the environment. So there are the following types. Semiconductor, infrared and catalytic.
The first type operates with the help of semiconductors, the principle of which is to absorb oxide gas heated to a certain temperature. Devices of the following type resemble explosive lamps in their design.
Its work is based on the combustion of gas, while decomposing it into two components: water and carbon dioxide. Devices of the latter type determine the concentration of fuel, due to the absorption of the medium, which is within the infrared spectrum.
Features of leakage sensors
As mentioned earlier, all sensors are divided into two types - wired and wireless. Now let's take a closer look at their features. The wired gas leak detector operates from a conventional consumer electrical network, with a voltage of 220 V.
Most people think this species is unsafe. With a high content of gas in the environment, any short circuit will lead to an explosion. But this idea is considered wrong. The device is assembled using special technologies. Therefore, the occurrence of an explosion due to a short circuit does not threaten. Gas leak detectors for a wired type home are low cost and also quite easy to use. Their negative side is the high consumption of electricity, which is required for the functioning of various sensors.
The wireless gas leak detector works with a battery built directly into the body. Thanks to him, you can install devices anywhere. They also consume a fair amount of electricity. Therefore, they are not used in industrial areas. In addition, the cost of devices is quite high.
Gas leak sensor with valve
At present, devices with a valve or other shut-off valves are used. Their design includes a sensitive element. With a high gas content in the room, it transmits a signal to the electrical circuit, and it closes. Then the valve closes, and the flow of fuel into the room stops. As a rule, the device is installed in front of any gas equipment, for example, a filter, burner, column, etc. The installation of such elements must be carried out by a special master. He installs valves in the pipe and checks its performance. The valve has a long service life and does not require an electrical connection. To return the valve to its original position, you must turn it manually. Due to automatism, household gas leak detector with valve has become the most popular.
Characteristics of device with alarm
In the current devices are installedwireless communication elements, thanks to which signaling details can be used. If the amount of gas has passed normal values, then the sensitive element is triggered. Then the signal goes to the owner on a regular phone.
Therefore, the owner can independently decide how to fix this problem. The gas leak sensor with alarm has a special device. It can be used for the security system of other elements. For example, they are an important element of a cozy home.
How sensors work
They are divided into three types: semiconductor, catalytic and infrared. Elements work differently, so you need to understand each type.
- Catalytic. The principle of operation of this type is the splitting of gas into elements such as water and carbon dioxide during the combustion process. A small amount of air with a high fuel content passes through the sensor. There is a combustion process. In this case, the resistance in the coil changes. Also in the device there is another coil, which serves to determine the rise in temperature. The greater the gas content in the room, the higher the resistance will be. To ensure that the coil is not subjected to any influences, thermal balls are placed at its ends. The latter are covered with a layer of glass. Such a device serves as a compensator. Information about the content of gas particles in the air is received in a matter of milliseconds.
- Semiconductor sensors. Their principle of operation is similar to that used incatalytic device. A silicon wafer serves as a sensitive element. Metal oxide is applied to its surface. This method is also applied to the production of computer parts. In the event that gas particles hit such a surface, a change in resistance occurs, which corresponds to the concentration of harmful substances in the surrounding air. Such devices are widely used in everyday life. They cannot be used for industrial purposes, since the concentration of some fuels is quite difficult to determine. One of the negative qualities is a slow response, as well as a long recovery time that requires staff supervision.
- Infrared. They are used for industrial purposes to determine the gas content in the room. When compared with the catalytic type, significant advantages stand out. These include fast turn-on times and low power consumption. The principle of operation is to analyze gas particles using light. The light waves are located in the infrared range. So, in the analysis, two waves are used: the reference and the studied. Two media pass through a certain light source and return back. Further, the device analyzes the corresponding signals and shows the amount of fuel in the room.
Installing gas leak detectors
Their location depends on the type of gas produced. For example, if its mass is greater than air, then the devices are installed in the lower parts of the wall. If natural gas is used, then the location is reversed, i.e.the element is mounted under the ceiling.
When installing equipment, you must adhere to some rules:
- sensors should not be installed near various gas appliances;
- cannot be installed on gas appliances;
- installation takes place in a room where air does not penetrate;
- cannot be installed near windows and doors;
- you can not mount appliances in rooms with a high content of ammonia.
Maintenance
When buying a household gas leak sensor is already configured. Therefore, no preparatory work is required during installation. After installing it, you should watch it for a while.
In addition, it is necessary to clean the surrounding areas of the device from dust and other contaminants. In this case, you should not overdo it so as not to damage the sensitive element.
Another important point is the performance check. To do this, apply gas to the sensor. You can do this with a regular lighter. After the sensor has worked, you need to pay attention to the alert signal. It must be loud enough for all staff to hear. After the weathering of the gas, the device recovers itself. If the devices are equipped with shut-off valves, then the performance is checked manually.
Cost
The price of the sensor depends on the concentration of which type of gas you need to determine.
The type of equipment also affects this indicator. Wireless devices cost much more than wired ones. The price for them ranges from eight hundred to four thousand rubles.
Customer Reviews
Many users of these leakage sensors are satisfied with their performance. They quickly work with a significant gas content in the room. There are a huge number of such devices on the market, which differ in the principle of operation and power source.
So everyone can choose the right look.
Conclusion
Today, most fires are caused by gas leaks. Such situations must be prevented. Therefore, many people install leakage sensors. They notify the owner of an apartment or business of a high concentration of gas in the air. Such devices help to save not only property, but also human lives.
So, we found out what these devices are.
