Simplified, Cost-Effective, and Consistent Acidic Compound Detection
New acid detector placement philosophy led to reduced maintenance , lowered costs, a reduced the likelihood of confusion during leaks, and helped create a uniform response strategy.
Challenge
The client has to contend with detecting a multitude of toxic acidic vapors in order to keep their people safe. Initially, their plan involved using 5 to 6 individual toxic gas detectors in each area to detect these acidic vapors separately in each room. This approach would have led to a high number of detectors, increased maintenance, more I/O (input/output) to contend with, and elevated costs for replacing sensor elements. Additionally, the use of multiple detectors could result in confusion if there was a leak, as all the detectors would respond, making it impossible to pinpoint the specific acidic vapor released.
Solution
Upon closer review, it was realized that the client did not need to differentiate between the specific acidic vapors The single detector would tell them they had an acid leak, no matter which one. When a detector was triggered, the action was the same, evacuate to a safe area. A more efficient solution was devised by using a single acidic vapor detector in each room instead of multiple individual detectors. This philosophy reduced the number of detectors from 5 to 1 in each room, leading to an 80% reduction in the total number of detectors across the entire facility.
Results
By implementing the revised gas detection philosophy, the client achieved significant benefits. They collected a comprehensive list of all the chemicals of concern and determined the levels at which they wanted to detect these vapors. This allowed them to model the vapor releases and strategically position the gas detectors in a 3D model for optimal coverage. The client no longer needed to be specific as to the type of acidic vapor being detected, focusing solely on the detection of acidic vapors in general. Furthermore, it reduced possible confusion, ensuring the safety of individuals on the premises by enabling timely evacuation in case of any acid leak, regardless of the specific acidic vapor involved.
The new approach resulted in simplified maintenance, cost reduction, decreased risk of confusion in case of a leak, and established a consistent action plan for evacuation.
Keywords: formic acid, hydrocoloric acid, detection, detector, evactuation, acid vapor, acidic compounds, gas detection