How Does a Gas Leak Detector Work

Gas is an integral part of any list of must-have amenities for every home or commercial property. Despite all its benefits, some serious threats are also associated with gas and gas appliances. Gas leakage is one of the most common risks involved in using gas. Leakage of gas may happen at any time, anywhere. It may leak from any damaged pipework.

Faulty gas appliances might be a major cause of gas leaks, whether a gas boiler or kitchen gas appliances. Apart from homes, gas leaks can also occur at business or commercial properties, posing even more serious threats, considering the large number of employees and visitors present at a time in such premises.

Gas leak in an industrial complex may also be a hazardous event. The most serious part of a gas leak is the fact that gas does not have any color or odor; hence, it cannot be noticed instantly, whereas timely detection of a gas leak is essential for every home, business, commercial, or industrial unit.

What is a Gas Leak and why it happens?

Under normal circumstances, gas is supposed to remain confined in pipework or the appliances. Normally it stays there but when a part of the pipework weakens for any reason, such as corrosion, gas may start leaking out of it. On the other hand, it may start leaking out from any loose joints, especially those connecting the gas appliances with the main gas supply lines. This often happens due to faulty or wrong installation of such appliances.

A gas appliance may develop a fault at any time, resulting in gas leaks. Another reason for a gas leak might be your own mistake. You may have forgotten to shut off an appliance property or have left a valve open. So, the most common reasons for a gas leak are a corroded pipeline, faulty installation, faulty gas appliances, or a human error.

How to Detect a Gas Leak?

A gas leak may go unnoticed unless you have a gas leak detector installed on your premises. However, you can suspect a gas leak when the following signs appear:

• Unique Smell – Natural gas is colorless and odorless, so it cannot be detected or noticed when it starts leaking. To overcome this situation, the gas supply companies mix an odorant, mostly mercaptan, in the natural gas. It gives a foul smell, which shows the presence of leaked natural gas in the air.
• Unique Sound – When gas leaks from any point, it normally sounds like a whistle. It can be noticed either in a gas pipe or around an appliance.
• Increased Gas Bill – In case of a small gas leak, you might not notice it with a unique smell or sound but it may reflect in the shape of an abnormally higher gas bill.

These signs may suggest that gas is leaking somewhere on your property. However, the best way to detect a gas leak is the installation of proper gas leak-detecting devices.

What a Gas Leak-detecting Device is?

The gas leak detector is a device that detects the concentration of various gases in any home or commercial property. When the accumulation of such gases reaches a certain pre-determined level, the device gets activated and triggers the alarm system, which may be a buzzing sound or a blinking light, alerting the occupants. Natural gas leak detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are the most commonly used devices in homes.

Location of Gas Leak Detector

The location and height where the gas-detecting device should be installed are critical. Natural gas, being lighter than the air, tends to accumulate near the ceiling. So, a gas detector should always be installed near the ceiling, preferably 6 inches away.

The leak detector should ideally be installed within a radius of 5 feet from the kitchen gas appliances. For any other gas appliances, you may install a gas leak detector at a distance of around 10 feet. Depending on the size of your home and the number of appliances, you may need to install more than one gas leak detector.

Types of Gas Leak Detectors

Mainly three types of gas leak detectors are used in homes and industrial units for the detection of combustible gases:

Semiconductor or Electronic Gas Leak Detectors

Electronic gas leak detectors are sometimes called semiconductor gas leak detectors. They use the sensor to sense the concentration of multiple gases, including natural gas, propane, and most of the flammable gases. The accuracy of these sensors is quite high, hence very reliable for home gas leak detection. However, their accuracy largely depends on the correct placement.

How it Works

The working of an electronic gas leak detector depends on its sensors. These are typically designed to react in the presence of various gases. The sensors activate and trigger the alarm system when these gases reach a certain predefined level.

Ultrasonic Gas Leak Detectors

Unlike electronic gas leak detectors, an ultrasonic detector cannot determine the type of gas being leaked. It only senses any such activity with the unique sound gas leakage produces. It detects that sound and triggers the alarm. While quite useful for pressurized gas appliances, it may not be as reliable as the electronic gas leak detector, especially in small leakages.

How it Works

Ultrasonic gas detectors are designed to react to the sound generated by gas leaks. They are fitted with microphones, which capture the high-frequency unique sound generated by gas leakage. When the sound reaches a predefined strength, the alerting system of the device is triggered.

Infrared Gas Leak Detectors

Such types of detectors use infrared technology. They are normally used in industrial units where you must monitor extended areas for gas leak detection. These are highly accurate and reliable for large industrial units.

How it Works

These detectors are fitted with infrared cameras. These cameras continuously capture images of the surrounding area and analyze them for any change in the infrared spectrum. If the infrared leak detectors determine any change in the infrared spectrum, it indicates the presence of harmful gases. The detector then triggers the alarm.

Gas Leak Detectors for Detection of Toxic Gases

There are two types of gas leak detectors when dealing with toxic gases:

• Electrochemical Sensors – Mostly used to detect toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and chlorine. These are mostly used in industries.
• Metal Oxide Semiconductors – These are used mainly to detect carbon monoxide. Again, it is more useful for detecting harmful toxic gases in industrial units.

Important Considerations

When choosing a suitable gas leak detector, consider different factors. Based on the working ability of the detectors, as discussed above, you can choose one that best suits your premises.

But in general, you should consider the following key factors when selecting a perfect gas leak detector for your home.

• Select a leak detector capable of sensing or detecting even a small leakage. That means you need to select one that has a strong sensitivity.
• The performance of the leak-detecting device is also very important. You cannot afford to compromise on the safety of your property. Hence go for the most reliable gas leak detector.
• The gas leak detectors work in two phases. Firstly, they detect the presence of gas and then pass the information to the alarm system. So, the response time is crucial for a gas leak detector. It should take the minimum possible time to react and trigger the alarm.
• The device should be user-friendly, without any complex operating and maintenance system. Opt for a gas leak detector that is easy to use and needs minimum maintenance.
• Affordability may be another consideration regarding the cost of a gas leak detector. But you cannot compromise on the safety of your property. So, go for a device that ensures safety, even if it is slightly more expensive.

Conclusion

A gas leak is a major cause of gas-related accidents in homes and industries. Gas leakage may result in serious fire incidents and explosions, causing huge financial losses, injuries, and deaths. Hence it is quite an important issue that must be properly addressed. Installation of gas leak detectors plays a vital role in preventing such fatal incidents.

Choosing a suitable gas leak detector, installing it at an appropriate location, and understating how it works are the key factors for safe premises regarding gas-related accidents.