Whether it’s manufactured as a chemical or handled as a natural byproduct, ammonia gas is one of the most common toxic gases. Along with severe respiratory distress, workers can suffer from eye and skin irritation, confusion, and other potentially life-threatening effects if exposed to ammonia gas for a long period of time. Ammonia gas is both toxic and explosive, therefore having ammonia gas detectors should be a necessity if there is ammonia gas in the plant.
Do you regularly work with ammonia gas? Keep your team protected by installing one of our top industrial gas detectors in your facility.
What is Ammonia Gas?
As one of the most commonly produced industrial chemicals in the United States, ammonia gas is often used in agriculture and manufacturing as a crucial part of making an array of products. Chemically, it is a colorless gas with a pungent, suffocating odor that is highly corrosive. While it isn’t flammable, containers of ammonia gas can explode in high concentrations. Ammonia gas is essential for many biological processes and is also produced naturally from the decomposition of plants or animals.
Gas Detector Features
To keep employees safe from these hazards, many industrial facilities and laboratories rely on advanced ammonia detection systems to monitor the vapors in the air. Learn more about the various aspects of ammonia detection by understanding the five most important features.
- Alarm integration
- Pipe and equipment leak detection
- Custom installation
1) Alarm Integration
In many industrial buildings and laboratories, ammonia leaks often take place in confined spaces where equipment breakdowns or malfunctions occur. Unfortunately, since these areas are difficult to monitor, many of these leaks go undetected until they become very dangerous. With alarm integration, ammonia detectors can be part of a network of detectors connected to a common system. This system would monitor each detector and could activate audible/visual devices, turn off valves, and/or notify emergency personnel remotely.
2) Pipe and Equipment Leak Detection
When ammonia leaks occur, they are often due to pipes and equipment that have suffered from corrosion. Not only can this lead to dangerous situations for workers, but it can also result in companies having to spend thousands of dollars on repairs that may have been preventable. Since it is very difficult to guess the location of any future ammonia leaks, open-path detectors are preferred to monitor this gas at long distances.
3) Custom Installation
To the surprise of many people, ammonia leaks are some of the fastest-spreading leaks in industrial settings. According to experts, these leaks can increase in size by as much as 850 percent in only a matter of minutes, giving nearby personnel little time to evacuate. In addition, ammonia gas is lighter than air, which means it will rise and accumulate at the top of your building. An ammonia gas detector can be installed at any height on the wall and customized to your facility’s layout, giving you the ability to keep safe breathing zones at all times.
Reliable Ammonia Gas Detection Systems
Having an ammonia sensor installed in your gas detection system is the first step in keeping your employees safe from harm. Our gas detectors are built to withstand the toughest conditions so that you can focus on keeping your operations up and running.
Get in touch with our team for a customized quote for your facility.