INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

Dont Underestimate the Importance

of LEL Correlation Factors
Your teams safety depends on selecting the of determining the performance parameters of an instrument by
comparing it with measurement standards.
right correlation factor, calibration gas, and Once calibrated with a particular gas, the instrument will
LEL sensor for your application. display LEL values assuming all gases in the environment are
that one specific gas. If a sensor calibrated to methane detects
By Scott Jubeck
ethane, the instrument will display LEL values assuming it is

industrial scientific corporation

truly methane. Many members of the safety community under-
stand this challenge and have procedures in place to account for
this sensor limitation. (Please note that this article refers to LEL
IR sensors, not gas-specific sensors like methane IR. LEL IR sen-
sors are sometimes called Hydrocarbon IR sensors.)
Correlation factors are used to translate instrument readings
from the units of the calibration gas to the units of a second de-
sired gas. For example, correlation factors can be used to trans-
late readings on a pentane-calibrated instrument to equivalent
units of ethane.
The next challenge is that most members of the safety com-
munity were trained on the industry-standard CB LEL sensor
technology. This training leads to typical alarm levels of 10 per-
cent LEL and 20 percent LEL because most CB correlation fac-
tors are relatively close to the reading on the display, typically

F
our of your team members are hard at work, side by side two times or less. The logic is the combustible gases in the at-
at your facility. Each is wearing a brand-new gas detec- mosphere will not exceed 40 percent LEL (20 percent LEL high
tor that was calibrated and bump tested only a few hours alarm multiplied by a correlation factor of 2), assuming a worst-
ago. The problem is that two of the instruments are in case scenario. Even assuming a +25 percent error in the reading,
high alarm, one is in low alarm, and the fourth is not in alarm the user is still below the lower explosive limit and has time to
at all. Which instrument is defective? The two instruments in retreat to a safe location.
high alarm? The one instrument in low alarm? How about the With the continuing emergence of IR technology, many us-
instrument not in alarm at all? Are they all broken? Actually, the ers assume the sensor performs in the same way as catalytic bead
instruments may all be working perfectly. technology, even though the detection technology is very dif-
Many members of the safety community have spent a lot of ferent. Not only is that assumption incorrect, but also it can be
time recently debating which Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) sen- very dangerous. Calibrating CB and IR with the same gas often
sor technology is superior: the industry-standard catalytic bead leads to dramatically different results. The table below identifies
(CB) technology, which has been in use for more than 50 years, correlation factors for CB and IR sensors, standard calibration
or the newer infrared (IR) sensor technology. Much has been gases, and common gases found in the field.
written about the strengths and weakness of each technology
and can easily be found by your favorite search engine. This ar-
ticle will discuss the intersection of correlation factors, calibra-
tion gas, LEL sensor technologies, and their impact on ensuring
every worker returns home at the end of his shift.
Lets start with a quick summary of the sensor technolo-
gies. Both CB and IR sensors are designed to protect against the
combustion of gases in the atmosphere, not the detection of one
combustible gas specifically. In other words, an LEL sensor does
not know whether it is detecting pentane, methane, or propane,
but it only recognizes that one or more combustible gases are in
the atmosphere. For this reason, both CB and IR sensors must
be characterized through calibration. The McGraw-Hill Science The formula to translate your instruments readings to the
and Technology Encyclopedia defines calibration as the process actual concentration in the atmosphere is: Instrument Reading

28 Occupational Health & Safety | May 2014 www.ohsonline.com

 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

(% LEL) = Gas Being Sampled (% LEL) sensors, when calibrated with methane, matter if you are using a CB or IR sensor. oxygen, users should not trust the LEL IR correlation factors are often dramati-
divided by Correlation Factor. are very accurate in their detection of Correlation factors are never perfect and readings on their instruments because the cally different than CB correlation factors.
The following examples were devel- methane, as expected. A pentane-cali- will introduce error into your readings, sensor does not have adequate oxygen to Two other considerations should be
oped to prove the importance of the com- brated catalytic bead LEL sensor will read so calibrating to the known hazard leads properly detect the hazard. Dilution tubes made when comparing CB LEL to IR LEL
bination of correlation factors, calibration high because the correlation factor is 0.5. to the most accurate results. 2) Catalytic or IR sensors should be considered when sensors: 1) CB LEL sensors may be inhib-
gas, and LEL sensor technology in ensur- On the other hand, a propane-calibrated bead LEL sensors calibrated to pentane oxygen levels are less than 10 percent vol- ited or poisoned by various chemicals, in-
ing the safety of your team. infrared LEL sensor will read low at 3 per- typically have correlation factors of less ume. Again, ask your manufacturer for cluding silicone. When these sensors are
cent LEL. than two and often close to one. For that Acetylene is a common welding gas. details since each CB sensor responds dif- exposed to silicone, their reaction to com-
This example highlights the impor- reason, many gas detection manufactur- When using acetylene, it is very impor- ferently to low levels of oxygen. bustible gases is reduced or eliminated.
tance of two best practices: 1) Calibrating ers recommend pentane calibration for tant to understand which type of LEL Many everyday items (like Armor All) are
to the known hazard in the atmosphere CB sensors because the instrument will sensor to use. Some IR LEL sensors will proven to damage CB LEL sensors. IR LEL
will lead to the most accurate results. If reduce the error between the real gas con- not detect several combustible gases, in- sensors are not poisoned by these chemi-
methane is the known hazard, calibrate centration and the instrument reading. cluding (but not limited to) acetylene, cals. 2) Correlation factors for CB LEL
In this basic example, both CB and IR your LEL sensor to methane. It doesnt hydrogen, and carbon disulfide. In this sensors may change over time as the sen-
scenario, the infrared sensor will not re- sor ages. This is particularly important for
spond at all, regardless of concentration. methane detection when calibrating with a
The calibration gas also will not impact Also, in Example #5, the methane-cal- gas other than methane. Periodic exposure
Spend more time doing the result, as the sensor simply will not ibrated infrared LEL sensor does not of a known concentration of methane gas
detect acetylene. Check with your gas de- alarm due to the 3.8 correlation factor. to pentane-calibrated sensors is recom-
what you love tection manufacturer for details. This situation was also found in Example mended to validate performance.
The second example shows a poten-
CB LEL sensors detect combustible gas #2. The atmosphere actually must reach
tially dangerous scenario in the field.
by burning it. With low levels of oxygen, 38 percent LEL before reaching a 10 per- Scott Jubeck is the Global Product Man-
Some gas detection manufacturers rec-
combustion is incomplete or impossible. cent LEL low alarm. Again, this highlights ager of Multi-Gas Solutions at Industrial
ommend methane-calibration for their
In atmospheres with less than 10 percent the fact that users must understand that Scientific (www.indsci.com).
IR LEL sensors. Even with 60 percent LEL
ethane in the atmosphere, a methane-
calibrated IR LEL sensor will display only
9 percent LEL.
This example highlights a third best
practice. It is that setting low alarm lev-
els are very important for safety. Many
industry leaders recommend a 10 per-
cent LEL low alarm and 20 percent LEL
high alarm levels. In the example above,
a methane-calibrated infrared sensor
will trigger a 10 percent LEL low alarm
only with 65 percent LEL ethane in the Go the Extra Mile to Exceptional
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Circle 36 on card.
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