Calibration Cylinder Disposal

This section teaches customers on how to properly dispose of their gas cylinders used for gas
detectors. The calibration cylinders supplied by Industrial Scientific Corporation are disposable.
These cylinders are DOT – 39 or 2Q rated. This is the same classification used for home aerosol
cans. This means that disposal may be performed by relieving the cylinder of any pressure and
placing it in your waste disposal container. Check local regulations for compliance.  

Some companies are required to dispose of these calibration cylinders as hazardous waste,
either by company policies or by state regulations. If your company falls into this category, simply
return the empty cylinders to Industrial Scientific.

Carboxyhemoglobin Levels

The carboxyhemoglobin level is a measure of the amount of  Carbon Monoxide which has been
absorbed into the blood stream. The chart converts the amount of Carbon Monoxide measured in
the exhaled breath to the percentage carboxyhemoglobin level in the blood. The UL 2034 level
(10% carboxyhemoglobin) depicted on the chart shows the average carboxyhemoglobin
concentration after a fifteen minute exposure to 400 ppm Carbon Monoxide. At this exposure
level, the average person will begin to experience the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. 

WEIGHT OF VARIOUS GASES COMPARED TO AIR

The following gases are lighter than air: Acetylene, Ammonia, Carbon Monoxide, Ethylene,
Hydrogen, Hydrogen Cyanide, Methane

The following gases are heavier than air: Argon, Butane, Carbon Dioxide, Chlorine, Ethane, Hexane,
Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Sulfide, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Methyl Mercaptan, Nitrogen Dioxide,
Nitrous Oxide, Oxygen, Propane, Sulfur Dioxide,

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INTRINSIC SAFETY

What is intrinsic safety?

Intrinsic safety is a design technique applied to electrical equipment and wiring for hazardous
locations. The technique is based on limiting energy, electrical and thermal, to a level below that
required to ignite a specific hazardous atmospheric mixture.

How is intrinsic safety defined?

Intrinsically safe equipment and wiring shall not be capable of releasing sufficient electrical or
thermal energy under normal or abnormal conditions to cause ignition of a flammable or
combustible atmospheric mixture in its most easily ignitable concentration.

Who verifies intrinsic safety?

Equipment is tested and certified for intrinsic safety by independent third party agencies, such as
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Factory Mutual Research
Corporation (FM) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Independent testing
ensures that your gas monitoring equipment is not only designed to be intrinsically safe, but meets
all required standards for intrinsic safety.

Ref: R. Stahlís Intrinsic Safety Primer ©1988 National Electrical Code Article 504-2 Definition of a
Intrinsically Safe Circuit © 1996 A circuit in which any spark or thermal effect is incapable of causing
ignition of a flammable or combustible material in air under prescribed test conditions. FIRE
TRIANGLE SOURCE OF IGNITION

Catalytic Diffusion Sensor

Catalytic diffusion sensors are the most widely used devices for the detection of combustible
gases and vapors. These sensors start with wire being wound into coils. These coils are then

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doped with two types of catalysts: one to make the element active and one to make it blind.
These different coils are then matched into pairs of reference and sensing elements. This forms
a combustible gas sensor. 

  This sensor is then placed into a circuit, where a fixed voltage is applied across both elements,
causing them to heat up to very high temperatures. The sensor is also connected to a balanced
resistance, a Wheatstone bridge, which detects changes in the resistance of the sensor1s
elements. When a combustible gas comes in contact with the sensor, the active element begins
to burn the gas causing it to increase the temperature. The temperature of the reference element
remains unchanged because it is incapable of burning gas. The increased heating of the active
element causes an unbalance in the circuit and this is interpreted as a positive combustible
signal. 

  

Because combustion is taking place within the sensor chamber the sensor must be designed and
built in such a way that it is intrinsically safe and will not act as an ignition source in the event it is
exposed to a combustible atmosphere. This is accomplished through the use of a flame arrestor.
This device, usually made of a sintered material, acts as a cooling path for gases escaping the
sensor. Only units that have been tested and approved by third party approval agencies, (UL,
CSA, MSHA, FM or CENELEC) can be trusted to be intrinsically safe.

Electrochemical Sensors

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The basic components of an electrochemical sensor are a working (or sensing) electrode, a
counter electrode and usually a reference electrode as well. These electrodes are enclosed in
the sensor housing in contact with a liquid electrolyte. The working electrode is on the inner face
of a Teflon membrane that is porous to gas, but impermeable to the electrolyte. 

The gas diffuses into the sensor and through the membrane to the working electrode. When the
gas reaches the working electrode, an electrochemical reaction occurs; either an oxidation or
reduction depending on the type of gas. For example,  carbon monoxide may be oxidized to 
carbon dioxide, or  oxygen may be reduced to water. An oxidation reaction results in the flow of
electrons from the working electrode to the counter electrode through the external circuit; and
conversely a reduction reaction results in flow of electrons from the counter electrode to the
working electrode. This flow of electrons constitutes an electric current, which is proportional to
the gas concentration. The electronics in the instrument detects and amplifies the current and
scales the output according to the calibration. The instrument then displays the gas concentration
in, for example, parts per million (PPM) for toxic gas sensors and percent volume for oxygen
sensors.

Gas Detector Alarm Settings

  
LOW HIGH TWA
*O2 19.5% vol 23.5% vol N/A
*CO 35 ppma, b 70 ppmb 35 ppma 
*H2S 10 ppm 20 ppm 10 ppm
*SO2 2.0 ppm 4.0 ppm 2.0 ppm
*NO2 3.0 ppm 6.0 ppmc 3.0 ppm
*Cl2 0.5 ppm 1.0 ppm 0.5 ppm
*ClO2 0.1 ppm 0.2 ppm 0.1 ppm
CO2 0.5% vol 1.0% vol 0.5% vol
PH3 0.3 ppm 0.6 ppm 0.3 ppm
NH3 25 ppm 50 ppm 25 ppm
HCN 5.0 ppm 10.0 ppm 4.0 ppm
NO 25 ppm 50 ppm 25 ppm
HCl 2.5 ppm 5.0 ppm 2.5 ppm

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 H2 50 ppm 100 ppm N/A
CH4 1.0% vol 1.5% vol N/A
LEL 10% LEL 20% LEL N/A
PID 100 ppm 200 ppm N/A
 

Note:
a. For CO, OSHA PEL is 50 ppm, Industrial Scientific uses the standard set in 1989 (35 ppm). All
alarm set points are field adjustable over the full range of the sensor, exceptions: LEL/CH4 – 0 to
60% and 0 to 3.0% by vol CH4. Provided standards exist, all alarm settings are based on the
following: Low alarms are based on OSHA PEL and/or NIOSH values. High alarms are based on
2 times OSHA PEL values. 

b. MSHA CO limits are 50 ppm for a low alarm and 100 ppm for a high alarm. 

c. MSHA NO2 limits are 5 ppm for a high alarm. 

Gas Detection Education: Gas Hazards by

Industry
Hazardous gases can be found in a wide variety of workplaces. Find your industry to identify the
harmful gases that are potentially present at your worksite, and consider which of Industrial
Scientific’s  single-gas and/or  multi-gas detectors would suit your gas monitoring needs.

 
I HAZARDOUS GAS
N
D
U
S
T
R 
Y

Agriculture                                  
Aviation                                  
Chemical                                  
Construction                                  
Electrical Utilities                                
Fire Service                                  
Food & Beverage Prod.                                  
Gas Utilities                                  
Hazmat                                  
Iron/steel Production                                  
Manufacturing                                  

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 Marine / Shipyard                                  
Mining                                  
Oil & Gas Production                                  
Petrochemical                                  
Pulp & Paper                                  
Pharmaceutical & Labs                                  
Power Plants                                  
Public Works                                  
Water / Wastewater
                                 
Treatment
Welding                                  

LEL Correlation Factors

The following chart outlines LEL correlation factors for combustible gas sensors.

Accuracy +/- 25% error

NOTE: Calibration gases available from Industrial Scientific Corporation
1. The correlation factors in the table are averaged results for estimation use only. It’s not
recommended for analytical application with high accuracy expectation.

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2. The correlation factors may vary from sensor to sensor with tolerance of +/- 25% for new
sensors. The number could further shift for old sensors.
3. To get a more accurate result, it’s recommended to calibrate the instrument with a gas that
has CF close to 1. The closer, the better.
4. It’s not recommended to use correlation factors if the target gas is methane and the sensor is
old.
5. Expect more deviation when an old sensor is calibrated with methane gas.
* Preffered gases

LEL of Combustible Gases

Acetone  2.5% by vol 
Acetylene  2.5% by vol 
Ammonia  15.0% by vol
Benzene  1.2% by vol 
Butane  1.9% by vol 
Butyl Alcohol (Butanol)  1.4% by vol 
Carbon Monoxide  12.5% by vol 
Diethyl Ether  1.9% by vol 
Ethane  3.0% by vol 
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)  3.3% by vol 
Ethylene  2.7% by vol 
Ethylene Oxide  2.7% by vol 
Hexane  1.1% by vol 
Hydrogen  4.0% by vol 
Isopropyl Alcohol
2.0% by vol 
(Isopropanol) 
Methane  5.0% by vol 
Methyl Alcohol (Methanol)  6.0% by vol 
Methyl Ethyl Ketone  1.4% by vol 
n-Pentane  1.4% by vol 
Propane  2.1% by vol 
Propylene  2.0% by vol 
Styrene  0.9% by vol 
Toluene  1.1% by vol 
Xylene  1.1% by vol 
% Lower
Explosiv Gas Concentration (in % vol)         x (100)
e Limit ------------------------------------                                  
(% LEL) Lower Explosive Limit (in % vol)                                                                                                                 
= 

(.35% vol) x (100) 

25% LEL Pentane =  ------------                                  
1.4% by vol= (100% LEL) 

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Sensor Cross Interference Table

BATTERY & SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

Toxic Sensor Cross Sensitivities Chart with Gases Applied

The table above reflects the percentage response provided by the sensor listed across the top of the
chart when exposed to a known concentration of the target gas listed in the left hand column.

The specified cross interference numbers apply to new sensors only and may vary with time. They
also vary from sensor to sensor.

The numbers are measured under environment of 20 °C, 50% RH and 1 atm.

NOTE: This table is given as a guide only and is subject to change. — No data available

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Glossary of Occupational Safety and Health
Terms
Term Definition
Decibel – A unit used to measure the relative power of sound. A 3 dB increase in sound output
dB:  power represents a doubling of the perceptible volume. 

Electron Volt – A measurement of energy equal to the amount of energy it takes to move 1
eV:  electron through 1 volt of potential. 

Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health - The maximum concentration of gas (in PPM) from
which a worker could escape within 30 minutes without experiencing any escape-impairing or
IDLH: 
irreversible health effects. 

Lower Explosive Limit/Lower Flammable Limit - The minimum concentration at which a gas
LEL/LFL: will explode. A common unit of measurement is a percent of the LEL. 

Milliamp - A unit of electric current expressed in amperes. 

mA: 
Permissible Exposure Limit - Level of gas (in PPM) a worker can be exposed to 8 hours a
PEL:  day / 40 hours a week for the rest of their life with no long term health effects. 

Photoionization Detector – An instrument that utilizes ultra-violet light energy to ionize and
PID:  detect the presence of an unknown gas or vapor. 

Part Per Million - A common unit of measurement for toxic gases. This term literally means
PPM:  one part out of one million possible parts. 

Short Term Exposure Limit - The average amount of gas (in PPM) a worker can be exposed to
TLV- in a 15 minute period with no long term health effects. This may occur 4 times a shift with one
STEL:  hour between 15 minute exposures. 

Time Weighted Average - The average amount of gas (in PPM) a worker can be exposed to
TLV-TWA: over a certain time period. This time is defined as 8 hours to represent a normal work day. 

Threshold Limit Value - A term used to signify limits in gas exposure. TLV is used as a prefix
TLV:  for TWA and STEL. 

Upper Explosive Limit/Upper Flammable Limit - The maximum concentration at which a gas
UEL/UFL: will explode. 

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 Volts Alternating Current - An electric current that reverses direction at regular intervals. 
VAC: 
Volts Direct Current - An electric current of constant direction. 
VDC: 
Volatile Organic Compound – Any compound containing carbon, except methane, that can be
VOC: 
readily vaporized. 

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