An unidentified leak will eventually result in refrigeration system failure. This can cause significant damage to equipment, requiring costly repairs while putting perishable produce in storage at risk, with obvious financial consequences.
Sustainability and compliance
Hydrofluorocarbon gases( F-gases) that escape from refrigeration systems are highly damaging to the environment, depleting the ozone layer that helps regulate the planet’ s temperature. With a global warming potential( GWP) several thousand times that of CO2, there are robust regulations to prevent leaks, with significant fines for non-compliant companies.
In the UK, using F-gases with a GWP above 2,500 is banned for servicing or refilling systems with a refrigerant charge size of 40 tonnes or greater of CO2 equivalent. Businesses must also carry out mandatory gas leak checks with frequencies varying between every 3 to 12 months, depending upon the CO2 equivalent tonnage. Furthermore, gas leak detection systems must now be fitted to any system with an F-gas equivalent to 500 tonnes of CO2 or higher.
Hi-tech gas detection
In response to changing F-gas regulations, gas detection technology has evolved considerably. Today’ s highly advanced sensors have intelligent capabilities that enable them to swiftly detect toxic and non-toxic gas leaks and, crucially, immediately alert employees.
Advanced technologies built into these detection systems include highly accurate infrared sensing elements or semiconductors that have been precisely configured to identify refrigerant gases. These sensors can detect leaks across a spectrum of environments, including large-scale manufacturing facilities and in the extreme temperatures of cold storage units.
To enhance accuracy even further, the detector’ s sensitivity can be customised to specific operating environments by programming them to detect pre-defined mixtures of refrigerant gas and air. Additionally, by using integrated filters to ignore irrelevant gases, the sensors can extend their own longevity.
With regard to ensuring employee safety, modern gas detectors are
fitted with LEDs that indicate the sensors’ presence and status, together with audio-visual signalling alarms that immediately alert employees to a leak, enabling safety protocols to be instigated and maintenance work to commence quickly.
A benefit for facilities and health & safety managers is that advanced detectors are easily integrated with Building Management Systems( BMS), enabling refrigeration systems to be proactively monitored, while delivering superior diagnostics and communications.
For food and drink manufacturers, the latest gas detection systems offer vital benefits. They prevent workforce exposure to dangerous gases, reduce energy wastage from running inefficient systems, and avert system failure, protecting valuable stock from spoilage. Moreover, they help manufacturers comply with F-gas regulations and minimise the environmental damage caused by leakages.
For further information on Stonegate Instruments email sales @ stonegate-instruments. co. uk or telephone 0113 262 8280
FDPP- www. fdpp. co. uk 95