International. For contractors, building owners, and real estate management companies looking to improve safety while facilitating installation and maintenance at a wide range of new and modernized facilities, advanced wireless gas detection systems are increasingly the "go-to solution" for monitoring toxic gases in associated parking structures and shipping/loading docks.
In these types of projects, exposure to hazardous gases usually comes from carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from vehicle exhaust in parking lots.
Although wired installations have long been used to install gas monitoring networks in these structures, new advanced wireless systems are proving increasingly effective, particularly for upgrades or expansions of existing systems.
Improve security
"With advanced wireless gas detection systems capable of communicating via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., users can observe current conditions through their PCs, tablets, phones or any smart device with real-time alarms in case of emergency," says Robert Presser, Vice President of Acme Engineering.
Acme is an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer of environmental controls and systems with integrated mechanical, electrical and electronic capabilities. The company has experience in supplying equipment to monitor a variety of gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ammonia and refrigerants. Acme has successfully installed wireless systems for the past seven years.
According to Presser, the easy installation of wireless gas detection devices can often result in wider and more complete coverage of areas of large, enclosed, semi-enclosed or remote parking structures than traditional wired systems, which may be less feasible.
In addition, he states that the flexibility of wireless sensor placement can also improve security by allowing positioning where it is needed most, without the limitations of routing power lines or conduits.
Simplify installation, reduce costs and maintenance
While wireless gas detection systems can significantly facilitate installation in new facilities, in some older structures that require modernizations, this approach can sometimes be almost the only feasible solution.
"In older installations, the entire HVAC system was a standalone 120-volt unit, which required interconnect relays to turn on the fan," says Presser. "I had line voltage coming in, I had control line voltage coming out to a relay board where I was doing the fan logic. There was no software; everything was wired. In really old facilities, you might even find a gas detection device with pneumatic sampling system, which was literally as big as a refrigerator."
Traditionally, obstructions such as steel beams and concrete walls also make it difficult to lay wiring. A truly reliable wireless system can make it unnecessary to drill a wall or penetrate a steel beam to lay cables and conduits. This approach can eliminate much of the electrical costs, including the expensive labor of licensed electricians, while speeding up the project. "In older installations, it can be very difficult to try to reuse a very old wiring system that is not designed for the task. Instead, it's much easier to install an advanced wireless system. With wireless gas detection networks, all that is required is to mount the sensors and establish the connection with the system. Wireless systems can even eliminate the need for a control panel," says Presser.
Acme has developed a wireless version of its Multi-Gas Monitoring System (MGMS) that incorporates Wi-Fi capability, so there's no need to have a control panel as a single point to receive feedback from the gas detection network. Wireless gas detection systems also reduce maintenance by eliminating cable troubleshooting, as well as lightning and storm-related damage to the main controller due to overloads carried by the cables. In addition, when modifications or extensions of an existing system are needed, additional wireless detectors can simply be added without classifying the complicated system configurations. According to Presser, the advancement of sensor technology has also led to the development of greater system reliability while minimizing false positives and over-maintenance. In fact, instead of annual calibration, in state-of-the-art wireless systems, sensors can operate for more than three years without recalibration.
While contractors and facility management professionals are more familiar with traditional wired gas detection systems, the addition of sophisticated wireless systems to parking lots provides some important new capabilities. Whether for new or modernized commercial, residential, or multi-purpose structures, the flexibility and ease of installation provided by today's newest wireless options go a long way toward increasing safety and accelerating project completion.
* Author: Del Williams, technical writer from Acme Engineering Prod. www.acmeprod.com
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