There are important considerations when choosing an LFL monitor:
- Response Accuracy
- Response Speed
- Condensation Issues
- Failsafe
Last week we looked at response accuracy, this week we'll focus on response speed:
While accuracy is certainly a prime concern when selecting a flammability analyzer, consideration must also be given to how quickly the sensor will react to changes in the LFL concentration.
The analyzer must be able to produce an alarm and initiate corrective actions in time to prevent a disaster.
In addition to the internal response time of the system, it is also important to calculate the time it will take for the sample to reach the analyzer. An analyzer designed to mount directly on a process wall or duct may have a sample delivery delay of only a fraction of a second but a remotely-mounted analyzer with a fifty foot sample line could have a sample delivery delay of 10-15 seconds or more.
This delay, added to the analyzer response time and the time to trigger an alarm and effect corrective action (such as e-stop), may be too slow to prevent fire or explosion; it is therefore critically important to calculate the total of these elements and reduce delays in order to achieve an effective measure of safety.
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