Of sound warning

Leading safety equipment manufacturer MSA Africa has released its UltraSonic EX-5 Gas Leak Detector – which, as the name indicates, responds to the ultrasonic noise created by pressurised gas leaks.

Product manager Robbie Taitz explains that uncontrollable elements during leaks, such as wind direction and gas dispersions, often influence conventional gas-detection readings. However, the new device is unaffected by these elements and makes for a far safer working environment.

“This is because the unit responds to the source of the gas leak rather than the overall dispersion of gas molecules in the air,” explains Taitz. The UltraSonic EX-5 is ideal for use in high pressure systems and has been designed specifically for use in gas turbine and petrochemical plants, gas storage facilities and compressor station applications.

The corrosion-resistant detector can be easily configured by a trained operator using a portable test unit. It can detect minor leaks, as small as 0,1 kg/sec, for a radius of up to 20 metres within a well-ventilated area – and doesn’t require transport of gas to the sensor.

The MSA-developed and fully-integrated Sessonic self-testing system furthermore checks the detector’s electrical reliability and its high-precision stainless steel microphone every 15 minutes, helping to ensure peak operation at all times.