Infrared protection
April 1st 2006

CIBA Speciality Chemicals in Paisley uses a Crown 2t electric pallet truck fitted with FlameTec's Air Gas Detection System in a classified Zone 2 hazardous area.

It is used to lift and move containers which hold a blue-coloured base element powder that is used in the automotive and printing industries. The material has been found to contaminate some pellistor type systems in as little as 2 to 3 weeks.

FlameTec recently took away an infra-red detection head and tested it for contamination under a microscope and with an oscillator. Although there was blue material visible under the microscope on the sintered face, no contamination or ingress was present and the head still worked as normal after a six month period.

The IR head is designed to disturb the molecules in the given gases or chemicals on site and not attract dust and contaminating airborne particles, giving an accurate LEL (lower explosion limit) reading at all times within hazardous areas.

The company concludes that as well as silicon and acrylic contaminated environments not affecting the Air system, this base material does not do so either.

This results in less downtime and minimal servicing costs.