2. Principles of gas detection

2.1 Overview of available technologies

There are currently three main technologies for fixed gas detection:

1) Infrared detectors, in which a calibrated beam is emitted between an emitter and a receiver. Disturbance of this beam detects the presence of a flammable cloud. The concentration of flammable product is determined from a calibration flammable gas. This technology works with most flammable products containing carbon bonds, but cannot detect certain products (such as hydrogen).

2) Catalytic detectors, which detect flammable products or a specific toxic gas through a rise in temperature due to the reaction of the product with a catalyst.

3) Acoustic detectors, which detect gas leaks within a specific operating...