Everything You Need To Know About Calibrating Your Equipment

Irrespective of the industry, equipment precision, and instrument accuracy is crucial. It plays a major role in the safety of employees, facility, and the overall turnover of an organisation. Moreover, it is important to comply with environmental and other regulations.

What Is Calibration, And Why Is It Important?

Calibration is the process of comparing the reading of one equipment with another through calibration gas to test the efficiency of the monitors and equipment. Alarms and gas detectors are usually calibrated to a predefined alarm set through the calibration gas Australia with an appropriate concentration prior to the shipment of the equipment or the existing detectors in a company. During the calibration process, the sensor resistance to the calibration gas is memorised in an electric circuit as an alarm set point.

Over time, gas detectors or monitors might drift from the calibration specifications and fall out of an acceptable tolerance limit. This can happen due to various reasons, including leakage, sensor poisoning, over exposure, and temperature and humidity extremes, and physical damage due to immersion or dropping.

Electrochemical sensors are commonly used for carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, and oxygen monitoring. They are stable, and degradation is slow compared to other types of gas detectors. However, the degradation of electrochemically-based toxic and oxygen sensors is impacted by low humidity and high temperatures due to the chemical reactions and consumption of the electrolyte. On the other hand, catalytic sensors could be damaged due to poisoning when exposed to high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide, substances containing silicon, and halogenated hydrocarbons. That’s why it is important to choose the right calibration gas to measure the efficiency of a sensor.

However, the quantity, purity, and type of laboratory and calibration gases used in the instrument should be properly assessed based on the technique being used. This is because the calibration gas purity has a great effect on the outcome of the procedure, and it must be considered when using the gas for measurement.

How to Select a Calibration Gas?

There are different types of calibration gas available for calibrating various types of gas detectors with each sensor type. It is essential to determine which kind of gas detectors need to be calibrated to choose the right calibration gas.

A single gas sensor should be calibrated with a single gas that’s flammable, oxygen, or toxic gas. On the other hand, a single flammable gas detector must be tested with a single flammable gas that is methane gas or iso-butane calibration gas.

When it comes to multiple gas detectors, it should be calibrated with gas mixtures that are brand related. Every brand detector needs to be calibrated with its specified gas mixture as per manufacturer’s guidelines. So choose accordingly.

Need help with choosing the right gas for calibration? Contact our calibration gas suppliers. We can guide you on the selection of calibration gas to measure the efficiency of your equipment.

The author is an active blogger and renowned for providing innovative solutions such as fire detectors, gas detectors, calibration gas, etc. to the Oil & Gas, Chemical, Petrochemical, Manufacturing, Food, Pharmaceutical, Water Treatment, and many other industries across Australia and New Zealand. Visit http://prodetec.com.au/ for more details.

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