MSA Gas Detection: Thermal Conditioning for Extracted Gas Samples

Gas detectors are sensitive devices that can be affected by environmental conditions. There are times when a gas sample to be analyzed exists within a hostile environment, with temperatures that are too extreme for direct sensor placement. The sensor might also be placed within a location that is too dusty or inconvenient to be monitored by a diffusion sensor. In these cases, extractive gas sampling is a better and more reliable method for the detection system.

In order to produce an accurate, reliable gas reading, conditions must be controlled at the sensor. Many times when doing extractive gas sampling, a sample must be tempered before it can be introduced to the gas detector. If a very hot or very cold sample is directly applied to sensitive electronics, detector instability may result. In addition, if the sample is very hot and must be cooled, condensing fluid may be an issue to be resolved before the sample enters the actual flow system. This paper specifically discusses gas sample temperature conditioning.

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