A hydrogen monitor helps to ensure the safety of workers in environments where this dangerous gas may be present. Hydrogen is used in many industries, including petroleum refining, the production of ammonia and methanol, electronics manufacturing, and energy storage. For this reason, it is important to have a high quality hydrogen gas detector in place to protect workers from this potentially deadly hazard.

A standard hydrogen monitor is a portable device that is worn around the worker’s neck or waist. The device has a small sensor that detects hydride and transmits this information to an alarm panel. The sensor is a semiconductor that utilizes a tin dioxide (SnO2) semiconductor to measure the air’s hydride content. In clean air, the semiconductor has low conductivity, but when hydride is present the conductivity increases. A circuit converts this change in conductivity into a signal that the monitor can interpret and alarm when it reaches dangerous levels of hydrogen.

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In addition to detecting hazardous levels of hydrogen, some models also have the ability to detect other combustible gases and provide real-time meter readings. This information can help prevent unauthorized entry into hazardous locations. These devices are ideal for monitoring battery rooms in electric vehicle charging stations and other settings where lead acid batteries are recharged. They can also be used to monitor the buildup of hydrogen in gas cylinders, fuel cells, and laboratory settings. These models are housed in NEMA 4 Explosion Proof enclosures and have a battery life of two to four years, with internal relays that can activate a remote fan or alarm.