Ammonia is widely utilised in industrial processes and refrigeration systems due to its cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency. It also boasts an environmentally friendly profile with an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of 0 and a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0, making it a popular choice for industrial refrigeration.

While there are significant benefits to using ammonia, we must still remember it is a toxic gas capable of causing harm to both human health and the environment. In the event of a leak whether due to equipment malfunction, human error, or system failure; ammonia has the potential to cause serious health issues for your team including respiratory problems, eye irritation, skin burns, and in severe cases, even death. Additionally, ammonia concentrations between 16-25% can also pose an explosion risk.

Fortunately, the risks associated with ammonia usage can be mitigated with the use of ammonia gas detectors. These detectors serve as an early warning system, alerting operators to the presence of ammonia gas before it reaches hazardous levels. This allows swift action to be taken, including isolating the source, activating ventilation systems, and implementing safety protocols to protect workers and prevent the situation from worsening.

Gas detectors can either be fixed or portable.

Fixed detectors are permanently installed onsite. They continuously monitor an area around the detector, typically a 5m radius. Fixed detectors work in a similar manner to fire and smoke alarms, where if gas levels reach a certain level, audio and visual alarms are triggered. More advanced installations may also be able to alert other monitoring systems or activate the shutdown of systems.

Portable gas detectors are designed to be carried or worn clipped to an item of clothing. They form part of a person’s PPE. They are designed to provide alarms to the wearer when target gas levels exceed safety limits.

Whichever form of gas detector you use, it is essential that they are regularly maintained and calibrated. The EAS team recommends six monthly calibrations of your ammonia sensors to ensure they maintain optimal functionality and reliable measurements.

If you’d like to find out more about gas detectors or set up a regular calibration plan, get in touch today on 07 834 0505.

 

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An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) provides emergency power when the power source or mains power fails. A UPS differs from an emergency power system or standby generator in that it provides near instantaneous protection from power interruptions by supplying energy stored in batteries, supercapacitors or flywheels. The on-battery run time of most UPS is generally short (minutes rather than hours) but is sufficient to start a standby power source or properly shut down the equipment.

A UPS is designed to protect your vulnerable, and often expensive hardware from physical or memory-based damage if they’re suddenly disconnected from mains power. UPS’ are typically used to protect hardware such as computers, data centres, telecommunication equipment or other essential electrical equipment such as emergency lighting or alarm systems.

While a UPS’ main role is to provide short-term power when there is a power failure, most UPS units can also, in varying degrees, correct common utility power problems such as voltage spikes, sustained over voltage or momentary or sustained reduction in input voltage

What size UPS do I need?

Any UPS you install must be large enough to support all the equipment plugged into it. This means you need to calculate the load required. The load is the total amount of power drawn in watts of all the devices that are or will be plugged into the UPS. Once you know the load, you can select a UPS with the right capacity for your needs. The capacity is how much power a UPS can provide (measured in watts) if needed.

The runtime required in the event of power outage will also determine the size UPS you need. Runtime is the number of minutes a UPS can support the attached devices during a blackout. The minimum runtime should be the time needed to complete proper equipment shutdown.

The smaller the wattage load connected to the UPS the longer the batteries will last. To determine the runtime you need, start with the number of minutes required to completely shut down the connected devices. If a long runtime is required you can upsize your UPS so the connected load is a smaller percentage of the capacity or, with some UPS units, you have the ability to add additional battery modules to extend the runtime.

Different types of UPS

• A Standby UPS is an offline unit that can detect a mains power failure and switch to battery power automatically. In normal operation the load is fed directly by mains power.
  
• A Line-interactive UPS conditions the mains power by regulating input voltage up or down in a buck-boost transfer, before allowing it to pass through to your protected equipment. In the event of a mains power failure, battery power is provided automatically.
  
• An on-line UPS converts power twice. First an input rectifier converts AC power into DC and feeds it to an output inverter. The output inverter then converts the power back to AC before sending it on to the protected equipment. This double conversion process insulates critical loads from dirty mains power completely to ensure that the connect equipment receives only clean reliable electricity.
  

UPS Maintenance

UPS’ should be regularly maintained to ensure that they are ready to function when you need them. Investing in a planned maintenance programme for your UPS can improve both reliability and the overall lifespan of your system. A well maintained and regularly serviced UPS needs less power to run, as well as being far less likely to fail and cause critical downtimes.

Preventative Maintenance Checks for your UPS:

• internal and external checks
• calibration of all metering and protective features if required
• functional testing of all transfer conditions
• inspection of on-line performance of equipment with load
• visual check of batteries and battery environment
• testing of battery voltage.

The EAS are highly skilled in sizing, installing and maintaining Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS). If you would like to discuss protecting your essential equipment with a UPS get in touch with the EAS team today on 07 834 0505 or [email protected].

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