United Electric Controls (UE) Vanguard WirelessHART® gas detector is the first true wireless gas detector to earn International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification to the IEC/EN 60079-29-1 standard. The standard under explosive atmospheres is Part 29-1: Gas detectors – Performance requirements of detectors for flammable gases.
Certification to this gas performance standard ensures users that the Vanguard WirelessHART gas detector’s design and operability, which were tested by Technical Inspection Association (TUV), will perform as indicated and detect any possible leak of combustible gases, such as methane (CH4) or propane (C3H8).
“This certification ensures a basic level of performance for gas detectors, particularly for detectors that are monitoring explosive combustible gases,” said Anthony Cerminara, Staff Engineer at UE. “There are certain tests that must be witnessed and performed by a third party for certification and a certain level of accuracy, performance that must be met. The nature of this certification is that you are guaranteeing that what was detected by the device is what you are seeing on the other end of the communication line. That means you’re able to respond in a certain amount of time that’s acceptable by the user in their process, and then you’re able to take action.”
This certification makes Vanguard the only WirelessHART-registered and IEC/EN 60079-29-1 certified gas detector in the industry. It meets all applicable requirements of the standard for gas transmitter devices without alarm function per the IEC/EN 60079-29-1 inspection certificate. UE provides a User Integration Guide to assist users in safe installation of Vanguard WirelessHart gas detectors per the standard.
Vanguard WirelessHART gas detectors can monitor gas emissions in areas with power and signal-wire limitations and can significantly reduce engineering and deployment time and cost.
A lower explosion level (LEL), true wireless device with a guaranteed 5-year battery life and WirelessHART communication, Vanguard utilizes interchangeable toxic or combustible sensors that can be hot-swapped via UE’s patented FlexSense TM technology.
Industry Leading Battery Life
A challenge for all wireless devices is management of power requirements, specifically with gas detectors since high power consumption is typical for combustible gas sensors. Despite internal design changes needed to comply with IEC/EN 60079-29-1, UE has maintained its industry leading 5-year, guaranteed battery life. This is an added benefit to the cost effectiveness of Vanguard WirelessHART gas detectors since less maintenance visits are required to replace batteries.
With the IEC/EN 60079-29-1 certification, and with WirelessHART being a ubiquitous industry protocol, Vanguard is easy to install and operate in most areas and applications. Moreover, with the WirelessHart protocol, users do not need to develop an additional application layer. The infrastructure already exists.
The Vanguard WirelessHART gas detector is perfect for industrial processes and life safety applications in chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, and tank farms.
Key applications are in:
- Tank farms – To ensure equipment such as flanges, pipes or storage tanks do not leak
- Life safety – Installation in areas around the control room or near gas analyzer buildings or cabin quarters to monitor fugitive emissions to protect personnel
- Asset monitoring – To monitor equipment such as flanges, valves and pumps for leaks that may warn of impending failure
- Fence line – Detect fugitive emissions that permeate out of a facility into neighboring areas
About United Electric Controls
United Electric Controls (UE), and its divisions, Applied Sensor Technologies and Precision Sensors, are international manufacturers of durable and reliable WirelessHART® toxic and combustible gas detectors, pressure and temperature switches, transmitters, controls and sensors. UE is a privately held corporation headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA. www.ueonline.com
