Monitoring CH4 CO and Airflow in Mine

The STX3241 and STX3261 toxic and flammable gas detectors and TX5920 Vortex Air Flow Sensors from Trolex ((UK) have been used to monitor CH4, CO and air flow at the Svea Nord mine in Norway.

The sensors have a high strength moulded housing sealed against dust and moisture to IP65 standard and EMC protection, making the systems resilient in the extreme, arduous conditions in the mine. All the sensors have ATEX M1 approval, a legal requirement which identifies equipment that continues to operate when a potentially explosive atmosphere is present.

Tor-Arne Iversen, Electrical Engineer at Store Norske commented, “ Trolex gas sensing systems have been used in the mine since it opened in 2000 and are also used in JOY Machinery and in Sandvik Machinery. We are extremely happy with the service and equipment that we have received from Trolex which is the only gas sensing equipment that we use to have ATEX M1 approval.”

The STX3261 flammable gas sensor is a robust, dust and waterproof pre-calibrated gas detector which utilises a poison resistant catalytic combustion sensor to monitor flammable gases present in the atmosphere such as methane and propane. The large mass of the sensing element assures a long and reliable operating life with exceptional stability even in conditions of high vibration.

The sensor has a life expectancy of approximately five years depending on the monitoring conditions and can be rapidly serviced or replaced at the end of its operating life. It is also available with a remote mounted gas-sensing module for installations where space or access is restricted.

The STX3241 toxic gas sensor is designed for ease of installation and maintenance in arduous, exposed locations providing economical safety protection from toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide and sulphur dioxide in mining and tunnelling applications.

The sensor features high accuracy electrochemical cell gas sensing elements, convenient and secure zero and span calibration and a choice of output signals of 4…20mA or 0.4…2V.