Gas detection and environment monitoring com- pany Trolex has announced that it has launched a carbon monoxide (CO) detector, the Sentro D, which is capable of giving precise CO level readings in the presence of diesel nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).

The company states that it was asked to develop a product which would be used to filter out the background mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases to give accurate CO level indications.

“Measuring diesel fumes in the mining and tunnelling environments has been increasingly in the forefront of legislative news lately, particularly with the US’s mine regulator, the mine safety and health administrator proposing an information collection on health standards for diesel particulate matter exposure in underground coal mines,” details Trolex in a statement.

The Trolex Sentro D is a high accuracy CO detector featuring Trolex gas discriminator technology, which filters out background NOx gases, preventing the gas sensor reading from making inaccurate readings and setting off false alarms, which will cause production disruption.

According to Trolex, the Sentro D gives the most accurate CO readings possible in environments rich in diesel fumes, which is used as an indicator of fire in some hazardous environments. It is a compact single-housed unit.

The system is based on proven Trolex Sentro technology, which has been installed in numerous mines across the world, and is a direct improvement on Trolex’s eModule.

The eModule is an intelligent, standardised, gas-sensing module that detects CO at levels of 0 parts per million (ppm) to 50 ppm. It contains built-in fixed limits that are checked to detect if the sensing element is over- or under-sensitive. It also has two user adjustable alarm set points that allow configurable alarm levels appropriate to a user’s operating scenario.

“The Sentro D is easy to install, calibrate and maintain. Its RS485 output signal is able to interface directly with intrinsically safe equipment, and can be networked to a personal computer through a barrier for central control and monitoring. Further, it can be easily serviced and calibrated by simply changing the eModule, which can be done in seconds and with the power still applied.

“Our systems and products are relied on the world over to detect gases, monitor other key environmental conditions and increase machinery performance in the mining and tunnelling industries. These are intrinsically safe, carry independent accreditation and are at the forefront of safety and condition monitoring technology,” concludes the statement.