Posted on Wednesday Oct 18, 2023 at 04:40PM
Industrial operations must deal with a range of extreme temperatures, chemicals, gases, dust, grime, and other particulates from production equipment and processes that enter the workstation air. These gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other contaminants can lower air quality, creating unsafe working conditions. Contaminants can also impact operational equipment, causing product damage or malfunctions.
While existing HVAC systems are designed to filter out airborne contaminants, you may want greater control over when these systems operate. During times when workstations create higher amounts of contamination, you can switch on additional air filtration systems, especially when you have large industrial operations with multiple plant rooms. You also may want to dial down or shut off certain systems when good air quality is present and within standards.
Indoor air quality sensors for your ducts and plant rooms from Veris are optimal for improving air quality while providing cost savings. These sensors are all-in-one solutions that can be easily installed in HVAC ducts for real-time monitoring.
Too much or too little humidity can create unique issues in ducts and plant rooms. High humidity means that excess water vapor in the air can potentially disrupt processes and products or lead to mold and mildew growth.
Very low humidity creates a dry environment that may lead to an abundance of static electricity, which can damage sensitive electrical equipment and components. Workers may also feel uncomfortable in excessively dry conditions.
Relative humidity sensors (RH) such as CD2 and HD2-Protocol sensors allow for improved indoor air quality accuracy and performance when measuring humidity levels. A replaceable RH element allows for simplified maintenance as these sensors can be installed in ducts throughout the plant. The compact design allows for flexible configuration without the need for rewiring in the future in case the building’s needs change.
Extreme temperature fluctuations occur in certain industrial plant operations and must be counteracted with HVAC systems to avoid issues. Temperatures can also naturally vary between different areas of the plant floor, which may require more zone temperature control from various plant rooms and their mechanical equipment.
Veris' 5-in-1 multi-sensors come with temperature measurement capabilities. Temperature sensors are also included in our CD2 and HD2-Protocol devices. The open communication protocol design allows for easy integration with 3rd-party systems and makes it easy to keep track of readings. Use sensors to identify additional needs for heating and cooling in specific locations and to provide greater comfort for workers and processes.
Processes and chemicals may naturally generate carbon dioxide (CO2) and VOCs, but these gasses can also be a result of off-gassing from stored materials. Contaminants lower air quality and can become a danger to the health and safety of workers if left unaddressed. The worst-case scenario is for plant operations to be forced to stop until the duct air quality can be improved.
Depending on your operations, you may be looking for only CO2 sensors or sensors that provide both CO2 and VOC monitoring. The CD2 sensor provides both CO2 and VOC measurements, while the CD2E provides CO2 monitoring. These sensors are designed with additional reference channels to maximize reading accuracy and avoid the impacts of drift or age-related deterioration. You also have the choice between two calibration options — field calibrated and automatic background calibration — to best fit into your maintenance process.
Large and small industrial plants alike regularly deal with contaminants that can lower the air quality at workstations. Help workers remain productive and prevent contaminants from damaging mission-critical equipment with indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors in ducts and HVAC equipment. Sensors empower you to continuously monitor temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 levels and institute targeted air quality solutions.
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