City Technology goes micro in sector's biggest advance for 25 years – the micro sensor for combustible gases

Citation

(2003), "City Technology goes micro in sector's biggest advance for 25 years – the micro sensor for combustible gases", Sensor Review, Vol. 23 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2003.08723cad.010

City Technology goes micro in sector's biggest advance for 25 years – the micro sensor for combustible gases

City Technology goes micro in sector's biggest advance for 25 years – the micro sensor for combustible gases

Keywords: Gas sensor

The revolutionary MICROpeL^™ 75 is four times smaller than any other sensor available, and also 95 per cent lighter (Plate 10). Hailed as the biggest advance in sensor design for 25 years, City's MICROpeL^™ 75 heralds a new era in the design of fixed and portable instruments for industrial safety applications. Such instruments are used to protect personnel working in confined spaces prone to the build-up of explosive gases.

Plate 10 The MICROpeL^™ 75

The MICROpeL^™ 75 s flat ergonomic footprint of just 17 mm² and 4 mm depth, and its enhanced "connectivity" open whole new application possibilities for gas detection equipment OEMs world-wide. Utilising City's proven and patented catalytic bead technology, the sensor is housed in a robust plastic casing, a mere 5 per cent of the weight of the stainless steel housing of its precursors. This factor, coupled with its small size, the novel connectors replacing former "pin" designs, and full certification to ATEX, mean the MICROpeL^™ 75 will enable the production of smaller and lighter instruments than ever before.

The MICROpeL^™, like all pellistors, employs catalytic combustion to measure combustible gases or vapours in air up to their lower explosive limit (LEL). The sensor is available in two forms: the MICROpeL^™ 75 measures virtually all combustible gases and vapours whereas the MICROpeL^™

75C, with added poison resistance is particularly suitable for methane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

These high specification sensors function over a range of 0-100 per cent LEL with an operating voltage of 3.30 V DC and a Detector Operating Current of 75±5 mA. The sensors' T90 Response Time is <5 s (methane) and they are linear to 3 per cent methane. Long-term Zero Drift is typically 3 per cent LEL methane/month.

Brian Roake, City's Sales and Marketing Director, said "Having been a leading innovator in the market for over 25 years, it is thrilling for City to be leading the world market in such a key development. The MICROpeL^™ is the result of over 3 years R&D and is set to change the face of sensing technology. During the course of this year, we shall be bringing to market three more micro sensors, by which time, we are sure, OEMs will be keen to embrace further benefits accruing from this innovation". City's next micro sensors to come on stream will be the MICROceLs^™, for the detection of oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide. Bulky multi-gas detection instruments will soon be replaced by lightweight, compact designs, thanks to City's micro range.

For further information on the MICROpeL^™ 75 from City can be found on the Web site: www.citytech.com/microcel