Gas Detection In The Aviation Industry
Gas detection in the aviation industry is critical for primarily maintaining the safety maintenance crew due to the plethora of environments they may work in. Jet fuel and confined spaces both present a gas hazard for these personnel, therefore gas detection equipment is installed to ensure their safety. This article will look at what gas detection systems are available and how they increase aviation safety.
There are several aspects of gas monitoring to consider in the aviation industry, and these include the following:
Jet Fuel
Jet fuel is one of the main hazards in the aviation industry. There are a wide variety of different petroleum-based fuels used as jet fuels, all of them being flammable. Jet A, A1 and AVGAs are amongst the primary jet fuels used in aviation, with all of these containing a huge mix of different hydrocarbons. Therefore, the flammability range can differ depending on the type of jet fuel being used in that area. Due to the flammability possibility of these fuels, implementing an effective flammable gas detector is essential to catch leaks early within hangars.
Confined spaces
Maintenance workers may often perform maintenance work within confined spaces inside planes and jets, such as wing tanks. In addition to the flammability of jet fuel, this substance also often contains compounds such as toluene, xylene and methyl ethyl ketone. Thus creating a toxic hazard. Therefore, when entering confined space environments such as this, it is paramount to staff safety to monitor for potential toxic, flammable and oxygen deficient hazards with a personal detector.
VOCs
As mentioned previously, toxic components such as xylene and toluene are often found in the aviation industry. However, there is also the possibility of other VOCs becoming present in these environments, such as benzene and methylene. VOCs such as benzene are highly carcinogenic, causing long term illnesses such as cancer from long term over exposure. Therefore, to ensure the long term safety of your staff, implementing a VOC detector is highly beneficial.
Gas Detection Systems for the Aviation Industry
There are a large number of gas detectors available to suit a range of applications. VOC, flammable and toxic gas detection is crucial in the aviation industry and can be supported using a number of gas detectors.
Gas Detection at Honeywell
Honeywell develops and manufactures a wide range of gas detection devices to protect people and the environment from the effects of toxic and flammable gases. Our gas detection products are widely used worldwide in the aerospace industry.