Crowcon Detection Instruments has secured FM approval for its IR Plus dual waveband infrared hydrocarbon gas detector.
The approval confirms that the detector has been independently tested against North American safety and performance standards for equipment used in hazardous locations.
It supports specification of IR Plus for projects in the United States and Canada, as well as other international markets where North American standards are used for industrial developments.
Hydrocarbon gas detection
IR Plus provides continuous detection of methane, propane and other hydrocarbon gases and vapours.
The detector is intended for applications including oil and gas facilities, petrochemical processing, tank farms and power generation, where the presence of flammable gases can present significant risks to workers and operations.
The device uses dual infrared waveband technology alongside heated optics and Crowcon’s STAY CLIR hydrophobic reflectors.
These features are designed to maintain detector stability where environmental conditions including humidity, condensation, dust, temperature extremes and corrosive chemicals could affect gas detection equipment.
Operating in demanding conditions
IR Plus can operate across temperatures ranging from minus 40°C to 70°C and at relative humidity levels of up to 100%, including condensing environments.
The detector uses a 316L stainless steel enclosure and provides IP66 protection, supporting installation in both onshore and offshore environments.
Yasin Yehya, Product Manager, Fixed Systems, said: “IR Plus was developed to solve a genuine industry challenge. Customers need detectors that continue to perform reliably when exposed to extreme weather, humidity and contamination, without unnecessary false alarms or downtime.
“Achieving FM approval gives customers further independent assurance in the safety and performance of IR Plus. It is an important milestone that will make it easier to specify the detector across North America and other markets that recognise these standards.”
Rapid detection and maintenance
The detector provides a T90 response time of four seconds, enabling operators to receive warnings when hydrocarbon gases are detected.
Monitoring of the optical components can also provide an early indication when cleaning is required, allowing maintenance to be planned before detector performance is affected.
Remote testing and calibration capabilities mean equipment installed in difficult locations can be maintained without personnel having to directly access the detector.
This can help reduce the time workers need to spend in potentially hazardous areas during routine maintenance activities.
Integration with safety systems
IR Plus provides 4 to 20mA analogue and RS 485 Modbus outputs as standard, alongside optional HART communications.
These connectivity options allow the detector to be integrated with gas detection panels, programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems, SCADA platforms and asset management systems.
Michael Vaux, Commercial Director, said: “FM approval further strengthens the position of IR Plus as a highly dependable solution for hydrocarbon gas detection.
“We have combined almost two decades of infrared technology experience with extensive testing to create a detector that offers the speed, stability and resilience customers need in challenging environments. This approval allows even more customers to benefit from that technology.”
