Cross Company recently partnered with a utility provider having ongoing issues with fixed gas detection systems. By working with Cross, they were able to significantly improve not only data collection, calibration potential, and cost savings, but also life safety and the security of everyone working there.
The Challenge
This customer had 24 Honeywell brand methane gas sensors placed outdoors in fixed segments around energy-generating turbines. Ideally, these sensors would alert personnel to methane build-up to maintain both a safe working environment and a safe energy production process.
However, the sensors regularly experienced electronic failures, leading to costly replacements and important sensors being out of commission. So our experts were called in to diagnose why failures were occurring and potentially determine solutions that didn’t involve having to regularly replace failing instrumentation.
The Solution
One of the first things we typically ask when showing up for a job is “Is your instrumentation performing like you expect it to perform?” And if the answer is no, our follow-up action is to figure out why.
In the case of our utility provider customer, we quickly saw that the infrared-based Honeywell technology was not optimal for an outdoor setting. While infrared instrumentation can be highly reliable in ideal conditions, when it is regularly exposed to moisture and ambient humidity, problems can arise. With the sensors placed outside and exposed to those moisture and humidity changes, we could diagnose that the wrong technology was being used for the application.
We immediately recommended switching to RKI for fixed gas metering in an outdoor setting.
Cross was able to replace all 24 existing methane gas sensors with RKI fixed gas detection instrumentation in segments of 8 sensors per unit, replacing every sensor without having to shut the whole process down. This allowed for a successful swap-out of the Honeywell sensors with the more optimal RKI sensors. And since then, the customer has had zero operational failures in methane gas detection systems.
The Benefits
Beyond the obvious benefits of functioning instrumentation and improved life safety, making the switch over to RKI fixed gas detection provided other benefits for our customer as well.
Fully functioning instrumentation is able to provide accurate and consistent data collection (benefitting operations). Further, the RKI gas sensors are easier to maintain, as operation and maintenance is easier (leading to significant cost savings over time).
In the end, the customer also ended up upgrading their portable sensors to RKI, creating a consistent gas detection system across the whole operation.
If your process instrumentation isn’t performing like you need it to, Cross Company can help. Our experts will take a look at your process and work with you to optimize anything that’s not working how you expect it to work. That way, you’re getting smooth, predictable operations every time.
