Gas detection systems exist to detect and also monitor dangerous gas levels for many situations including commercial and residential settings. These settings could be private homes, businesses, and also spaces the public regularly uses which include schools, hospitals, and convalescent homes. It is important that these gas detection systems be operating and maintained correctly. Part of this maintenance is to have the detection systems calibrated regularly with calibration gas. This calibration gas is held in aluminum or steel containers known as cylinders. The calibration gas in these cylinders must be regulated during calibration, and this is easily handled by regulators. The regulators used for cylinders come in single-stage and dual-stage regulators. Dual-stage regulators are used on cylinders that need constant pressure for delivery and no requirement for regular readjustment. For purposes of gas calibration cylinders, single-stage regulators are the norm. Our company offers a variety of single-stage regulators. Of these, which type of gas cylinder regulator is best?
If you purchase and use any type of pressurized gas cylinder for any type of application, you will need a regulator for the cylinder. A regulator is simply an apparatus that screws onto the cylinder where it controls or regulates, the pressure of the gas being delivered out of the cylinder at a consistent and safe rate of flow, so the delivery pressure remains constant. If the regulator has a flow meter, it can also adjust and measure the flow of the gas. Pressure reduction and regulation are important so that you don't harm your gas detection systems when you are calibrating them.
When you attach the regulator to the cylinder and open the valve, pressurized gas flows into the regulator. Inside the gas pressure regulators, there is a flexible elastomer diaphragm (or a stainless steel diaphragm for high purity regulators) that will move upward from the gas pressure on it. How much it moves upward is under the control of a set spring. This spring will control a particular flow rate of gas from the cylinder to the detection system you are calibrating. A single-stage regulator will have one diaphragm controlling the delivery pressure, a dual-stage regulator will have two diaphragms for pressure control.
Pre-Set Flow Regulators
First, determine if you need a pre-set flow regulator and a demand flow regulator. Pre-set flow regulators are specially designed for non-corrosive types of gases. You can set them for a specific delivery pressure for your specific application. Pre-set flow regulators maintain a constant outlet pressure flow, even if the cylinder pressure decreases due to depletion of gas or temperature changes. Pre-set flow regulators can be used on a variety of sizes of cylinders, and for both steel and aluminum cylinders.
Demand Flow Regulators
Demand flow regulators, also known as DFRs, these specially designed regulators are used with devices that use a pump to pull out the calibration gas from the cylinder. Such regulators provide the specific amount of calibration gas the device's pump needs to calibrate, so the amount of gas is "on-demand". Such regulators can be used for a variety of gas types, including corrosive and non-corrosive gases, and reactive and non-reactive gases. Demand flow regulators are available for numerous sizes of cylinders, for both steel and aluminum cylinders, and for a variety of calibration gases.
Our team makes it easy to choose the right regulator for your gas detection equipment. What type of cylinders do you use, aluminum or steel? What size of the cylinder are you using? What is the carrier gas, or calibration gas? Are the gases you are working with mildly corrosive gases, highly corrosive gases, or some type of specialty gases? What specific cylinder connections are needed? What is the temperature range of the environment where they will be used? What gas services are available? All of these variables will help to determine which regulator will match up perfectly with your calibration needs. We can answer your questions and provide you with the best regulator options for your detection equipment. They can also provide specific gas cylinders in a range of sizes. You can also get cylinders with specific calibration gases for your detection system. Contact us for more information on gas calibration regulators today!