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6. GAS DETECTION
6.1 General
Detection and measurement of oxygen and toxic gas is important for the safe conduct of
tanker operations and for the safety of personnel onboard the ships.

The main requirements are:

 Checking of the oxygen level in enclosed spaces.
 Monitoring the oxygen content in inert gas.
 Measuring hydrocarbon levels for flammability.
 Checking for hydrocarbon gas prior to entering pump rooms and enclosed spaces.
 Detection and measurement of other toxic gases.

6.2 Instruments
Both fixed and portable instruments, are available onboard the ships.
Individual instruments are usually calibrated for the gas it is measuring.
Multi functional instruments are calibrated for the gases they are measuring.
Instruments for measuring in inert atmosphere, must have the suitability clearly indicated on
the instrument.

As a minimum, the following instruments shall be available onboard:

 2 pcs instruments that can measure oxygen remotely.
 2 pcs instruments that can measure HC in LEL remotely.
 2 pcs instruments that can measure HC by volume remotely, (inerted condition).
 1 pce Toxic Gas meter
 3 pcs personal H2S detectors
 1 pocket size instrument, combined or separate, for oxygen and HC (LEL).

Detector tubes, or an instrument capable of measuring toxic gases, shall be available at least
for the following toxic gases:
 H2S, (Hydrogen sulphide) 1-200 ppm
 Mercaptan 0,1-15 ppm
 CO, (Carbon monoxide) 10-3000 ppm
 SO2, (Sulphur dioxide) 0,5-25 ppm
 Benzene 0,5-10 or 0,5-25 ppm

A sufficient amount of detector tubes,for the above mentioned gases, shall be kept onboard.
The detector tubes, kept onboard, must be within due date.
Outdated detector tubes must be clearly marke with a tag “NOT FOR USE”
The order for more detector tubes shall be placed to technical department.

To understand the limitations, functions and methods of use, the manufacturers instructions
should be consulted for details about the instruments capability and range.

The instruments shall be serviced and calibrated according to the manufacturers instructions.

Various and sufficient amount of calibration gases (span gases) must be kept onboard, for
testing and calibrating of the instruments.
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6.2.1 Training
All Officers onboard must be regularly trained in how to use and calibrate the instruments.

Safety Officer shall keep records of the regular training onboard.

The regular training records should clearly indicate:

 Date,
 Name,
 Rank,
 Instrument,
 Calibration gas used.

6.3 Instrument calibration

Regular calibration and testing of gas detection equipment and oxygen analysers are essential
if the readings are to be considered reliable.
Fixed and portable instruments must be checked and calibrated in accordance with the
manufacturers instructions before use and record of these checks and calibrations are to be
kept.

6.4 Oxygen analysers

A fixed oxygen analyser is fitted onboard to check the oxygen content of the inert gas
delivered from the inert gas plant onboard.
The maximum oxygen content in the inert gas must not exceed 8% by volume.
The fixed oxygen analyser must always be calibrated before use.
Time limit for calibration of fixed oxygen analyser is maximum 12 hours before use.
The calibration of the fixed oxygen analyser shall be recorded on company checklist.

Portable oxygen analysers are mainly kept onboard for checking oxygen content in enclosed
spaces, pumprooms and cargo tanks.

6.5 Limits of flammability

Flammable ranges of hydrocarbon gases vary, but most common petroleums are considered to
be between 1% and 10% by volume, referred to as the lower and upper flammable,
(or explosive), limits respectively.
Below the lower flammable limit, (LFL), the mixture will be too weak to burn.
Above the upper flammable limit, (UFL), the mixture will be too rich to burn.

A further limiting factor is the amount of oxygen present to support combustion. In this case
the least quantity required is about 11,5% by volume.

6.6 Catalytic filament combustible gas indicator

This type of instrument, often referred to as an explosimeter, is used for measuring
concentrations of gas below the LFL.

The instrument has a scale from 0 to 100 which represents % LEL or % UFL, and some
models have a second scale reading 0% to 10% LFL to allow more accurate measurements of
the lower ranges.
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Instruments of this type will only read accurately in the presence of fresh air and cannot
therefore be used with inert gas.
6.7 Non-catalytic heated filament gas indicator
This type of instrument, of which the tankscope is a well known example, measures
hydrocarbon gas as % volume. The tankscope is calibrated from 0% to 20% volume.

The presence of fresh air is not a requirement and the instrument can therefore be used in inert
gas.
Its purpose is for determining that hydrocarbon gas levels have been reduced to below the
critical dilution line to avoid passing through the flammable zone when gas freeing.
(See 8.12: hydrocarbon / O2 flammable mixture diagram).

6.8 Chemical tubes.

The instrument enables measurement of toxic gases in very low concentrations.
The main use on petroleum tankers is for the detection and measurement of hydrogen
sulphide and mercaptans, which are present in certain crude oils and are toxic in very low
concentrations.

6.9 Multi-gas detector.

The instruments varies depending on the purposes it is decided to perform.
The working principle is usually with flammable sensors for methane and electrochemical
sensors for toxic gases.
They are normally very functional, but it is essential to verify that any multi-purpose
instrument used on deck for measuring cargo tank atmosphere must be certified for use in an
oxygen deficient (inerted) atmosphere.

6.10 Function principles of the explosimeter

The only mean of detecting hydrocarbon gas on board most vessels is by an explosimeter.
The explosimeter - as the name implies - is primarily intended to detect hydrocarbon gases in
concentrations up to a point where they can sustain an explosion.
By a simple conversion the readings on the explosimeter scale can be converted to parts per
million and thereby some knowledge of the hazardous nature of gas concentration assessed.

If the atmosphere inside a space consisted entirely of hydrocarbon gas if the atmosphere
inside a space consisted entirely of hydrocarbon gas and no air, the condition is said to be
”saturated”, i.e. one million parts per million. An explosimeter measures up to only 1,4% gas
to air mixture, therefore, a reading of 100% on an explosimeter would indicate:

1,4% gas - 98,6% air = 100% on the explosimeter.

To convert 100% on an explosimeter, (1,4% by volume), to parts per million:

1000000 x 1,4 = 14000

100

Therefore, 100% on an explosimeter = 14000 PPM.

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The scale on the explosimeter is divided from 0 to 100 and if 100% = 14000 PPM, then
14000/100 = 140.

Then 1% on the explosimeter = 140 PPM.

The T.L.V. of gasoline, (and most crude oils), is 500 PPM.

The effects of concentrations of gas above 500 PPM are not inversely proportional to the
concentration.

The following list is given as a guide only. Under no circumstances does it mean that if a
reading of, say 14% on an explosimeter is obtained, it is safe for entry without a breathing
apparatus
The company’s regulation that entry into an enclosed space is forbidden unless it is gas free,
except in cases of emergency, when breathing apparatus must be worn and all precautions
taken, must be observed.

Explosimeter reading PPM Effects / of exposure

3,5% 500 ”Safe”

7,0% 1000 30 minutes then irritable - dizzy.
14,0% 2000 15 minutes then ”drunk” / incapable.
50,0% 7000 2 - 3 minutes then ”drunk” unconscious,
coma, death.
70,0% 10000 Less than 1 minute - death.

The physical condition of the victim may considerably affect the above figures.
If a certain amount of alcohol is already in his blood, the toxic effect of the gas will be more
pronounced. If he suffers from chest or breathing ailments, his resistance to the gas will be
lowered.

The known inaccuracies of the explosimeter must also be considered.

Explosive limits
A full understanding of the construction and principle of an explosimeter is essential for the
prevention of accidents due to incorrect use of this instrument.

The M.S.A. explosimeter operates on the ”hot-wire” combustion principle. A small coil
filament made of platinum is heated by an electric current from 6 batteries of 1,5 volt to a
temperature of hydrocarbon gas.

By aspirating the rubber bulb attached to one end of the combustion chamber in which the
platinum filament is situated - sample of air is drawn through the chamber and across the hot
platinum wire filament. If any hydrocarbon gas in concentration below the upper explosive
limit, (6% by volume), is present in the air being sampled, ”burning” will take place round the
filament is indicated on a meter.
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The meter is graduated from 0% to 100% the latter being a measure of the lower explosive
limit.

A mixture of air and hydrocarbon gas can only explode or sustain combustion between the
following approximate limits:

1,4% gas to 98,6% air = lower explosive limit.

6,0% gas to 94,0% air = upper explosive limit.

The explosimeter measures the gas content in air up to 1,4% gas to 98,6% air by volume. This
means that when the explosimeter reads 100% there is 1,4% gas present in the air being
sampled and explosion or fire can ensure if there is an ignition source present.

It is important to understand that the explosimeter, does not measure the gas content above the
lower explosive limit. If the gas to air mixture is within the explosive range, (1,4% to 6,0% by
volume), the meter will continue to read 100% or just above the 100% mark.
If the gas to air mixture is above the upper explosive limit, (6% by volume), the meter reading
will initially rise to give a reading of 100% or above, but will rapidly fall towards zero
because the mixture of the gas and air in the combustion chambers is too ”rich” to sustain
combustion.

This great danger must immediately be recognised because an unsuspecting person who has
not been watching the meter constantly, may think the gas content of the space being sampled
is well below the lower explosive limit, when in fact the space id highly dangerous.

The instrument and sampling line must be purged outside the space which is to be tested and
the instrument zeroed. On no account must the zero be readjusted while taking sample
readings inside the tank, especially when gas freeing is in progress as gas may forced up the
sampling line and an almost ”instant” reading obtained.

This instrument will not give accurate readings in an inert atmosphere although any reading
taken in a space which is ”inerted” will probably read on the ”high” side.

Note: Explosimeters do not measure oxygen deficiency.