Gas tracers are now an essential tool, device, and solution for the detection, control, and analysis of leaks in systems, components, and industrial equipment. A tracer, often composed of a specific gas mixture such as nitrogen or helium, circulates in a pipeline, equipment, network, or pressurized component to reveal any leak, even the smallest. Thanks to detectors, sensors, cameras, and highly sensitive instruments, this technology allows operators to detect, identify, measure, and precisely locate critical areas in water, gas, oil networks or other industrial applications, while optimizing control, safety, and service continuity. The tracer method has established itself as a reliable, fast, and safe solution for sensitive systems, ensuring tightness, leak prevention, monitoring of leak rates, and maintaining operational flow across all industrial processes.
Applications : where are gas sensors used ?
Gas sensors and detectors are used across a wide range of industrial and professional applications for leak detection and monitoring in various systems. Continue researching gas tracers for more information.
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In the oil, gas, and power generation sectors, these instruments can identify any potentially dangerous leak during production, transport, storage, or in reservoirs and pipelines under different pressure conditions. In the chemical industry, sensors, detectors, and control technologies secure processes by identifying toxic gases, CO, SO, and other flammable gases, while protecting personnel and the environment.
Hospitals, laboratories, and medical centers use portable detectors and monitoring cameras to control every medical gas leak and laboratory emission, ensuring service safety. Tunnels, parking garages, and other enclosed infrastructures require continuous monitoring using reliable systems and instruments for testing and controlling water and gas leaks, preventing risks to personnel and components. Regular tests with helium sensors help optimize leak control and ensure system reliability.
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In semiconductor production, monitoring gases such as phosphorus, arsenic, boron, and gallium is essential to safeguard processes and ensure the integrity of components and equipment. In the building sector and water networks, sensors are used to precisely locate any leak, including under slabs, in buried pipelines, or complex systems. Using tracer gases like helium allows for effective and reliable tests, ensuring rigorous tightness control, optimized production, and the protection and continuity of service in installations.
Types of gas sensors : overview of available solutions
The market offers a wide range of sensors, allowing the leak detection method to be adapted to each situation :
- Portable sensors: for rapid interventions, high mobility, and high sensitivity to gas rate variations.
- Fixed systems: continuous monitoring of critical areas in industrial installations with variations in flow, pressure, or components.
- Spectroscopic devices: extreme precision and detailed gas content analysis.
- Detection cameras: visualization of emissions or thermal variations.
- Specialized equipment: use of helium or hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures for tightness testing and detection of fine leaks.
How gas sensors work ?
The operation relies on a simple and scientific process. The tracer, generally a mixture of 5% hydrogen and 95% nitrogen, or sometimes helium, is injected into an emptied pipeline or directly into a system still filled with water, depending on the intervention type. As it circulates, the tracer gas escapes at the location of any leak or multiple leaks, even in hard-to-reach areas, allowing precise testing to control tightness and optimize production.
These tests ensure reliable detection of all leaks in pressurized systems. A detector with a sensitive sensor can detect and locate the leak, measuring pressure and the gas rise to the surface, facilitating system analysis and testing to ensure protection and service continuity. Variations in detected levels are displayed on the device screen, while an acoustic signal helps the operator locate the affected area precisely. This functionality allows identification of leaks imperceptible to other methods, as the gas can traverse components and migrate rapidly to the outside. In some cases, pre-drilling the soil is necessary to facilitate gas resurgence when the ground is too compact or impermeable.
Advantages : why choose gas sensors ?
Gas sensors provide major advantages for detecting and analyzing leaks in industrial and technical systems. Their precision allows identification of anomalies and very small leaks that cannot be detected with traditional tests, bubbles, or other methods. The method is non-invasive, as it does not require destruction of materials or components, and adapts to all types of systems and development environments.
Sensors are non-toxic, non-corrosive, and can be safely used in drinking water networks, pipelines, gas networks, and oil installations. The speed of tests reduces service interruptions and improves overall control of systems and equipment. This approach is especially effective in confined, dark, or hard-to-access areas, where conventional detection methods reach their limits, and where advanced analyzers, detectors, and instruments provide reliable and precise measurements.
Best practices : use and maintenance to ensure performance
To guarantee reliable and precise detection of leaks, it is essential to follow rigorous methods, procedures, and techniques. Gas detectors and sensors must undergo careful commissioning, followed by regular inspections to verify the absence of cracks in components, worn cables, blocked inlets, or any residue that could compromise instrument performance, production, or system integrity. Certain helium-based sensors can identify even the smallest leaks, providing unparalleled reliability in industrial applications.
Environmental factors such as dust, mud, oil residues, and other contaminants can significantly impact the accuracy of tests, sensors, detection cameras, and related products used for monitoring water networks, pressurized pipelines, or production systems. Regular cleaning using manufacturer-approved tools and techniques is essential to maintain optimal functionality of detection devices, analyzers, and systems, ensuring consistent performance in all applications. Protective covers or filters may also be employed to reduce particulate accumulation and extend the service life of sensors.
Proper documentation of all maintenance activities is critical. Maintaining detailed records of inspections, cleaning, and calibration allows operators to track trends over time, optimize prevention strategies, and enhance the overall safety and reliability of the systems. Before conducting any test, operators must confirm that all systems, including pressure regulators, injection pumps, valves, and fittings, are in optimal condition. Understanding the operating principles of sensors, detectors, and analyzers is crucial for ensuring accurate measurements, effective leak detection, and safe control of critical industrial processes.
Additionally, proper training of personnel on the correct use of traceers, detectors, and associated equipment is essential for reducing human error and enhancing operational efficiency. In complex or high-risk environments, specialist support may be required to interpret data, optimize testing protocols, and guarantee compliance with industrial standards. By adhering to these best practices, organizations can maximize system tightness, minimize leak rates, protect components, and ensure the continuous, safe operation of their production systems.
In case of doubt, always contact a qualified specialist who can provide professional services, guide teams, and implement effective solutions to maintain safety, efficiency, and the reliability of all systems under pressure.
