Oliver IGD Limited

PELLISTORS
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Pellistors are used to detect

Flammable Gas Hazards.

Pellistors are used across a range of

industries and applications to provide early
warning of a developing
Flammable Gas Hazard.

This presentation will discuss the design,

characteristics and application of Pellistors.
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The Combustion Triangle

• Take any of these elements away - and you will not have
a explosion
• Gas Detection can prevent the fuel source becoming a
hazard
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Terminology
Flammable Gas Detectors are scaled 0-100% LEL
LEL Stands for Lower Explosive Limit

0% LEL No Flammable Gas Hazard

50% LEL Flammable Gas Level is half way to

being an explosive Hazard

100% LEL Flammable Gas Level is just at the

point where it will ignite
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Why Use LEL as a Scale

Flammable Gases form flammable mixtures in air at
different volumetric levels dependant on what the gas
is. For Example:

GAS TYPE 100% LEL Mixture

METHANE 5.0% by Volume

PROPANE 2.1% by Volume
HYDROGEN 4.0% by Volume
HEXANE 1.1% by Volume
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If the system display indicated volume concentration

then you would have to know at what concentration
the gas formed a flammable mixture in air in order to
know how close to a flammable mixture you were.

Using LEL as a scale means that you don’t need

to know which gas it is, the scale tells you how
close to a flammable mixture you are:
50% LEL = Half Way to a Flammable Mixture
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Combustible Gases-Lower & Upper Limits*

*No differentiation between the terms “Explosive” and “Flammable” as applied to
the lower and upper limits of flammability

Combustible

Too lean for ignition Too rich for ignition

50%
Mixture

100% of the Upper

Typical Combustible
Gas Detector Range
Lower Explosive
of Measurement Explosive Limit (UEL)
Limit (LEL)
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Flammable Limits & Volumetric Equivalents

GAS TYPE LEL UEL

METHANE 5.0% v/v 15% v/v
PROPANE 2.1% v/v 9.5% v/v
HYDROGEN 4.0% v/v 7.5% v/v
HEXANE 1.1% v/v 7.5% v/v

Methane Gas: 100% LEL = 5% by volume in air

75% LEL = 3.75 by volume in air
50% LEL = 2.5% by volume in air
25% LEL = 1.25% by volume in air
10% LEL = .50% by volume in air
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Pellistor or Catalytic Bead

Treated
Metal oxide

Platinum wire
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Basic Operating Principle

The Pellistor has power applied to it at a fixed
current flow. As the wire acts as a resistor then
the device heats up to around 500 degrees
Centigrade at which point the catalyst coating
will be active. If the resistance is constant and
the current flow is constant then a voltage can
be measured across the bead.

If a flammable gas now comes into contact with

the bead it will burn and increase the
temperature of the bead. This changes the
resistance of the wire which, if the operating
current is constant results in a change in
voltage.
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Basic Operating Principle, Continued…..

The change in temperature of the bead when gas

burns on its surface directly relates to the
concentration of the gas.
However if we do nothing else then we would not
know the difference between a change in
temperature due to gas or a change due to
ambient temperature changes
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Basic Operating Principle, Continued…..

The Answer is to fit another bead coated in a material which has no
response to flammable gas. The difference in temperature change
between the two beads is then directly related to the flammable gas level
taking into account ambient temperature changes.

ACTIVE BEAD Responds to REFERENCE BEAD Responds only

Flammable Gas and Ambient to Ambient Temperature Changes

Temperature Changes
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Basic Operating Principle, Continued…..

For this basic Pellistor gas sensor to work reliably

• The Active Bead Catalyst MUST be at its

Operating Temperature
• The Operating Current MUST be Fixed
• The Size and Characteristic of the Bead
Must be Closely Controlled
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ATEX MK3 Pellistors Set to 180mV

Safe Area MK6 Pellistors Set to 85mV
Allways Check Markings on Device
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Design of the Detector Head A Metal Filter or ‘Sinter’ Allows

Gas in But Prevents Any Flame
Getting Out

Each Bead Sits in

Its own Pocket so
The Temperatures
Don’t Interfere

The Cables are Sealed in Also to Prevent Any Flame

Getting Out
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Problems SOOTING
If a high level of gas comes
into contact with the pellistor
then if there is not enough air
to burn all the gas soot is
formed which can block the
surface of the bead. This will
burn off once the gas is gone
but can take a while resulting
in an unstable device until all
the soot is gone. Typically the
pellistor does not come back to
zero immediately when the gas
has gone. For this reason
DON’T demonstrate pellistors
using cigarette lighters.
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Problems
Cracking
This can happen due to the device being
dropped or banged. Usually the crack will
occur at one end of the bead and start to
pull the coil out. The pellistor will become
unstable and start to drift as the crack
spreads and the surface area of the bead
changes.
This can also happen if air pockets form
under the surface during manufacture. This
is usually identified during the soak test
phase of production.
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Problems
Inhibitors or Catalyst Poisons
Pellistors rely on catalytic action to work. Some
substances can poison or inhibit the catalyst thus
preventing the device working properly. Some
examples could be:
Lead Compounds, Silicones, Halons
The MKIII Pellistor is very Poison Resistant due to
1. Large Surface Area
2. High Operating Current / Temperature
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Catalytic Gas Sensor Poisons/Inhibitors

• Poisons affect catalytic sensor response & longevity
• Erosion, impervious covering, or plugging active sites
• Impact depends on poison type, level, time of exposure
• Known catalytic sensor poisons:
– silicone oils, greases, resins (RTV adhesive)
– halogens (halon, chlorine, fluorine, bromine, freon)
– phosphate esters
– tetraethyl lead
– trichlorobenzene
– acid and pvc vapours
– other corrosive materials
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Calibration and Response

• Since Each Gas Has a Different Calorific Value
Then it Will Burn At a Different Temperature and
Give a Different Response.
• Once The Response to Each Gas is Known Then
Calibration for Each Can be Undertaken Using
One Reference Gas, Typically Methane.
• Catalytic detectors must be correctly calibrated for
the expected target gas
• If a mix of gases is expected then calibrate for the
most explosive (LOWEST LEL FORMATION)
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Key Gas Detection Definitions

• Pellistor:
– Industry name for Catalytic bead
• Flashpoint:
– Minimum temperature of liquid where enough vapour
is given off to sustain a fire or explosion
• Vapour Density:
– Tendency of a pure gas or vapour to rise or sink in still
clean air
• Calibration:
– process of matching transmitter signal to sensor
measurement
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Catalytic Sensors Relative Sensitivity

Relative sensitivity for Catalytic Gas Detectors - 50% LEL Methane
(CH4) calibration is equivalent to

Gas Output
Methane CH4 50% LEL

Propane C3H8 90% LEL

n-Butane C4H10 88% LEL

n-Pentane (normal-Pentane) C5H12 108% LEL

n-Hexane C6H14 140% LEL

Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol, grain spirit) C2H6O 68% LEL

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Background Combustible Gases

When Calibrating Always Use Bottled Instrument Air to First
Zero The Pellistor.
Don’t Assume the Air Around the Pellistor is Free from
Flammable Gas.
If you Don’t Use Instrument Air Then You May be Zeroing
Out a Gas Reading.
Always Use Calibration Gases From Reputable Suppliers to
Traceable Standards.
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Summary
• Direct Measurement of
Gas By Temperature
Change.
• Works for ALL flammable
Gases
• Only option for hydrogen
Gas Detection
• Simple in Comparison to
Other Methods
• Typical service life of 3-6
years
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Summary
• Active Element - Hot wire coated
with catalytic material
• Reference Element - Same as
active but without catalyst NO
effect from gas
• Catalytic Oxidation of flammable
gas generates heat & changes
resistance of Active Element
• Explosion is prevented by Flame
Arrestor on front of sensor
• Constant Voltage or Current power
source required
• Must calibrate routinely for
accuracy
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IGD Pellistor Options

ATEX DEVICE
MK3 Pellistor
360mA Operation
Or
SAFE AREA DEVICE Type B Pellistor
MK6 Pellistor 170mA Operation
170mA Operating Current
Safe Area Operation ATEX Approved For
Where Flammable Gas Use in Potentially
Hazards Are Not Flammable Atmospheres:
Normally Expected:
Drilling Platforms
Boiler Rooms Gas Pumping Stations
Commercial Kitchens Gas – Oil Storage
Car Parks Process Industries
Residential Applications Bulk Transport Ships