Specialist engineers at Groveley Detection have provided a solution for monitoring flammable gas ingress into some larger than average HVAC ducts for Centrica.

A survey was commissioned for the Central Platform on the South Morecambe Bay Field to ascertain the best way to monitor HVAC ducts in line with the HSE Directive Offshore Information Sheet No. 5/2008. The solution was a combination of Simtronics GD10PE infrared extended point gas detectors and GDA-Aspirators.

GD10PEs are specifically designed to monitor critical applications involving large volumes of high velocity air and can reach alarm levels as low as 3% LEL. Groveley provided six GD10PEs to Centrica.

In addition, for the wider ducts, two GDA-Aspirators were fitted with GD10P infrared gas detectors connecting to self compensating duct probes. In total six SCDPs were utilised for their ability to monitor the whole cross section of the ducts. They can be custom made to a maximum length of 4m, Groveley provided 1.6m and 3.05m duct probes to Centrica.

Groveley has been working with Centrica since 2003 to protect personnel and plant and has also provided training courses to Centrica staff on F&G Detection Equipment Awareness.