In a research laboratory, a single detection solution does not necessarily meet the requirements of every application. The tests being conducted, the equipment used and the gases to be monitored vary from one installation to another. This is particularly true at UGent’s LCT, where processes such as hydrocarbon steam cracking and the fast pyrolysis of biomass and plastics are studied.

DALEMANS’ challenge was therefore to cover this wide range of applications while giving operators a 360° view of the situation in the event of an alarm.

Multi-gas detection tailored to different equipment

The project was not based on a standard configuration. For each application, the gases to be monitored had to be identified and the detection system adapted to the equipment concerned.

“Different tests are conducted in each laboratory,” explains François Spadazzi, Sales Engineer at DALEMANS. “In each one, we installed various gas detectors (HC, CO₂, H₂S, NO₂, SO₂, CO and oxygen) depending on the applications of each machine.”

This diversity highlights one of the challenges of a multi-gas installation: bringing together, within a single system, the monitoring of gases with different characteristics and associated risks. Additional explosive gas detectors were also installed at various locations throughout the hall.

In total, 7 control panels manage the different detectors and centralise the information, enabling operators to respond quickly in the event of an alarm.

Centralising information for remote alarm management

Data monitoring is another key element of the installation. All data is centralised in a 19-inch cabinet located in a technical room outside the protected area.

2 synoptic displays show the hall layout, the different zones and the status of each detector in real time. In the event of an alarm, operators can immediately identify the affected area and check gas concentrations without entering the hall.

The system also allows operators to remotely reset a detector in alarm or fault status.

The value of this architecture therefore goes beyond detection alone. It also makes the information actionable: operators can see where an alarm has been triggered, check the status of the relevant detector and access the information they need from outside the hall.

A SMART solution as the starting point

At DALEMANS, a SMART solution involves much more than selecting a detector. It means adapting the entire system to the requirements of the application, from detection and monitoring through to alarm management.

For the LCT, this approach resulted in a custom configuration of the synoptic displays, tower light operation and remote detector calibration.

“We proposed several solutions to UGent’s project managers,” says François Spadazzi. “We were highly flexible. We didn’t impose our solutions—we respected their specifications. Everything was custom-designed to meet their needs.”

This ability to adapt is particularly important in a research environment where several experimental setups coexist and new systems are being developed for current and future industrial applications.

Once the installation was complete, DALEMANS carried out all the necessary commissioning checks.