Carbon monoxide, the silent killer that comes from anything that is flammable and easily burnable – wood, gasoline, oil, natural gas, propane or coil. It is colourless, odourless, tasteless and most important of all, deadly. By far, carbon monoxide has taken many lives, so awareness about the hazardous effects of carbon-monoxide poisoning has been significantly increased by implementing few effective measures of protection.
One of them is the installation of a carbon monoxide detector.
What a Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector is?
You probably think that the portable carbon monoxide detector is a complex device or piece of equipment, which is actually not. Normally, each model of a portable carbon monoxide detector is ‘housed’ inside a plastic case, where there are particular parts that work together as a union to alert the user once the deadly lethal gas is detected. Although parts may vary depending on the model, here are the basic ones:
- Microchip – it is a tiny, silicon microchip that sends the so-called ‘what-to-do signal’ to all the other parts of the carbon monoxide detector.
- LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) – the role of LEDs in the portable carbon monoxide detector is to let the user know when it is ‘battery-replacement’ time and how the unit itself is functioning.
- Wires/Battery – their job is to provide the essential power to the unit.
- Test/Reset Button – this special button lets the user make sure if the alarm is properly working or not.
- Detection Chamber – this part houses (holds) the carbon-monoxide gas sensor.
Hence, the CO gas sensor detects and measures the concentration of carbon monoxide according to the safety standards and regulations. Once dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are detected, the sensor of the portable carbon monoxide detector sends electronic pulses to the alarm. Normally, the higher the concentration of CO, the faster the alarm response. The alarm of practically all models of carbon monoxide detectors sounds at 85 decibels (dB).
When it comes to the sensor feature, there are few types of sensors used for the detection of dangerous carbon monoxide in the air:
- Biomimetic sensor – it reproduces the carbon-monoxide effects on hemoglobin in the blood, thanks to a special gel that immediately changes its colour once it absorbs CO.
- Metal oxide semiconductor sensor – it uses circuits which are applied to a specially designed ‘silica chip’. When carbon monoxide comes into contact with the circuitry, it starts to lower the electrical resistance.
- Electrochemical instant detection and response (IDR) sensor – it detects the presence of carbon monoxide instantly by using changes in the electrical current. This type of sensor is mostly used in professional sensing equipment.
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