SEDL / STP / STP957-EB / STP25712S

Detector Tubes

McKee, ES
Manager, Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, PA

McConnaughey, PW
Manager, Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, PA

Pages: 14    Published: Jan 1987

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Abstract

The specificity of various detector tube systems is discussed. Some chemical reactions are given for various types of tubes to illustrate specific and nonspecific tubes. Most detector tube systems are not specific and this is one of the major disadvantages of using detector tubes. The accuracy of detector tubes is also discussed. Two methods of estimating accuracy are illustrated: (1) using MIL-STD 414, which is the method that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) used for certifying detector tubes; and (2) the “DuPont” method, where the bias and precision (mean coefficient of variance) are estimated, and the overall accuracy is obtained from these values. Approximate accuracies of some detector systems are given. Finally, some advantages and disadvantages of detector tubes are listed.