Why do you use Sulfur Hexaflouride?
Answer
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is the most common gas used in tracer gas testing. It does sound very technical and possibly dangerous, but it is currently the best available. Here are several reasons why it is used.
SF6 is relatively low in toxicity. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for this gas have been set at 1,000 ppm. Its primary health hazard is asphyxiation.
The gas is virtually odorless, with no odor threshold published by the ACGIH or other professional organizations. Therefore, its use in buildings does not needlessly alarm occupants.
SF6 is normally not found in the environment. It is man-made; therefore, environmental background levels are essentially non-detectable.
There are many instruments available that can detect SF6 concentrations in the parts per billion (ppb) range, and some which are reported to be in the parts per trillion (ppt) range.
Because you can detect SF6 at very low levels tracer gas applications do not need very much SF6 to be released.
SF6 is easy to purchase from compressed gas suppliers, however it is not inexpensive and you have to have a special regulator designed for SF6.
SF6 is relatively low in toxicity. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for this gas have been set at 1,000 ppm. Its primary health hazard is asphyxiation.
The gas is virtually odorless, with no odor threshold published by the ACGIH or other professional organizations. Therefore, its use in buildings does not needlessly alarm occupants.
SF6 is normally not found in the environment. It is man-made; therefore, environmental background levels are essentially non-detectable.
There are many instruments available that can detect SF6 concentrations in the parts per billion (ppb) range, and some which are reported to be in the parts per trillion (ppt) range.
Because you can detect SF6 at very low levels tracer gas applications do not need very much SF6 to be released.
SF6 is easy to purchase from compressed gas suppliers, however it is not inexpensive and you have to have a special regulator designed for SF6.