Gas, as a widely used energy source in modern households and commercial places, has brought great convenience to our lives. However, gas safety is a “Sword of Damocles” hanging high, which may cause serious accidents if not handled with care. “Problem valves”, “problem bottles” and “problem hoses” are the three “culprits” of gas safety hazards at the user end, which always threaten the safety of life and property of residents and must be taken seriously.
Classification of gas
Gas is the main energy source used by residents and catering businesses for fuel supply.
◆ Gas is divided into two categories according to the supply method: pipeline gas and bottled gas;
◆ According to the supply medium, it is divided into natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, artificial gas and other types.
◆ Pipeline gas mainly supplies natural gas; the medium of bottled gas supply is mainly liquefied petroleum gas.
Whether it is liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, or artificial gas, these gas media themselves are flammable and explosive when mixed with air, and the medium itself is dangerous.
The user end is the weakest and most necessary “last meter” in the gas safety chain. Therefore, we must strengthen the safety protection of gas users, be alert to the hidden dangers of “problem valves”, “problem bottles” and “problem hoses”, and let the family gas safety shift from “passive response” to “active defense”.
Gas valves are key components for controlling the on and off of gas. However, the quality of some “problem valves” on the market is worrying, with problems such as poor material quality and structural defects, which can easily lead to rust of the valve body and reduced sealing performance. After long-term use, the valve may have problems such as poor closure and gas leakage. The valves in some old communities have been exposed to the wind and sun for many years, and the sealing gaskets have aged and deformed. Once a gas leak occurs, the consequences are disastrous.
“Problem bottles” that have exceeded their service life
Liquefied petroleum gas cylinders are important containers for storing and transporting gas. They seem to be sturdy and durable, but they actually have a strict service life. According to regulations, liquefied gas cylinders need to be inspected every 4 years, and the service life is generally not more than 12 years. However, some users have a weak sense of safety and let the cylinders “overserve” in order to save money. After a long period of corrosion, the wall thickness of the expired cylinder becomes thinner, and the pressure resistance decreases. It is very easy to explode under high temperature, collision and other conditions. What’s worse, illegal modification and refurbishment of cylinders, inferior products as good ones, bury huge hidden dangers for gas safety.
Aging and damaged “problem hose”
As the “link” connecting gas appliances and pipelines, gas hoses are very easy to age in harsh environments such as humidity, high temperature, and oil pollution. The service life of ordinary rubber hoses is generally only 18 months. After the expiration date, the hoses will become hard and brittle, and cracks, bubbles and other problems will occur. Some users neglect to check and fail to replace aging hoses in time, resulting in gas leaks. In addition, the hose is too long, is not fixed with a special clamp, and is close to the fire source, which also increases the risk of gas leakage, just like installing a “time bomb” on the gas pipeline.
Solving the gas safety problem from the user end
Although “problem valves”, “problem bottles” and “problem hoses” are the three obvious causes of gas accidents on the user end, the security loopholes are far more than that – privately connected and modified pipelines, illegal use of direct-discharge water heaters, poorly ventilated enclosed kitchens, rusted household pipes in old communities, and even an untightened interface and a careless empty burning of the stove may become the “fuse” that ignites the disaster.
How to reverse the passive situation and solve the problem of safety hazards from the user end?
Gas safety “three-piece set” makes gas use more secure
Gas safety should not be underestimated. The user end often faces many safety hazards and problems, and installing a gas safety three-piece set is an effective measure to solve these problems. The gas safety “three-piece set” is a combustible gas alarm device, a metal bellows for gas (special connection hose) and a self-closing valve (shut-off valve). For residents, the gas safety “three-piece set” can effectively ensure the safety of gas use.
Household combustible gas detector: When there is a gas leak in the environment and the concentration reaches the set alarm value, the household gas alarm will send out sound and light alarm signals to remind users to take safety measures.
Gas-specific connection hose: The gas-specific connection hose is a metal bellows with a service life of more than 8 years. It is not only not easy to fall off, but also has the advantages of anti-rat bite and corrosion resistance, and is safer.
Self-closing valve: When the pipeline gas supply pressure is underpressure or overpressure, the self-closing valve can automatically cut off the gas source. It can also automatically close to prevent leakage when gas is stopped, gas supply is abnormal, or the connection hose falls off.
Chicheng Electric’s household gas alarm integrates a number of sophisticated technologies such as intelligent chips, communication modules, 4G communication cards, semiconductor sensors, etc., which can monitor the concentration of combustible gas leakage in real time. When the methane content in the air exceeds 8%LEL, an alarm will be triggered. At the same time, Chicheng Electric’s intelligent household gas detector uses 4G (Cat.1) communication technology, which has the characteristics of strong signal and wide coverage, and can ensure effective monitoring of gas leaks in a large area. It can also be wirelessly connected to the gas meter. After a gas leak occurs, the alarm can effectively and timely cut off the gas meter valve, truly achieving meter-alarm linkage. The instrument can also push alarm information to the user’s mobile phone in a timely manner through phone calls, text messages, and APPs. At the same time, it is also transmitted to the smart gas platform through the Internet of Things technology to notify the staff to deal with it in time.
At present, Chicheng Electric’s household gas alarms include basic instruments, linkage household gas alarms, networked household gas alarms, dual gas detection alarms and other models to meet the diverse needs of the majority of users and effectively ensure the gas safety of residential users. At the same time, Chicheng Electric has actively participated in a number of gas renovation projects in old communities, providing reliable quality gas detection products for the renovation of old communities, and effectively solving the problem of gas safety at the user end.