Crowcon Technical Note
Document Reference: GEN054 – Pellistor Correction Factors – Issue 5
Date: 9/7/2018
Document applies to: Fixed Detectors with VQ21 Series Sensors (see page 3 for VQ25 & VQ41)
Products: Xgard, Xsafe, Flamgard Plus. Also obsolete %LEL catalytic detectors that use VQ21 series Pellistors.
NB: These correction factors do not apply to detectors with Infra-Red (IR) sensors, or Portables.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The table below enables VQ1/VQ21 series pellistor-based flammable gas detectors to be calibrated to
provide a %LEL concentration indication for a wide variety of gases and vapours using either methane
or pentane as surrogate calibration gases.
To calculate a cross calibration value multiply the correction factor by the %LEL of the gas used.
Example:
If you want to calibrate for Ethane you should use Pentane gas with the following cross calibration
value:
Ethane has a 0.8 correction factor with Pentane, therefore when using 50%LEL Pentane calibrate to
40%LEL Ethane (0.8 x 50=40).
Good practice is to use the closest factor to give you a half scale reading (or below half scale).
Using a factor that will give above half scale can give inaccurate readings at normal alarm
levels.
Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd Copyright© 2018 Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd.
172 Brook Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4SD, UK All rights reserved. Company registered no. 978878
Email: [email protected] Web: www.crowcon.com Approval: AA/JM
Crowcon Technical Note
Correction Factors for VQ1/VQ21 series pellistor based detectors
Reference standard: Reference standard:
IEC60079-20-1:2010 Correction Factor IEC60079-20-1:2010 Correction Factor
LEL (% Volume) Methane Pentane* LEL (% Volume) Methane Pentane*
Acetaldehyde 4.0 1.6 0.8 Ethylene Dichloride 1.2 0.6
Acetic Acid 4.0 3.0 1.5 Ethylene Oxide 2.6 2.1 1.1
Acetic Anhydride 2.5 1.3 N-Heptane 0.85 2.4 1.2
Acetone 2.5 1.7 0.9 N-Hexane 1.0 2.5 1.3
Acetylene 2.3 1.6 0.8 Unleaded petrol 1.4 3.8 2.0
Aniline 1.2 2.6 1.3 Hydrogen 4.0 1.2 0.6
Benzene 1.2 2.2 1.1 Hydrogen Sulphide 4.0 2.2 1.1
1-3 Butadiene 1.4 2.2 1.2 Methane 4.4 1.0 0.5
N-Butane 1.4 1.9 1.0 Methanol 6.0 1.3 0.7
Iso-Butane 1.3 2.2 1.1 Methylamine 4.2 1.3 0.7
1-Butene 1.6 1.9 1.0 Methyl Acetate 1.8 0.9
N-Butanol 1.4 2.2 1.1 Methyl Chloride 7.6 1.1 0.6
I-Butanol 1.4 1.9 1.0 Methyl Cyclohexane 2.3 1.2
Tert-Butanol 1.6 0.8 Methyl Ethyl Ketone 1.5 2.3 1.2
Butyl Acetate 2.5 1.3 Methyl-N-Propyl-Ketone 2.2 1.1
Carbon Monoxide 10.9 1.3 0.6 Nitromethane 7.3 1.8 0.9
Carbon Disulphide 0.6 10.5 5.4 N-Nonane 0.7 3.5 1.8
Cyclohexane 1.0 2.2 1.1 N-Octane 0.8 3.1 1.6
Cyclopropane 2.4 1.3 0.7 N-Pentane 1.1 1.9 1.0
N-Decane 0.7 3.4 1.8 Iso-Pentane 1.3 2.2 1.1
Dimethyl ether 2.7 1.7 0.9 Propane 1.7 2.0 1.0
2.3 Dimethyl pentane 2.0 1.0 N-Propanol 2.1 1.7 0.9
Dimethyl Sulphide 2.0 1.0 I-Propanol 2.0 2.3 1.2
Dioxane 1.4 2.2 1.1 Propylene 2.0 1.6 0.8
Ethane 2.4 1.5 0.8 Propylene Oxide 1.9 2.3 1.2
Ethyl Acetate 2.0 2.2 1.1 Propyne 2.0 1.0
Ethylamine 3.5 1.6 0.8 Styrene Monomer 1.0 2.4 1.2
Ethanol 3.1 1.6 0.8 Tetra Hydro Furan 1.5 2.1 1.1
Ethyl Benzene 0.8 2.5 1.3 Toluene 1.0 2.4 1.2
Ethyl Bromide 0.8 0.4 o-Xylene 1.0 2.6 1.4
Ethyl Chloride 1.5 0.8 m-Xylene 1.0 2.4 1.2
Ethyl Methyl Ether 2.0 2.0 1.0 p-Xylene 0.9 2.4 1.3
Ethylene 2.3 1.6 0.8
Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd Copyright© 2018 Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd.
172 Brook Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4SD, UK All rights reserved. Company registered no. 978878
Email: [email protected] Web: www.crowcon.com Approval: AA/JM
Crowcon Technical Note
Other specialist Pellistors:
Correction
Factor
with
VQ25 Pellistor LEL Butane
Vinyl Chloride Monomer 3.6 1.0
VQ41 Pellistor Hydrogen
Ammonia 15.0 0.5**
Pentane
Kerosene 0.7 3.0
* Methane and Pentane factors are derived from SGX Sensortech technical note: A1A-Pellistor_AN3 Iss 4 March
07.
** Note: the VQ41 is sold as a 0-25%LEL NH3 detector, therefore 10%LEL (0.4%) H2 would need to be used to
set the calibration to 5%LEL NH3.
This document supersedes all previous issues.
For more information please contact +44 (0)1235 557711, [email protected]
Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd Copyright© 2018 Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd.
172 Brook Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4SD, UK All rights reserved. Company registered no. 978878
Email: [email protected] Web: www.crowcon.com Approval: AA/JM
