In industrial laboratories, gas detection alone is no longer enough: the data must also be effectively analyzed to ensure safety. Faced with regulatory requirements, a wide variety of gases, and complex facilities, teams need clear, centralized, and traceable monitoring. Fuji Electric’s TS4000 HMI addresses these challenges by providing a comprehensive, real-time overview of gas risks, thereby facilitating decision-making, HSE compliance, and operator safety.
Laboratories use or store a wide variety of gases and vapors that can pose significant risks to people, equipment, and business continuity. These include ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen (H₂), oxygen (O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), argon (Ar), butane (C₄H₁₀), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
These gases must be analyzed according to several risk categories. Toxic gases such as SO₂, NH₃, or H₂O₂ can expose personnel to hazardous concentrations. Flammable gases such as hydrogen or butane pose an explosion risk when concentrations approach the LEL. Asphyxiating gases, such as argon or CO₂, can cause a drop in oxygen levels that is sometimes difficult to detect without instrumented monitoring.
Fixed gas detection also operates within a structured regulatory framework. The main standards include EN 45544 for toxic gases, EN 50104 for oxygen detection, and EN 60079-29-1 for flammable gases. Depending on the zoning, ignition sources, ventilation, or the presence of flammable gases, ATEX requirements may also apply to equipment selection and installation rules.
In this context, detection performance alone is not enough. Laboratories must also be able to demonstrate risk control through time-stamped records, alarm logs, acknowledgment tracking, and records related to testing or calibration. This traceability facilitates HSE audits, ensures document compliance, and supports the continuous improvement of safety procedures.
In many laboratories, gas detectors are properly installed, but the day-to-day operation of the system remains complex. Information can be scattered across detectors, one or more control panels, local screens, and remote monitoring stations. In the event of an alarm, this fragmentation slows down the assessment of the situation and can delay decision-making.
The first challenge, therefore, is ensuring that critical information is immediately clear. When an alarm is triggered, teams must quickly identify the affected area, the gas detected, the alarm level, changes in concentration, and any associated faults. Without a consolidated interface, analysis relies on multiple data points, which increases the risk of error or wasted time.
The second challenge is gaining a comprehensive understanding of the situation. An HSE manager or technician needs to be able to determine whether ventilation has been activated, whether a control loop is active, whether an alarm has been acknowledged, or whether a sensor fault is present. Without a consistent overview by zone, gas, and status, it becomes more difficult to track the progression of an incident and coordinate safety measures.
Finally, gas safety relies on evidence and repeatability. Monitoring, adjustment, and calibration using reference gas are essential. When historical data is limited or difficult to access, inspections, internal audits, and maintenance operations become more time-consuming, more costly, and harder to document.
The solution is based on an architecture that combines gas detectors installed as close as possible to high-risk areas—storage areas, fume hoods, ventilated cabinets, and utility rooms—with a DALEMANS control unit and the Fuji Electric TS4000 human-machine interface. Each detector continuously measures the concentration of the target gas and transmits this data to the control unit. The control unit centralizes the measurements, manages alarm thresholds, signals faults, and provides the status information necessary to direct safety responses.
When connected to this architecture, the TS4000 HMI serves as the primary display for the laboratory gas detection system. It consolidates measurements, alarms, and faults into clear, organized views by zone, gas type, and alarm level. This centralized view enables teams to speed up analysis, better prioritize responses, and make decisions more quickly.
The industrial touchscreen also records historical data and events, including alarms, faults, acknowledgments, measurements, and operational activities. Time-stamped data facilitates monitoring, maintenance, HSE audits, and the provision of evidence in the event of an inspection.The display can be customized to meet the laboratory’s specific needs: synoptic views, summary screens, trends, help messages, or screens dedicated to specific gases or sensitive zones. Data can also be accessed or retrieved remotely via Modbus TCP for integration with a supervisory system, a building management system (BMS), or a third-party system, without requiring additional interfaces.
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