AQM – Air Quality monitor; CO, CO2, Formalin/VOC, NO2 and particles
AQM is an indoor VOC monitor, particularly designed for use in industries and laboratories operated by workers with limited or no experience in gas or vapor detection. The very large display, gives an immediate reading on air contamination caused by VOC gas, anesthetic gas and particles. AQM is extremely fast, reaction is usually within 10 sec. with a precise reading.
AQM has efficient air-intake in the instrument. The instrument read the ambient air, and if VOC vapor, gas or particles are detected, it will give immediate and early reading.
The instrument is suitable in industries using volatile gasses, laboratories, veterinary animal hospitals and hospitals using anesthetic gas either for surgery, clinical test or medical research on smaller and larger animals.
VOC gasses with identical molecular structure or almost equal Molar mass will be detected as an identical compound. Benzene, Formalin, and alcohol are close enough to be detected as one VOC gas, however the precision of the instrument can vary slightly.
Distribution of VOC gas and or anesthetic gas ISOFLURANE in ambient air, is a result of many factors. It is not always evident how pockets of gas are cleaned out by the ventilation system. Ethanol, Formalin and anesthetic gas can remain in the indoor climate for longer periods, also in installations with a good ventilation system. Many factors influence the renewal of air and cleaning out of VOC gasses; Temperature, turbulence, ventilation, open doors and windows. Installations and facilities are not identical, and monitoring over time with AQM indicate how and where vapors tend to drift. Newtons laws of gravity is indicative, but don’t necessarily always apply to VOC gas and vapors. Newtons laws are not always determining extremely very small particles or contaminated air. It is advisable to make long term observations with AQM, to realize most correct position of instruments.
AQM is a lower cost instrument, delivering important information and insight in the VOC indoor environment in industry and laboratories. The instrument is sensing gas with high quality electrochemical gas sensors. AQM is however not similar to a gas chromatograph, and in situations where high individual detection of any specific gas is requested, it will be necessary to use a chromatograph to fragment every compound in the indoor climate.
Experience from monitoring indoor environment in many laboratories and animal hospitals, has verified, that ventilation systems rarely perform as expected. Ventilation systems are usually designed to refresh the indoor environment 2 - 6 x pr. hour. Calculations are based on cubic air, and ability by ventilation systems to move air within expected time frame. In very few laboratories, does this really happened. However, as most laboratories and ventilation companies don’t have access to VOC instruments, nobody realize the true environmental climate. Many factors affect miscalculations. Dimension of ventilation channels, too many bends or too many intake /outlet valves have a significant impact. Another major impact is wrong position of inlet and outlet valves, in fact it can often be observed that air is circulating in a close loop between intake and outlet, and never reach pockets of air further away from the valves.
AQM react very fast and display correct situation of the indoor environment. If air does not refresh as expected, it is instantly noticeable on the meter.
Monitoring of indoor climate in hospitals, is difficult. Hospitals in particular, use large quantities of chemical liquids for descinfication, alcohol, spirit, formalin and cleaning detergents. Every chemical compound vaporize clouds of gasses and VOC monitor will read the total mass of contamination, but does not react to any specific gas within the VOC regime. Other types of gas e.g. are usually not affected by VOC contamination. This is a practical difficult situation, if escape of anesthetic gas in particular shall be detected. Similarly for other environment, where many chemical compounds are used daily. The VOC monitor,, read the total contamination, not any individual gas.
As alcohol and Ethanol is neither poisonous or dangerous, it is generally not considered valuable to monitor. Ethanol or alcohol vapors are however very precise agents, for the indoor climate and effectiveness of air exchange and ventilation systems. If the AQM goes into a high reading – and remains at a high level for a longer period, it is evident that ventilation system does not renew or refresh the indoor environment. It is possible to test the indoor climate, combing the AQM and clouds of Ethanol etc. to detect correct position of air inlet / outlet valves to gain an optimized airflow and change of air.
AQM has a warmup period of 10 – 15 minutes. Best reading is when sensor reach 300 degrees C. Any use of silicone must be avoided. Silicone damage gas sensors beyond repair. Similarly; saltwater, should be avoided.
AQM is due to be produced in 5 versions. CO, CO2, Formalin/VOC, Particles and NO2.