What is the lower explosive limit of natural gas?

The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) is the lowest concentration of a gas or vapour that will burn in air. The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) varies from gas to gas, but for most flammable gases it is less than 5% by volume.

What are the lower LEL and upper UEL explosive limit for natural gas?

Above this level, the mixture is too “rich” to burn. The range between the LEL and UEL is known as the flammable range for that gas or vapor….Lower and Upper Explosive Limits.

What is the upper explosive limit UEL of natural gas?

The upper explosive limit (UEL) is the maximum level of concentration of the gas that will burn when mixed with oxygen; when the gas concentration is above the UEL value for the gas/vapor, the mix is too “fat” to ignite or explode.

What is upper and lower explosive limit?

Lower explosive limit (LEL): the lowest concentration of gas or vapour which will burn or explode if ignited. Upper explosive limit (UEL): the highest concentration of gas or vapour which will burn or explode if ignited.

At what percentage of the lower explosive limit is a gas explosive?

In gas-detection systems, the amount of gas present is specified as a percentage (%) of LEL. Zero percent Lower Explosive Limit (0% LEL) denotes a combustible gas-free atmosphere. One hundred percent lower explosive limit (100% LEL) denotes an atmosphere in which gas is at its lower flammable limit.

What is the allowable LEL?

Atmospheres with a concentration of flammable vapors at or above 10 percent of the lower explosive limit (LEL) are considered hazardous when located in confined spaces. However, atmospheres with flammable vapors below 10 percent of the LEL are not necessarily safe. Such atmospheres are too lean to burn.

What is the LEL of natural gas in ppm?

Methane is the primary ingredient of natural gas. Methane has a LEL of 5% and an UEL of 15% at room temperature. A concentration of 5% methane in air is equivalent to 50,000 ppm. An IDLH concentration set at 10% of LEL would be 5,000 ppm.

What are the limits of natural gas?

Natural gas has a flammability range of approximately 5 to 15 percent. That means that any mixture containing less than 5 percent or greater than 15 percent natural gas to air would not support combustion. Natural gas, when mixed with air and exposed to an ignition source, is combustible.

How much gas is needed to cause an explosion?

For each fuel, ignition occurs only within a certain range of concentration, known as the upper and lower flammability limits. For example, for methane and gasoline vapor, this range is 5-15% and 1.4-7.6% gas to air, respectively. An explosion can only occur when fuel concentration is within these limits.

What is upper explosive limit?

The highest concentration of a gas or vapor (percentage by volume in air) above which a flame will not spread in the presence of an ignition source (arc, flame, or heat). Concentrations higher than UEL are “too rich” to burn.

How do LEL sensors work?

A catalytic bead LEL sensor senses a combustible gas through flameless combustion that occurs with the help of electrically produced heat and a catalyst material coating on the sensing bead. In other words, a CB LEL sensor detects gas through the actual burning of the gas.

What is a lower explosive limit (LEL)?

The lower explosive limit (LEL) is the minimum concentration of a specific combustible gas required to fire combustion when in contact with oxygen (air).

How do LEL meters work?

An LEL Detector or LEL Meter detects dangerous levels of a combustible gas or solvent vapor in air, expressed in percent Lower Explosive Limit, or LEL. An LEL Detector is an integral part of a complete gas detection system and can be referred to as a Gas Detector or just a fixed gas detection system.

What is upper explosion limit?

Upper Explosive Limits (UEL) Definition – What does Upper Explosive Limits (UEL) mean? Upper explosive limits (UEL) are the maximum concentrations of a gas or vapor in the atmosphere that is able to generate a flash or a fire in the presence of an ignition source.