Management of CO2 settling in area below process space

[Triangle Distiller]

Inside the production area containing fermentation tanks, 1000L still and 2000L still is a set of stairs downstairs to the boiler room/bathroom/storage area (steel door separation at bottom of stairs). An engineer was concerned about the settling of CO2 in the bottom of the stairwell. The stairwell is on an outside wall. Best way to manage this? My intention was to put a CO2 sensor in that area.

[Thatch]

The sensor will be helpful but you need ventilation.  A wall vent with a fan that is triggered by the sensor would do the job.

 

[Triangle Distiller]

We continue to work through this issue as the wall vent placement is tricky. The bottom 4 -5 feet of the stairs is below ground level and I haven't been able to locate the sensor to activate a fan. If anyone can point me in the direction of a supplier I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Thatch]

These folks seem to have it all.  https://www.aerospheremonitoring.com/products  If they can trigger a strobe or horn they can trigger a fan. 

Would your engineer be satisfied with a standard CO2 sensor that has a self contained alarm?  Would they allow you to turn on the fan manually for a remote switch that is outside the danger area based on the alarm being triggered?  

 

[Triangle Distiller]

Thatch, Thanks for this. I'll review and check with the Electrical Engineer. Hopefully this will work!

[Alex_Sor]

You forget that carbon dioxide is a heavy gas, and it goes down instead of flying up.

So the sensors should be placed not at the top but at the bottom of the room, where people walk.

If you have a leaky room, then carbon dioxide "spills" out through the cracks in the doors.

But ventilation of the room is required. Carbon dioxide does not burn and does not support combustion, but a person does not need to breathe it.

[SlickFloss]

He mentioned putting the Sensor in the area, which is downstairs, where the gas would linger, below actual production floor in stair well.

6 hours ago, Alex_Sor said:

You forget that carbon dioxide is a heavy gas, and it goes down instead of flying up.

So the sensors should be placed not at the top but at the bottom of the room, where people walk.

If you have a leaky room, then carbon dioxide "spills" out through the cracks in the doors.

But ventilation of the room is required. Carbon dioxide does not burn and does not support combustion, but a person does not need to breathe it.