Apparatuses and Methods For Toxic Gas Detection and Disabling of Toxic Gas Emission Sources

Abstract

A disclosed method of detecting and terminating a source of toxic gas emission includes: detecting a gas concentration level in a zone exceeding a threshold; calculating a time weighted average gas concentration level within the zone; determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration; and disabling a gas emitting source in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of detecting and terminating a source of toxic gas emission, the method comprising:
 detecting a gas concentration level in a zone exceeding a threshold;   calculating a time weighted average gas concentration level within the zone;   determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration; and   disabling a gas emitting source in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a gas concentration level in a ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration; and   disabling a gas emitting source corresponding to the ventilation duct in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising s
 determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the zone is near a first and second gas emitting source;   determining that a gas concentration level in the ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the ventilation duct is associated with a third gas emitting source; and   disabling the first, second and third gas emitting sources.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the zone corresponds to a gas exhaust system; and   disabling a gas emitting source corresponding to the gas exhaust system in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising:
 toxic gas detection logic comprising a plurality of inputs to receive gas concentration levels from a plurality of gas detectors and a control signal output, operative to:   calculate a time weighted average gas concentration level based on gas concentration level inputs received from the plurality of gas detectors;   determine that the gas concentration level detected by at least one of the gas detectors has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration; and   gas source control logic, operatively coupled to the toxic gas detection logic to receive a control signal therefrom, and operative to disable a gas emitting source in   response to the control signal received from the toxic gas detection logic.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the toxic gas detection logic is further operative to:
 determine that a gas concentration level in a ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration; and   send a control signal to the gas source control logic to disable a gas emitting source corresponding to the ventilation duct in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the toxic gas detection logic is further operative to:
 determine that the gas concentration level in a zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the zone is near a first and second gas emitting source;   determine that a gas concentration level in the ventilation duct has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the ventilation duct is associated with a third gas emitting source; and   send a control signal to the gas source control logic to disable the first, second and third gas emitting sources.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the toxic gas detection logic is further operative to:
 determine that a gas concentration level in a zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration where the zone corresponds to a gas exhaust system; and   send a control signal to the gas source control logic to disable a gas emitting source corresponding to the gas exhaust system in response to determining that the gas concentration level in the zone has exceeded the time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 toxic gas detection logic comprising a plurality of inputs to receive gas concentration levels from a plurality of gas detectors and a control signal output; and   gas source control logic, operatively coupled to the toxic gas detection logic to receive a control signal therefrom, and operative to disable at least one gas emitting source in response to the control signal received from the toxic gas detection logic.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the toxic gas detection logic is further operative to:
 calculate a time weighted average gas concentration level based on gas concentration level inputs received from the plurality of gas detectors.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the toxic gas detection logic is further operative to:
 determine that a gas concentration level detected by at least one of the gas detectors has exceeded a time weighted average gas concentration.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the gas source control logic is further operative to:
 receive a control signal from the toxic gas detection logic, and disable at least one gas emitting source in response to the control signal received from the toxic gas detection logic.