PureAire makes an Oxygen monitor for laboratories where nitrogen, helium, argon, carbon dioxide, and any cryogenic gases are stored. The O2 monitors are a standalone wall mounted unit with a built in audible alarm. The monitor utilizes a 10 + year Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2) sensor and has a backlit digital display showing readings of 0-25% range. PureAire has sold there O2 monitors while combining a ZrO2 sensor since the company started in 1997, and has contributed to their growth of 50% in 2011.
There are two types of ZrO2 sensors: There is a high temperature sensor (1000 C) for stack Oxygen monitoring, and a low temperature sensor PureAire uses. PureAire uses an Oxygen sensor that has a operational temperature near 400 C. Though this seems hot, the zirconium oxide sensor is quite stable and long lasting at this temperature.
The ZrO2 sensors (1000 C) commonly used for Stack O2 readings only have a life expectancy of 2-3 years. The contributing factor is the high temperatures achieved to gain there readings. PureAire utilizes a similar technology, but due to the lower (400 C) operational temperatures PureAire can increase their life expectancy to 10 years and more.
The ZrO2 oxygen sensor is very similar to the O2 sensors in automobiles for combustion. Every car has a O2 sensor and due to the long life expectancies, this is why automobile manufactures use them.
PureAire continues to strive for perfection. To maximize the most from their oxygen monitors, many years of R&D had to take place. The driving force behind developing the best oxygen monitor was the vision of making a monitor that would last for many years, and be easy for the consumer. Besides their main selling point of having a no maintenance O2 monitor, they have given the user a joystick for maneuvering through the menus. It is responsive while working through the menus, and easy to adjust simple functions such as alarm set points.
The researchers at PureAire wanted to make it a point that nobody should confuse the two technologies of zirconium oxide sensors. While PureAire’s O2 sensor does seemingly have a high operational temperature, all automobiles use a similar technology and nobody seems to think twice about them.
PureAire has been trying to educate people about this technology for years, and companies are starting to recognize them as an industrial O2 monitor leader.
While there are more than 2,000 PureAire oxygen monitors are in the field, people are still becoming aware every day. PureAire’s goal is to be the leading manufacture O2 monitors for 0-25% and if 2011’s growth has anything to show for it, I think they will.
