Undetected Gas Leaks in Everyday Operations
Hazardous gases are present in many industrial settings: an oil rig, a semiconductor fab, a chemical facility, or a clean energy plant. A leak that goes undetected isn’t just a maintenance issue, it’s a safety risk, a production loss, an environmental hazard, and in the worst cases, a matter of life and death.
From Canaries to Catalytic Beads
Gas detection has come a long way. You’ve probably head the phrase “canary in the coal mine.” This comes from an old practice where coal miners used canaries to signal the presence of methane. Detecting the presence of dangerous or unwanted gases early and accurately has come a long way, and Mott is leading the way for the most advanced gas detection technology.
Today’s gas detection systems use a “sensory suite” that includes:
- Catalytic bead detectors that “smell” flammable gases
- Infrared and optical sensors that “see” chemical presence
- Ultrasonic sensors that “hear” high-pressure gas leaks
As industrial processes become more automated and miniaturized, detection systems must evolve to meet new technical demands, without sacrificing reliability.
Gas detection is mission-critical—and it’s expanding into new industries.
You know the high-risk sectors: mining or refining, which require advanced gas monitoring. But did you know food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, water treatment, and oceanographic research rely on gas detection systems as well?
Food & Beverage
In modified-atmosphere packaging, nitrogen is used to extend shelf life by displacing oxygen. Real-time leak detection ensures that compromised packaging doesn’t lead to spoilage or waste, so your meals and drinks remain safe for consumption.
Pharmaceuticals
Trace gas detection methods help identify microscopic pinholes in vials or blister packs—ensuring product safety across the supply chain. Ensuring your medications are contaminant free is essential to your safety and health.
Oceanographic Research
Ocean acidification from rising CO₂ is transforming marine ecosystems. To track this, scientists use autonomous ocean monitors that float for up to 5 years, measuring pH, oxygen, temperature, and nutrients. Clog-resistant porous components are key to keeping these systems reliable.
In every one of these applications, the integrity of the sensor is only as good as the component design behind it. That’s where Mott’s engineered porous metal comes in.
Portable Detection in the Field
In the age of real-time analytics and mobile diagnostics, detection systems are getting smaller and smarter. There are many common everyday processes you encounter that you may not have known are using gas detection methods:
- Environmental Monitoring involves portable water quality sensors to eliminate the need for transporting heavy samples, enabling fast, in-situ testing with greater accuracy.
- Airport Security uses compact detection wands with gas chromatography to detect trace explosives or narcotics on-site in seconds.
- Public Health is monitored in high-traffic zones like airports and stadiums, deploying bioaerosol surveillance to track and contain airborne viruses.
Designing systems at this scale requires microfluidic channels, precision filtration, and stable flow paths. Mott’s custom components are trusted in these applications, holding up under tight tolerances, extreme environments, and long deployment cycles, no matter the size.
We Engineer Reliability—Bring Us Your Challenge
For decades, Mott has partnered with OEMs across industries to design custom detection solutions with:
- Flame arrestor integration
- Ultra-precise flow control
- Sample wicking capabilities
- Sensor shielding
- Acoustic noise suppression
At our Customer Innovation Center, clients collaborate directly with our engineers to build and validate components early in the design process, reducing risk and accelerating time to market.
With our patent-pending 3D printing of porous metal components, we now enable design freedom at a scale never before possible—combining porous and solid features into a single, integrated part.
Whether you’re scaling down a handheld sensor, building a next-gen gas analyzer, or safeguarding a complex process line, Mott engineers are always up to the challenge.
