HF sensor
Hydrogen fluoride
Reliable real-time
data on HF
GasPlug TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN
Where is it found?
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a colourless gas. It is highly corrosive and toxic, with a sharp, irritating odour. When dissolved in water, it forms hydrofluoric acid, a strong and dangerous acid used industrially.
HF can be found in various natural (volcanic activity) and industrial applications, such as aluminium production, petroleum refining, and in some mines with fluorine-containing minerals (phosphogypsum deposits).
Why is it harmful?
HF poses severe health and environmental hazards due to its highly corrosive and toxic nature. Upon contact, it can penetrate deep into the skin, causing serious tissue damage and life-threatening disruptions. Inhalation of HF vapours can lead to severe respiratory issues, and chronic exposure may cause skeletal fluorosis.
Environmentally, HF contributes to acid rain, damages vegetation, contaminates soil, and poses a serious risk to wildlife and livestock due to fluoride accumulation in ecosystems.
HF cartridge
The HF cartridge has a built-in electrochemical sensor that allows measuring HF at fugitive emissions, despite the fleetingness of HF, which is rapidly deposited.
This cartridge shows high accuracy thanks to the Kunak algorithm, which corrects the background noise caused by environmental conditions. Additionally, the cartridge is calibrated using HF gas (not other gases), ensuring high specificity and reliability in HF detection. On the other hand, the HF cartridge has a high cross-sensitivity with H2S; it is therefore recommended to use an H2S cartridge together with the HF cartridge when high H2S concentrations are present (at ppm level).
These features ensure the HF cartridge delivers reliable and precise monitoring in complex field conditions.
Technical specifications
- Measurement range: concentration range measured by the sensor.
- Resolution: smallest unit of measurement that can be indicated by the sensor.
- Operating temperature range: temperature interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements. (**) In PM sensor Type A: -40 to 50ºC with heater (more information on this version on request).
- Operating RH range: humidity interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements.
- Recommended RH range: Recommended relative humidity range for optimal sensor performance. Continuous exposure outside the recommended range may damage the cartridge.
- Operating life: time period during which the sensor can operate effectively and accurately under normal conditions.
- Guarantee range: concentration range covered by Kunak's guarantee.
- LOD (Limit Of Detection): measured at laboratory conditions at 20ºC and 50% RH. The limit of detection is the minimum concentration that can be detected as significantly different at zero gas concentration, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Repeatability: measured at laboratory conditions at 20ºC and 50% RH. Closeness of the agreement between the results of successive measurements of the same measure carried out under the same conditions of measurement, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Response time: time needed by the sensor to reach 90% of the final stable value.
- Typical precision - R2: statistics obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments in field test between -10 to +30ºC at different locations. (*) For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in presence of coarse particles.
- Typical accuracy: for criteria pollutants is the average Mean Absolute Error (MAE) obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries. For other pollutants is the expected error of the measurement at the reading.
- DQO-Typical U(exp): Data Quality Objetive expresed as the Expanded Uncertainity in the Limit Value obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries, calculated according to the European Air Quality Directive 2024/2881 and from the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660. (*) For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in presence of coarse particles.
- Typical intra-model variability: calculated as the standard deviation of the three sensor means in 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries.
A, B, C, D superindex: the super indexes refer to different types of cartridges related to the same target pollutant but with different technical specifications.
