A family business that has expanded abroad, Oldham (an Industrial Scientific company) started out in coal mine atmosphere monitoring before growing to include ground-level industries. Today, in keeping with its primary mission to protect human life, it is now one of the undisputed worldwide leaders in safety and gas and fire detection. Eliminating death on the job is Oldham’s mission, which it pursues by developing fixed gas detection systems.
Oldham, based in northern France for over a century, was purchased in 2006 by Industrial Scientific, based in the United States. With over 100 years of experience, the applications developed by the company are exceptionally reliable. The result is a broad range of detectors and control units that meet international certification standards such as ATEX, SIL (Safety Integrity Level), CSA, GOST and others. These fixed detection systems measure explosive gases, toxic gases and low oxygen levels, particularly in ATEX areas (explosive atmospheres).
Oldham is the leading supplier of gas detection solutions in France and is recognized in many fields such as the petroleum industry (oil refining, production), petrochemicals, food processing, the auto-mobile industry and in all environments with potential gas hazards (industrial processes, water treatment plants, underground parking lots, local governments, boiler rooms and others). Additionally, in confined spaces toxic gases can build up as well as the oxygen can be depleted making those locations highly dangerous for the plant personnel.
Portable monitors can only protect the individual wearing the monitor and are not capable of protecting the entire plant or to protect unmanned areas. Fixed gas detection systems are then necessary.
The Oldham Gas Detection Transmitters and Controllers are ideally suited for all industries and are being used by the major companies for decades.
WX (from 4 to 64 channels, top left) and MX43 (up to 32 channels, below) controllers are completely adaptable and extremely easy to use. These control units are both digital and analog, which make them very flexible. They can combine conventional 4-20mA output detectors (gas, flame, pH, Temperature, Level, etc.) with Oldham digital detectors. The MX43 allows to remote analog or digital input/output modules over a single digital line whereas WX Controllers provide wireless communication for wiring costs savings.
Other features include RS485 ports for easy access to SCADA systems, programmable relays, backlit LCD screen and data logging. In addition, the WX64 offers a rich set of features including a color display, data logging via 2GB SD Card, zoning, dual RS-485 ports and programmable relays. The WX64 also has a convenient embedded Web page that enables remote viewing and configuration of all 64 channels via a standard Web browser.
Additionally, the WX Series controllers offer the convenience of communicating seamlessly with each other via their analog, digital or wireless signals. This provides the flexibility to enable local area controllers to report their readings back to a primary alarm controller.
Oldham’s infrared transmitters are one of the best and most reliable infrared detectors on the market. Infrared detection technology offers significant advantages when compared to catalytic detectors:
- Fail Safe Technology
- Less Maintenance required
- Immune to poisons
- Operates in oxygen-deficient atmospheres
- Great lifetime expectancy.
The OLCT100 XP IR is SIL 2 certified according to IEC 61508 and EN 50402 and, its Probability of Failure on Demand (PFD) is 0.53 10-3 with a yearly interval maintenance test.
Reinforced ingress protection, stainless steel SS 316L enclosure, dual source, four-beam technology, and heated optics make the OLCT IR suitable for use in harsh environments such as offshore oil and gas platforms, refineries, LNG/LPG plants, gas terminals, FPSO vessels, gas compressor stations, and gas turbine power plants. A low temperature version allows operation down to -50°C for the harshest industrial environment.
The OLCT IR is five years warranted and holds SIL2 certification according to EN 50402 and IEC/EN 61508. The Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and the Probability of Failures on Demand (PDF), both calculated by INERIS, are respectively 28 years and 1,6 10-3 with a one-year interval test.
Both OLCT100 and OLCT IR carry ATEX, IECEx, IN METRO, NEPSI, GOST R and GOST K approvals.
The OLCT 200 is designed for use with multiple gas detection technologies including electro-chemical, catalytic bead, infrared (IR), and photoionization detection (PID) sensors. The infrared sensor provides detection of explosive gases in more severe environmental conditions, where the presence of poisons such H2S could harm the use of a catalytic cell.
Moreover, the OLCT 200 provides users the ability to monitor two different gases simultaneously and further provides the ability to remote mount sensors away from the transmitter and display. This is ideally suited for confined spaces so you can check the gas readings before entering and for applications where gas monitoring is needed in remote or difficult to reach locations.
The OLCT 200 can be configured for 2-wire and 3-wire 4-20mA analog output, Modbus RTU digital output, HART communication and wireless communication. In addition, the OLCT 200 offers optional on-board programmable relays and can be configured with either a painted aluminum or stainless steel explosion-proof housing. Additionally, the OLCT 200 can be configured with a cold climate heater to allow for operation in environments where other transmitters cannot effectively perform.
The OLCT 200’s wireless capability provides customers the benefit of a completely wireless gas detection system. The self-contained transmitter provides onboard battery power and wireless data transmission for most of the OLCT 200’s gas sensors. Furthermore, the OLCT 200’s 900MHz or 2.4GHz wireless communication is directly compatible with all of Oldham’s WX 
series alarm controllers and with Oldham’s MPSIV mobile monitoring system. OLCT 200 configurations can be used in explosion-proof and intrinsically safe applications and it has been approved for use in hazardous locations by CSA. Furthermore, the OLCT 200 hardware has been analyzed by exida LLC to be suitable for use in SIL 2 applications providing evidence of the OLCT 200’s high reliability.
Designed for the detection of toxic gases or oxygen, the CTX300 is intended for use in unclassified areas and is available with electrochemical sensors. The CTX 300 covers all hazard situations and providing extreme flexibility by way of a wide range of sensors. Satisfying your safety requirements means making genuine technical breakthroughs as well as providing clear economic value. Equipped with pre-calibrated sensors and on-board display, the CTX300 allows one-man calibration and significant reduction in costs. The CTX300 is CSA compliant.
Responsible Business Practices
Despite the company’s impressive record of innovation, it has not lost sight of environmental concerns. In 2008, it made a voluntary commitment to sustainable development. Although its products inherently encourage respect for the environment, the company strives to set an example in maintaining strict environ-mental standards. To this end, it followed the FDX 30-205 guide-lines (to phase in an environmental management system) and pursued ISO 14001 certification, which it has held since February 2009. It now implements environmentally friendly practices in all of its processes (R&D, production, administrative offices, maintenance and others). An eight-month carbon inventory process was used to define a preliminary plan of action to address processes that generate greenhouse gases, such as the transport of raw materials, as a top priority.
About Industrial Scientific – Oldham S.A.S.
For more than 100 years, Oldham has specialized in safety and specifically in gas and fire detection. Oldham is headquartered in Arras, France and is a subsidiary of Industrial Scientific Corporation. It employs more than 250 people globally and has operations in France, USA, China and Germany. Oldham’s mission is to be the best provider of fixed-point gas detection systems worldwide. It offers a wide range of application-driven products, expert advice, and only the highest quality and best customer service in all transactions. For more information, visit www.oldhamgas.com.
About Industrial Scientific Corporation
Industrial Scientific Corporation is the world’s leading provider of Gas Detection as a Service. With more than 850 people working in 18 countries, Industrial Scientific is dedicated to eliminating death in the workplace by the end of this century. Achieving this goal requires dedication to delivering highest quality and best customer service in all transactions. Industrial Scientific also focuses on providing analysis of data from equipment use and maintenance to identify problems before they happen. Industrial Scientific has operations based in Pittsburgh (USA), Arras (France), Dortmund (Germany) and Shanghai (China). The company provides technical services to customers from local service centers around the world, and has additional offices in Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Industrial Scientific is the parent company to Oldham (www.oldhamgas.com) and Predictive Solutions Corporation (www.predictivesolutions.com). For more information, visit www.indsci.com.
