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How To Choose a Gas Regulator

April 7, 2021

Gases are essential parts of many scientific processes, and they require careful management. Technicians must avoid low and high pressures and volumes of their gases. Otherwise, they could ruin their project or even blow it apart. Here is how to choose a gas regulator that fits your needs.

What Gas Will You Use?

The first step in choosing a gas regulator is knowing the exact type of gas you will use. Whether you use one gas or a mixture, you should understand what you pump through a gas regulator. Your specialty gases need careful monitoring and evaluation while flowing through a system. Each gas reacts slightly differently in certain pressure and temperature situations, so it’s essential to have regulators that can withstand the gas you use.

What Pressures Will You Use?

When using specialty gases or any other kind of gas, you will push them through the system under certain pressures. Gas regulators rely on their structural integrity to hold back flowing gases. When you totally shut off the flow, you’ll need a regulator that can withstand the pressure building behind the closed gate. That’s why knowing your planned inlet and outlet pressures is so vital—too much can break the regulator.

What System Will You Use?

How you apply the gas regulator will change the type you need. There are two main kinds that offer slightly different results: single and dual stage. Single stage regulators reduce pressure in one step within a specific range. However, there will be a slight variation in pressure delivery. Due to this change, you should only use a single stage regulator if you don’t need constant outlet pressure or if the inlet pressure is constant.

Dual stage regulators offer pressure reduction in two steps instead of one. This added layer ensures a steady delivery pressure that remains constant even while the cylinder pressure drops. Since this option offers greater accuracy in pressure control, dual stage gas regulators are the better option for those needing precise delivery the entire way through.

Knowing how to choose a gas regulator is critical to the success of every scientific and engineering endeavor. If you have any more questions, reach out to us as Mesa Gas, your solution for all specialty gas needs.