Differential-Absorption Lidar (DIAL) Methane Monitor

Commercial Product

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Damage Prevention and Mitigation -- Leak Detection

Methane Monitor is a differential-absorption lidar (DIAL) methane detection system that uses two lasers of slightly different infrared wavelengths to map the ground and measure atmospheric methane. Methane strongly absorbs one of the wavelengths (at about 1,645.55 nm, the “on-resonance beam”) and is virtually transparent to the other—at about 1645.4 nm, the “off-resonance beam”). DIAL makes 1,000 to 10,000 measurements per second, firing the off- and on-resonance beams a few nanoseconds apart. The lasers light bounces off the ground and scatters back to the receiver, and the system calculates the intensity differences between the returns to measure the amount of methane in the beams’ paths.

Enables LIDAR measurements with single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft, reducing operating costs and improving safety compared to helicopter-based sensors. Cruising in calm conditions at an altitude of 500 to 1000 meters, Methane Monitor can detect methane leaking at 50 cubic feet per hour, while sweeping a corridor up to 60 meters wide and providing real-time heat-map images of methane plumes overlaid on ground images.

Increased Safety - Technology can reduce the time to detect, localize, and address leaks in natural gas infrastructure over large areas.

Reduced Operations Cost -

http://www.ball.com/aerospace/markets-capabilities/capabilities/antennas,-instruments-sensors/laser-lidar-imaging
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/at-work/test-and-measurement/catching-fugitive-methane-on-the-fly