Leak Detective in Action for More Safety
The INFICON company develops and produces, among other things, gas detection and concentration measurement devices. The IRwin® portable natural gas detector is one of them. A product for use in gas pipelines leak detection survey, commissioning and emergency, as well as for Landfill Surface Emission Monitoring. On board: a pyroelectric detector from InfraTec.
Monitoring natural gas plants and gas pipelines is an absolute necessity in the gas supply industry to ensure the safety of people and the environment. For this reason, INFICON has developed the mobile methane measurement device IRwin®, which detects and locates natural gas and methane leaks even in challenging surface structures. IRwin® exists in various versions in which it can distinguish, for example, between gas from leaking pipes and naturally occurring swamp gas. Another version is equipped with hazardous material sensors to protect users before they enter shafts or other potentially dangerous areas.
Mastering Challenges
Prerequisite to safely exclude hazards to people and the environment is high-precision technology. For this reason, INFICON uses the LIM-262 pyroelectric detector from InfraTec for IRwin®.
The planar, multi channel detector responds very quickly to fluctuating gas concentrations and requires an extremely short regeneration phase. This feature is particularly important as gas concentrations between 1ppm up to 100Vol% are measured during leak detection. Another challenge mastered by the LIM-262 is the ability to selectively distinguish between natural gas from leaking pipes and swamp gas. This is done by a patented method based on the LIM-262 signal from several sample concentrations fitted to curves recorded during a factory calibration of the individual detectors. This process measures the amount of non-methane hydrocarbons. Natural gas has such non-methane hydrocarbons whereas swamp gas does not.
With its small size in a TO39 housing, the sensor is optimally suited for use in mobile test equipment. An additional bonus is the LIM-262's low microphonics, so that external interference factors have no influence on the transmission of the output signal. Embedded in a robust and easy-to-use device, the detector from InfraTec reliably fulfils its task.
When compared to other detection methods, e. g. flame ionization detection (FID), this procedure offers more certainty and no room for vague assumptions. Gas leaks are clearly identified without costly boreholes and without a great time expenditure - even under harsh environmental influences and weather conditions. IRwin® is used by gas suppliers worldwide in emergency situations or for monitoring natural gas pipelines.
Use of Pyroelectric Detectors in Practice
One advantage of pyroelectric detectors is the versatility of their applications. Detecting and analyzing gases and gas mixtures, investigating the material composition of organic and inorganic compounds, monitoring flames – all this is of great importance in a wide range of industries. Selected examples will help you to get to know some of the possible applications and, at best, to gain valuable ideas for solving your own measurement and testing tasks.