Airborne detection of natural gas leaks from transmission pipelines by using a laser system operating in visual, near-IR and mid-IR wavelength bands

摘要

An airborne gas detection IR system which includes a laser, infrared imager and video-recorder is described. The sensitivity of the system to leaks from ground pipelines by the laser channel is about 100 ppm~*m at 100 m (by methane). The IR thermographic channel plays an auxiliary role and the video channel allows better coordinate positioning of detected gas leaks in conjunction with a built-in GPS device.