Gas leaks gain colour
Developing reliable imaging tools for gas leaks has been the objective of the EU's VOGUE project. The aim was to 'visualise' gas leaks through a combination of technologies in order to arrive at a final marketable product. The breakthrough came with Siemens' innovation in the field of laser diodes, adapted to the requirements of gas detection. The laser diode module provides narrow bandwidth illumination and it incorporates a gas reference cell for methane. The reference cell allows the laser wavelength to lock to the gas absorption wavelength thus lowering power consumption and improving cost efficiency. In spite of its significant technological requirement, the laser diode module has been developed from commercially available sub-components in order to maintain costs low and render the product commercially viable. The Distributed Feedback (DFB) technology that forms part of the laser diode module allows the laser's wavelength to be stabilised allowing only a single wavelength to be reflected. In the case of gas leak detection this technology has been adapted to field conditions and a variety of environmental parameters. The laser diode module appears functional under a different set of conditions and can detect leaks in high and low pressure points in the gas pipe systems. As part of a portable gas detection system, the laser diode represents an innovative breakthrough for the gas industry with potentially key implications in a variety of settings.
