Single photon Lidar gas imagers for practical and widespread continuous methane monitoring. (15th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Titchener, James; Millington-Smith, Doug; Goldsack, Chris; Harrison, George; Dunning, Alexander; Ai, Xiao; Reed, Murray
• Is Part Of: Applied energy. Volume 306:Part B(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01-15
• Subjects: Natural gas -- Methane -- Fugitive emissions -- Gas sensor -- Optical gas imaging -- Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy conservation -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118086
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-2619

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: A novel gas imager using Single-Photon Lidar with Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy. Imaging of methane leaks as low as 0.012 g/s and at ranges of up to 90 m. A low power lidar imager for industrial methane monitoring. Abstract: The accurate and comprehensive identification and quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is an essential part of the management and mitigation of climate change. We are developing a novel remote gas imaging sensor for the detection, visualisation, and quantification of methane emissions. The sensor uses a new technique we call Tunable Diode Lidar (TDLidar) which combines aspects of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) with Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) to enable remote spectroscopy and ranging with low power semiconductor diode lasers. Our first TDLidar methane sensors use diode lasers with wavelengths around the CH4 absorption line at 1.6509 μ m and Peltier-cooled Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) detectors in a Random Modulation Continuous Wave (RM-CW) Lidar system. Here we characterise our TDLidar methane sensor performance with calibrated gas cells and controlled gas release trials and we demonstrate quantification of leak rates as low as 0.012 g/s and detection at distances over 90 m. The accuracy, speed, and practicality of the sensor, combined with an expectation of low-cost in volume, offers the potential that these sensors can be effectively applied for widespread continuous and autonomous monitoring of industrial methane emissions.