Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer Research Articles

Detection of Methane Leaks via a Drone-Based System for Sustainable Landfills and Oil and Gas Facilities: Effect of Different Variables on the Background-Noise Measurement

In recent years, thanks to the great diffusion of drone technology and the development of miniaturized sensors that can be connected to drones, in order to increase the sustainability of landfills and oil and gas facilities, interest in finding methane leaks and quantifying the relative flow has grown significantly. This operation requires the methane background concentration to be subtracted from the calculations. Therefore, in order to proceed with a right estimate of CH4 flows emitted, the possibility of correctly measuring or estimating the background level becomes crucial. The present work intends to illustrate the effects of different variables on the background-noise measurement in a drone-based system that uses a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS). The methodology used is that of field testing; the data acquisition campaign consisted of the execution of 80 flights during which different flight variables (drone speed, flight altitude) were tested; the flights were repeated in different weather and climate conditions both during the same day and in different periods of the year. Different surfaces, similar to those found in landfill or natural gas sites, were also tested. In some of the field trials, a controlled methane release test was performed in order to verify how much the quantification of the methane flow can vary depending on the background level used. The results of the different field trials highlighted the best conditions under which to measure methane emissions with a TDLAS sensor in order to minimize the number of outliers: flight altitude not exceeding 15 m above ground level; the drone speed appears to have less impact on the results, however, it is optimal between 1 and 2 ms−1; a very sunny day produces much higher methane background levels than a cloudy one. The type of surface also significantly affects the measurement of background noise. Finally, tests conducted with a controlled methane release highlighted that different levels of background have a significant impact on the estimation of the methane flux emitted.

A Wide-Range and Calibration-Free Spectrometer Which Combines Wavelength Modulation and Direct Absorption Spectroscopy with Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy.

A wide-range, calibration-free tunable diode laser spectrometer is established by combining wavelength modulation and direct absorption spectroscopy (WM-DAS) with continuous wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CW-CRDS). This spectrometer combines the benefits of absolute concentration measurements, wide range, and high speed, using WM-DAS with enhanced noise reduction in CW-CRDS. The accurate baseline ringdown time, τ0, is calculated by the absorption peak (measured by WM-DAS) and the ringdown time containing gas absorption information (measured by CW-CRDS at the center wavelength of the spectral line). The gas concentration is obtained without measuring τ0 in real time, thus, greatly improving the measuring speed. A WM-DAS/CW-CRDS spectrometer at 1.57 μm for CO detection was assembled for experimental validation of the multiplexing scheme over a concentration ranging from 4 ppm to 1.09% (0.1 MPa, 298 K). The measured concentration of CO at 6374.406 cm−1 shows that the dynamic range of this tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer is extendable up to five orders of magnitude and the corresponding precision is improved. The measurement speed of this spectrometer can extend up to 10 ms, and the detection limit can reach 35 ppb within 25 s.

Development of a near-infrared tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer for trace moisture measurements in helium gas

There is a demand for water vapor or moisture measurement in gas mixture at trace level from industries like combustion studies, semiconductor industry, environmental studies, cryogenic services, etc. There are few principles, direct or indirect, to measure moisture—each having individual limitations. Among all, the chilled mirror hygrometer is very accurate but response time is poor; therefore, it is suitable for calibration purposes not for online measurement. An instrument based on near-infrared absorption spectroscopy has been developed and discussed in this article. In this instrument, the laser is modulated with both sinusoidal and slower linear scan, split into two beams: an intense one is passed only through air and the other one through air and the absorption cell of 50 cm length. The balanced detection technique is adopted between the two beams called the reference and the measurement channels, respectively, and the difference signal between the two undergoes the 2-f lock-in detection. This method is good for elimination of moisture present in air and any common-mode noise present in both the channels and as well determines the splitting ratio keeping the absorption cell in vacuum. This method also eliminates the 1-f component present in the signal, which causes asymmetry in the two wings of the 2-f absorption spectra. For computation of absorption spectra, it is found that the Hitran database is sufficient to predict for air as the base gas but Exomol should be used in the cases where helium is the base gas. Simulation and experiment both were performed at different concentration and pressures and the results are found in good agreement for the central spectrum with little difference in wings’ peak. The sensitivity of this instrument achieved at 100 mb pressure in the absorption cell for helium as the base gas with refresh rate of 625 Hz is ∼17 ppmv and ∼4 ppmv for direct and 2-f measurement, respectively. The applicability of the instrument for air as the base gas is also shown in the paper.

High-speed multi-pass tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer based on frequency-modulation spectroscopy.

We report a multi-pass tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer based on the frequency-modulation spectroscopy (FMS) technique. It has the advantage of high scan speed and is immune to the etalon effect. A multi-pass Herriott-type cell was used in the spectrometer to increase the effective optical length to 17.5 m and compact the physical dimensions of the spectrometer to 60×30×30 cm3. Noise due to low-frequency fluctuation of the laser power and the 1/f noise in the rapid detection are sufficiently reduced by FMS. Interference fringes are effectively suppressed when the modulation frequency equals to integer or half-integer times of their free spectral range (FSR). An absorption line of C2H2 around 1.51 µm was recorded with the spectrometer to demonstrate its capabilities. The response frequency of the spectrometer is up to 100 kHz (10 µs) thanks to the high modulation frequency of FMS. The detection sensitivity of the spectrometer is about 240 ppb (3σ) at 100 kHz measurement repetition rate. The amplitude of the absorption signal is highly linear to the C2H2 concentration in the range of 300 ppb -100 ppm. Based on the Allan variation, the detection limit was determined to be 18 ppb with a detection time of 166 s.

Line parameters of 12CH4 around 2008 μm studied by tunable diode laser spectroscopy with a long-path White cell

The absorption spectrum of CH412 at 2.008 μm has been recorded at 296 K, using a high-resolution tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer combined with a long-path, multi-pass White cell. The line positions, intensities, and self-broadening coefficients for 32 transitions of the lower part of the Tetradecad in the 4975–4985 cm−1 spectral range of CH412 have been measured. To our knowledge, no experimental information has been obtained for the self-broadening coefficients of these lines before. Comparisons of the line parameters determined in the present work with those from HITRAN2016 line lists are provided.

Large impacts of small methane fluxes on carbon isotope values of soil respiration

Carbon dioxide isotope (δ13C of CO2) analysis is increasingly used to address a broad range of questions involving soil C dynamics and respiration sources. However, attaining δ13C mass balance is critical for robust interpretation. Many ecosystems exhibit methane (CH4) fluxes that are small in the context of total C budgets, yet may significantly impact δ13C values of CO2 due to large kinetic fractionations during CH4 production. Thus, the δ13C values of CO2 do not directly reflect respiration C sources when co-occurring with CH4, but few studies of terrestrial soils have considered this phenomenon. To assess how CH4 altered the interpretation of δ13C values of CO2, we incubated a Mollisol and Oxisol amended with C4-derived plant litter for 90 days under two headspace treatments: a fluctuating anaerobic/aerobic treatment (four days of anaerobic conditions alternating with four days of aerobic conditions), and a static aerobic treatment (control). We measured δ13C values of CO2 and CH4 with a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer, using a novel in-line combustion method for CH4. Cumulative δ13C of CO2 differed significantly between treatments in both soils. The δ13C values of CO2 were affected by relatively small CH4 fluxes in the fluctuating anaerobic/aerobic treatment. Effects of CH4 on δ13C values of CO2 were greater in the Oxisol due to its higher percent contribution of CH4 to total C mineralization (18%) than in the Mollisol (3%) during periods of elevated CH4 production. When CH4 accounted for just 2% of total C mineralization, the δ13C values of CO2 differed from total C mineralization by 0.3–1‰, and by 1.4–4.8‰ when CH4 was 10% of C mineralization. These differences are highly significant when interpreting natural abundance δ13C data. Small CH4 fluxes may strongly alter the δ13C values of CO2 relative to total mineralized C. A broad range of mineral and peatland soils can experience temporary oxygen deficits. In these dynamic redox environments, the δ13C values of CO2 should be interpreted with caution and ideally combined with δ13C of CH4 when partitioning sources and mechanisms of soil respiration.

Evaluation of a lower-powered analyzer and sampling system for eddy-covariance measurements of nitrous oxide fluxes

Abstract. Nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes measured using the eddy-covariance method capture the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of N2O emissions. Most closed-path trace-gas analyzers for eddy-covariance measurements have large-volume, multi-pass absorption cells that necessitate high flow rates for ample frequency response, thus requiring high-power sample pumps. Other sampling system components, including rain caps, filters, dryers, and tubing, can also degrade system frequency response. This field trial tested the performance of a closed-path eddy-covariance system for N2O flux measurements with improvements to use less power while maintaining the frequency response. The new system consists of a thermoelectrically cooled tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer configured to measure both N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2). The system features a relatively small, single-pass sample cell (200 mL) that provides good frequency response with a lower-powered pump ( ∼ 250 W). A new filterless intake removes particulates from the sample air stream with no additional mixing volume that could degrade frequency response. A single-tube dryer removes water vapour from the sample to avoid the need for density or spectroscopic corrections, while maintaining frequency response. This eddy-covariance system was collocated with a previous tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer model to compare N2O and CO2 flux measurements for two full growing seasons (May 2015 to October 2016) in a fertilized cornfield in Southern Ontario, Canada. Both spectrometers were placed outdoors at the base of the sampling tower, demonstrating ruggedness for a range of environmental conditions (minimum to maximum daily temperature range: −26.1 to 31.6 °C). The new system rarely required maintenance. An in situ frequency-response test demonstrated that the cutoff frequency of the new system was better than the old system (3.5 Hz compared to 2.30 Hz) and similar to that of a closed-path CO2 eddy-covariance system (4.05 Hz), using shorter tubing and no dryer, that was also collocated at the site. Values of the N2O fluxes were similar between the two spectrometer systems (slope = 1.01, r2 = 0.96); CO2 fluxes as measured by the short-tubed eddy-covariance system and the two spectrometer systems correlated well (slope = 1.03, r2 = 0.998). The new lower-powered tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer configuration with the filterless intake and single-tube dryer showed promise for deployment in remote areas.

Temperature dependence of line parameters of near studied by tunable diode laser spectroscopy**Project supported by the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41205021 and 61701006), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 2015264), and the Scientific Research Foundation of the Higher Education Institutions of Anhui Province, China

The absorption spectrum of carbon dioxide at has been recorded at sample temperatures between 218.0 K and room temperature, by using a high-resolution tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS) combined with a temperature controlled cryogenically cooled absorption cell. The self-, N2-, and air-broadening coefficients for nine transitions of belonging to the band in the 4987 cm−1–4998 cm−1 region have been measured at different temperatures. From these measurements, we have further determined the temperature dependence exponents of the pressure-broadening coefficients. To the best of our knowledge, the temperature dependence parameters of the collisional broadening coefficients are reported experimentally for the first time for these nine transitions. The measured halfwidth coefficients and the air temperature dependence exponents of these transitions are compared with the available values reported in the literature and HITRAN 2012 database. Agreements and discrepancies are also discussed.

An open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer for detection of carbon dioxide at the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research Site near Fairbanks, Alaska

We have developed a low-power, open-path, near-infrared (NIR) tunable diode laser sensor for the measurement of near ground-level concentrations of greenhouse gases. Here, we report on instrument design, characterization, and initial measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations during deployment to a thermokarst collapse scar bog near Fairbanks, AK (USA). The optics “launch-box” portion of the instrument couples radiation from an NIR, distributed feedback diode laser operating near 1572 nm with a visible laser for alignment purposes. The outgoing beam is directed through a 3.2-mm hole in a parabolic mirror and the launch-box is oriented using a two axis, altitude-azimuth telescope mount such that the beam strikes a retroreflector target at a set distance downfield. The beam then retraces the path back to the launch-box where the light is collected on the surface of the parabolic mirror and focused onto a multimode fiber that transfers the radiation to an InGaAs detector. Sweeps over a ~1.6 cm−1 spectral region were collected at a rate of 500 scans per second and were typically stored as 10 s sweep averages. These averaged sweeps could be individually spectrally fit for CO2 concentration or averaged into a single spectrum for fitting (after correction for slight frequency drift). Field data reported here was averaged for 2.5 min and was found to follow trends in diurnal cycles of CO2 concentration cycles reported by sensors located nearby in the field site.

Measurements of new absorption lines of acetylene at 1.53 μm using a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer

A new investigation of acetylene absorption lines between 6526.5 and 6531.5cm−1 spectral region was performed by using a long-path absorption cell based tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer. The multi-spectrum fitting procedure has been applied to these intensive absorption lines of acetylene within the spectral range of particular interest to recover the line parameters. Line intensities and line positions of total 42 lines of acetylene were reported, including 22 new lines precisely identified for the first time. The reported results will be valuable to complete the spectroscopic databases of acetylene, and also be useful for upgrading our newly developed TDLAS sensor system for industrial C2H2 gas detection.

Ammonia concentration distribution measurements in the exhaust of a heavy duty diesel engine based on limited data absorption tomography.

A multichannel tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer is used to measure absolute ammonia concentrations and their distributions in exhaust gas applications with intense CO2 and H2O background. Designed for in situ diagnostics in SCR after treatment systems with temperatures up to 800 K, the system employs a fiber coupled near-infrared distributed feedback diode laser. With the laser split into eight coplanar beams crossing the exhaust pipe, the sensor provides eight concentration measurements simultaneously. Three ammonia ro-vibrational transitions coinciding near 2200.5 nm with rather weak temperature dependency and negligible CO2/H2O interference were probed during the measurements. The line-of-sight averaged channel concentrations are transformed into 2-D ammonia distributions using limited data IR species tomography based on Tikhonov regularization. This spectrometer was successfully applied in the exhaust system of a 340 kW heavy duty diesel engine operated without oxidation catalyst or particulate filter. In this harsh environment the multi-channel sensor achieved single path ammonia detection limits of 25 to 80 ppmV with a temporal resolution of 1 Hz whereas, while operated as a single-channel sensor, these characteristics improved to 10 ppmV and 100 Hz. Spatial averaging of the reconstructed 2-D ammonia distributions shows good agreement to cross-sectional extractive measurements. In contrast to extractive methods more information about spatial inhomogeneities and transient operating conditions can be derived from the new spectrometer.

An improved non-contact thermometer and hygrometer with rapid response

Previously (Underwood et al 2015 Meteorol. Appl. 22 830) we reported first tests of a device capable of simultaneous, non-contact, temperature and humidity (NCTAH) measurements in air. The device used an acoustic thermometer and a tuneable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS), a combination which should be capable of an extremely rapid response to changes in humidity as it does not require moisture in a solid-state matrix to equilibrate with the surrounding air. In this paper we report recent developments of the instrument focussed on reducing its response time so that it can be used as a reference instrument for assessing the response time of conventional humidity sensors. In addition, the interdependence of the temperature and humidity estimates is now accounted for in real-time using an iterative procedure, which eliminates the need for data post-processing.The TDLAS measures water molecule number density based on the transmission of an infrared beam (approximate wavelength 1360 nm) through a 0.6 m path length. The acoustic thermometer is based around a fixed-path acoustic interferometer. The improved NCTAH device now produces estimates of the water molecule number density every 20 ms and the temperature output displays an RC filter-like response, with a time constant of approximately 30 ms.The instrument has been tested in a climatic chamber through a temperature range of −40 °C to +40 °C and a dew point range of −43 °C to +38 °C, at atmospheric pressure, comparing the instrument readings with those from a calibrated hygrometer and four platinum resistance thermometers. In steady-state conditions, the instrument readings are in good agreement with the conventional sensors, with temperature differences less than 1 °C (repeatability 0.1 °C), and humidity differences mostly within 5% of mixing ratio. Under transient conditions, we demonstrate how the instrument can be used to evaluate the response times of conventional sensors.

Tunable Laser Monitors Microbes in Packaged Foods, Medical Supplies

Combining a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS) with wavelength modulation (WM) yields an instrument that can rapidly detect carbon dioxide to monitor microbial growth, including in packaged food products and medical instruments and supplies, according to Jie Shao at Zhejiang Normal University in Jinhua, China, and his collaborators there and at Umea University in Umea, Sweden. Details appeared 20 March 2016 in Applied Optics (doi:10.1364/AO.55.002339).

Advancements, measurement uncertainties, and recent comparisons of the NOAA frost point hygrometer.

The NOAA frost point hygrometer (FPH) is a balloon-borne instrument flown monthly at three sites to measure water vapor profiles up to 28 km. The FPH record from Boulder, Colorado, is the longest continuous stratospheric water vapor record. The instrument has an uncertainty in the stratosphere that is < 6 % and up to 12 % in the troposphere. A digital microcontroller version of the instrument improved upon the older versions in 2008 with sunlight filtering, better frost control, and resistance to radio frequency interference (RFI). A new thermistor calibration technique was implemented in 2014, decreasing the uncertainty in the thermistor calibration fit to less than 0.01 °C over the full range of frost – or dew point temperatures (−93 to +20 °C) measured during a profile. Results from multiple water vapor intercomparisons are presented, including the excellent agreement between the NOAA FPH and the direct tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (dTDLAS) MC-PicT-1.4 during AquaVIT-2 chamber experiments over 6 days that provides confidence in the accuracy of the FPH measurements. Dual instrument flights with two FPHs or an FPH and a cryogenic frost point hygrometer (CFH) also show good agreement when launched on the same balloon. The results from these comparisons demonstrate the high level of accuracy of the NOAA FPH.

A combined non‐contact acoustic thermometer and infrared hygrometer for atmospheric measurements

ABSTRACTTemperature and humidity measurements in the upper atmosphere are of critical importance for understanding the Earth's climate. However, such measurements are difficult for several reasons. Rising sondes carry moisture upwards, compromising measurements in the dry stratospheric environment. In addition, the difference in the time constants of thermometers and hygrometers leads to difficulties in determining the extent of saturation of the air. Finally, the effects of insolation, evaporative cooling and the poor thermal contact with the air compound the other measurement problems.To address these issues, tests on a new non‐contact temperature and humidity sensor (non‐contact thermometer and hygrometer, NCTAH), which can make rapid non‐contact measurements in atmospheric air, have been reported.The temperature and humidity measurements are made using an acoustic interferometer and a tuneable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS), respectively. This combination of sensors offers many potential advantages and allows each sensor to supply a key correction required by the other. The present study describes the design rationale and reports test results measured at the National Physical Laboratory and results from simulated ascents through the atmosphere (to −57 °C and 130 hPa characteristic of an altitude of 15 km) at the Planetary Environment Facility at the University of Aarhus, Denmark.The NCTAH makes two temperature measurements per second with a resolution of ∼0.01 °C and a likely uncertainty of measurement of u(k = 1) = 0.1 °C. Water vapour mixing ratios were measured over a range of ∼100 to 3 x 104 ppmv corresponding to dew points from −42 to +24 °C at atmospheric pressure.

Near infrared diode laser absorption spectroscopy of acetylene between 6523 and 6587 cm−1

Spectroscopic parameters of the ν1+ν3∑u+-0∑g+ bands of acetylene near 1.525μm have been revised at room temperature. In the spectral region ranging from 6523 to 6587cm−1, ten lines of C2H2 have been analyzed using a high resolution tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer. These transitions are well appropriate to the monitoring of acetylene by laser absorption spectroscopy. The Voigt model is used to fit the molecular absorption lineshape and to provide accurate spectroscopic line parameters. Our data have been found in agreement well with those given in the latest HITRAN database.

Robust, spatially scanning, open-path TDLAS hygrometer using retro-reflective foils for fast tomographic 2-D water vapor concentration field measurements

Abstract. We have developed a fast, spatially scanning direct tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (dTDLAS) that combines four polygon-mirror based scanning units with low-cost retro-reflective foils. With this instrument, tomographic measurements of absolute 2-D water vapor concentration profiles are possible without any calibration using a reference gas. A spatial area of 0.8 m × 0.8 m was covered, which allows for application in soil physics, where greenhouse gas emission from certain soil structures shall be monitored. The whole concentration field was measured with up to 2.5 Hz. In this paper, we present the setup and spectroscopic performance of the instrument regarding the influence of the polygon rotation speed and mode on the absorption signal. Homogeneous H2O distributions were measured and compared to a single channel, bi-static reference TDLAS spectrometer for validation of the instrument. Good accuracy and precision with errors of less than 6% of the absolute concentration and length and bandwidth normalized detection limits of up to 1.1 ppmv · m (Hz)−0.5 were achieved. The spectrometer is a robust and easy to set up instrument for tomographic reconstructions of 2-D-concentration fields that can be considered as a good basis for future field measurements in environmental research.

A two-channel, tunable diode laser-based hygrometer for measurement of water vapor and cirrus cloud ice water content in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

Abstract. The recently developed NOAA Water instrument is a two-channel, closed-path, tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer designed for the measurement of upper troposphere/lower stratosphere water vapor and enhanced total water (vapor + inertially enhanced condensed phase) from the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or other high-altitude research aircraft. The instrument utilizes wavelength-modulated spectroscopy with second harmonic detection near 2694 nm to achieve high precision with a 79 cm double-pass optical path. The detection cells are operated under constant temperature, pressure, and flow conditions to maintain a constant sensitivity to H2O independent of the ambient sampling environment. An onboard calibration system is used to perform periodic in situ calibrations to verify the stability of the instrument sensitivity during flight. For the water vapor channel, ambient air is sampled perpendicular to the flow past the aircraft in order to reject cloud particles, while the total water channel uses a heated, forward-facing inlet to sample both water vapor and cloud particles. The total water inlet operates subisokinetically, thereby inertially enhancing cloud particle number in the sample flow and affording increased cloud water content sensitivity. The NOAA Water instrument was flown for the first time during the second deployment of the Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) in February–March 2013 on the NASA Global Hawk UAS. The instrument demonstrated a typical in-flight precision (1 s, 1σ) of better than 0.17 parts per million (ppm, 10−6 mol mol−1), with an overall H2O vapor measurement uncertainty of 5% ± 0.23 ppm. The inertial enhancement for cirrus cloud particle sampling under ATTREX flight conditions ranged from 33 to 48 for ice particles larger than 8 μm in diameter, depending primarily on aircraft altitude. The resulting ice water content detection limit (2σ) was 0.023–0.013 ppm, corresponding to approximately 2 μg m−3, with an estimated overall uncertainty of 20%.

Rapid, time-division multiplexed, direct absorption- and wavelength modulation-spectroscopy.

We present a tunable diode laser spectrometer with a novel, rapid time multiplexed direct absorption- and wavelength modulation-spectroscopy operation mode. The new technique allows enhancing the precision and dynamic range of a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer without sacrificing accuracy. The spectroscopic technique combines the benefits of absolute concentration measurements using calibration-free direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (dTDLAS) with the enhanced noise rejection of wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). In this work we demonstrate for the first time a 125 Hz time division multiplexed (TDM-dTDLAS-WMS) spectroscopic scheme by alternating the modulation of a DFB-laser between a triangle-ramp (dTDLAS) and an additional 20 kHz sinusoidal modulation (WMS). The absolute concentration measurement via the dTDLAS-technique allows one to simultaneously calibrate the normalized 2f/1f-signal of the WMS-technique. A dTDLAS/WMS-spectrometer at 1.37 μm for H2O detection was built for experimental validation of the multiplexing scheme over a concentration range from 50 to 3000 ppmV (0.1 MPa, 293 K). A precision of 190 ppbV was achieved with an absorption length of 12.7 cm and an averaging time of two seconds. Our results show a five-fold improvement in precision over the entire concentration range and a significantly decreased averaging time of the spectrometer.

Determination of methane emission rates on a biogas plant using data from laser absorption spectrometry

The aim of the work was to establish a method for emission control of biogas plants especially the observation of fugitive methane emissions. The used method is in a developmental stage but the topic is crucial to environmental and economic issues.A remote sensing measurement method was adopted to determine methane emission rates of a biogas plant in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. An inverse dispersion model was used to deduce emission rates. This technique required one concentration measurement with an open path tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS) downwind and upwind the source and basic wind information, like wind speed and direction.Different operating conditions of the biogas plant occurring on the measuring day (December 2013) could be represented roughly in the results. During undisturbed operational modes the methane emission rate averaged 2.8g/s, which corresponds to 4% of the methane gas production rate of the biogas plant.