Hyperspectral Gas Leak Detection Using Thermal Contrast Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infrared and hyperspectral imaging systems fail to accurately account for thermal contrast between gas leaks and background temperatures, leading to inaccurate detection and quantification of gas emissions, which can result in significant costs and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating infrared imaging devices and temperature probes to determine background and gas temperatures, calculating thermal contrast, and generating detection limit maps to accurately quantify gas leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional infrared imaging systems are used to detect gas leaks, then the system structure remains simple, but the detection precision is insufficient due to failure to account for thermal contrast between gas and background
Solution Approach 1:
A temperature probe is introduced as an intermediary device to measure the background temperature separately. This mediator enables the system to account for thermal contrast effects without fundamentally redesigning the imaging system, thereby improving detection precision while limiting the increase in system complexity to a single additional sensor component.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter approach by explicitly measuring and incorporating background temperature as a separate parameter. Instead of relying solely on the infrared image intensity, the system now uses both image data and background temperature measurements to calculate thermal contrast, thereby improving detection precision through enhanced parameter utilization.
2Measurement precision
If background temperature is not accounted for in gas leak detection, then the measurement process remains simple, but the quantification accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature probe serves as a mediator to obtain background temperature measurements. This intermediary enables accurate quantification by providing the necessary background temperature data, while the measurement complexity increase is limited to adding a single temperature sensing component rather than a complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback by continuously measuring background temperature and using this information to adjust the detection and quantification processes. The background temperature measurement feeds back into the analysis to correct for thermal contrast effects, thereby improving quantification accuracy through iterative refinement.
3Reliability
If thermal contrast is not considered in detection limit calculations, then the calculation process remains simple, but the reliability of detection limits is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The calculation approach changes by incorporating background temperature as a key parameter in detection limit calculations. Instead of using fixed or simplified detection thresholds, the system dynamically calculates detection limits based on measured background temperature and thermal contrast, thereby improving reliability through more accurate and context-aware calculation parameters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise detection and quantification of gas leaks by accounting for thermal contrast, reducing costs and enhancing workplace safety.
Implementation Method 1
a first infrared (IR) imaging device configured to generate first IR image data of a field of view of the first IR imaging device
Implementation Method 2
receive probe temperature data from a temperature probe communicably coupled with the computing device where the probe temperature data may be indicative of an external environment of the imaging system
Implementation Method 3
determine a thermal contrast for each pixel based upon a comparison between the background temperature data and the gas temperature data
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer program products for thermal contrast determinations are provided. An example imaging system includes a first infrared (IR) imaging device that generates first IR image data of a field of view of the first IR imaging device and a computing device connected with the first IR imaging device. The computing device receives probe temperature data from a temperature probe indicative of an external environment of the imaging system and receives the first IR image data from the first IR imaging device. The computing device determines background temperature data based upon the first IR image data, determines gas temperature data based upon the probe temperature data, and determines a thermal contrast for each pixel based upon a comparison between the background temperature data and the gas temperature data. The computing device further determines a detection limit for each pixel as a function of thermal contrast.