Tracer Gas Correlation for Remote Emission Flow Computation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods are inadequate for accurately measuring and quantifying diffuse and short-lived greenhouse gas emissions, particularly those with low concentrations, due to measurement inaccuracies and difficulties in accessing emission sources located in inaccessible or hard-to-reach areas.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a drone to collect data on both the target gas and a tracer gas emitted by a source, calculating a correlation coefficient between the two, and computing the flow of the target gas based on the measured or computed flow of the tracer gas and this coefficient, allowing for precise determination of gas flows even at low concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If measurement is performed close to the emission source to accurately capture gas flow, then measurement precision is improved, but accessibility and safety are worsened due to inaccessible locations and hazardous environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a tracer gas as an intermediary substance that is easier to measure than the target gas. The tracer gas is released at the emission source and mixes with the target gas in the plume. By measuring the tracer gas concentration (which has stronger signal) and using it as a proxy, the system can accurately quantify target gas emissions without needing to measure the target gas directly at the source location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical/physical measurement of target gas at the source with a remote optical measurement system. Instead of placing sensors close to the emission source, the system uses a drone equipped with spectral sensors to remotely measure gas concentrations in the plume from a distance, substituting direct contact measurement with remote sensing technology.
2Reliability
If measurement is performed at low gas concentrations to monitor emissions, then environmental compliance is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to detection limits
Solution Approach 1:
The tracer gas acts as a mediator with the property of producing a stronger measurement signal than the target gas at equivalent concentrations. This allows the system to achieve sufficient signal strength for accurate measurement while still operating at the low concentration levels typical of emission plumes, thereby maintaining both reliability and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from directly measuring target gas concentration to measuring the ratio between tracer gas and target gas concentrations. By measuring the tracer gas (which has higher concentration and stronger signal) and using it as a reference, the system can accurately determine target gas emissions even when target gas concentration is very low.
3Measurement precision
If direct measurement of target gas is performed to ensure accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple gas detection requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the detection system to directly and simultaneously measure both target gas and tracer gas (which would increase complexity), the system uses the tracer gas as an intermediary that simplifies the measurement process. The tracer gas measurement serves as a proxy for target gas measurement, reducing the complexity of the detection system while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the target gas itself and transfers it to the tracer gas. By releasing the tracer gas at the source and measuring it in the plume, the system separates the measurement task from the target gas, allowing for simpler detection equipment while achieving the same measurement objective.
Data Source
AI summary
This method comprises:obtaining first data representative of amounts of a first gas and second data representative of amounts of a second tracer gas emitted by the source together with the first gas,calculating at least one coefficient of correlation between the amounts of the first gas and the amounts of the second gas from the first representative data and the second representative data;obtaining a measured or computed flow of the second gas emitted by the source;computing a flow of the first gas emitted by the source on the basis of the measured or computed flow of the second gas emitted by the source and the correlation coefficient.