Inspectahire uses optical gas imaging (OGI) technology, advanced thermal imaging cameras such as the GF320 or GF77 (dedicated to methane detection), on a wide range of facilities such as AD and biogas plants. As the gas emitting is not naturally visible, the use of such technologies is necessary in order to detect such emissions.
The camera incorporates methane-specific spectral filtering. Targeting the spectral filter improves visualisation of methane while also reducing false negatives from gases that absorb in other wavelengths. FLIR’s industry-leading cooled and uncooled optical gas imagers were designed for use by renewable energy producers, at natural gas power plants, and at locations along the natural gas supply chain.
Inspectahire technicians are trained thermographers and plant inspectors. They can visit sites and undertake these surveys helping operators to maximise the production of their facility whilst also ensuring compliance.
Methane characteristics
Methane (CH4) is emitted from energy, industry, agriculture, and waste management activities. Methane’s lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than carbon dioxide (CO2), but CH4 is more efficient at trapping radiation than CO2. Pound for pound, the comparative impact of CH4 is more than 25 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period. Globally, 50-65% of total CH4 emissions come from human activities.
Natural gas and petroleum systems are the largest source of CH4 emissions in the UK and methane is the primary component of natural gas. Methane is emitted to the atmosphere during the production, processing, storage, transmission and distribution of natural gas and the production, refinement, transportation and storage of crude oil.
If methane leaks into the air before being used – from a leaky pipe, for instance – it absorbs the sun’s heat, warming the atmosphere. For this reason, it’s considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide. Hence ensuring its storage and usage is as efficient as possible is in everyone’s interest.
