Chemical Leak Inspection System

Abstract

A method of visually detecting a leak of a chemical emanating from a component includes aiming a passive infrared camera system towards the component; filtering an infrared image with an optical bandpass filter, the infrared image being that of the leak; after the infrared image passes through the lens and optical bandpass filter, receiving the filtered infrared image with an infrared sensor device; electronically processing the filtered infrared image received by the infrared sensor device to provide a visible image representing the filtered infrared image; and visually identifying the leak based on the visible image. The passive infrared camera system includes: a lens; a refrigerated portion including the infrared sensor device and the optical bandpass filter (located along an optical path between the lens and the infrared sensor device). At least part of a pass band for the optical bandpass filter is within an absorption band for the chemical.

1 . A system for producing an image of a fugitive emission of a gas comprising any one or more chemical species of a group of chemical species, the fugitive emission emanating from a component, the system including a passive infrared camera system including:
 a lens;   a refrigerated portion including an interior;   a refrigeration system to cool the refrigerated portion interior;   an infrared sensor device located in the refrigerated portion interior;   a single filter configuration located in the refrigerated portion interior along an optical path between the lens and the infrared sensor device and including an optical bandpass filter fixed along an optical path between the lens and the infrared sensor device, wherein an aggregate pass band for the single filter configuration is at least about 100 nm and less than about 500 nm and at least part of the aggregate pass band is within an absorption band for each of the chemicals; and   a processor communicably coupled with the infrared sensor device to receive and process a signal representing the filtered infrared image captured by the infrared sensor device under non-artificially controlled conditions of the component or the area around the fugitive emission and produce an image of the gas emanating from the component.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration system includes a closed-cycle Stirling cryocooler. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a recording device in communication with the passive infrared camera system and configured to record the image of the fugitive emission. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the recording device is configured to record the image along with inspection information about the image including an inspection location name, inspection location address, component name, component identification information, global positioning coordinates, a date, a time of day, an inspector's name, an inspection company's name, one or more camera system setting values, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passive infrared camera system further includes a display screen configured to display the image of the fugitive emission. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a portable power source configured to power the infrared sensor device and the processor such that the passive infrared camera system is portable. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passive infrared camera system is powered by a battery and is portable. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerated portion is defined by a Dewar container. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration system is configured to cool the interior of the refrigerated section to a temperature below about 100 K. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to process the filtered infrared image captured by the infrared sensor device to produce an image of more than one chemical species. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared sensor device is configured to capture multiple images and the processor is configured to process the multiple images to produce a video of the fugitive emission. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the infrared sensor device receives a filtered infrared image from the single filter configuration and converts the filtered image to an electrical signal representing the filtered infrared image. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image can be processed in real time. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a transmitter configured to transmit the image to a location remote from the passive infrared camera system. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more chemical species includes at least one of refrigerant; fuel; water vapor; methane; ethane; propane and compounds thereof; butane; hexane; ethylene and compounds thereof; propylene and compounds thereof; o-xylene; toluene; benzene; acetylene and compounds thereof; alcohol and compounds thereof; ethanol and compounds thereof; methanol and compounds thereof; xylene and compounds thereof; benzene and compounds thereof; formaldehyde; 1,2 butadiene; 1,3 butadiene; butadiene and compounds thereof; acetone and compounds thereof; gasoline; diesel fuel; petroleum; petrochemicals; petroleum by-product; volatile organic compound; volatile inorganic compound; crude oil product; crude oil by-product; hydrocarbon; sulfur hexafluoride; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the single filter configuration includes more than one filter. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate pass band for the single filter configuration is about 200 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a computer programmed with image recognition software to analyze the image from the processor. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passive infrared camera system is attached to or supported by a movable vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passive infrared camera system is non-radiometric.