863results about "Fluid-tightness measurement using light" patented technology

PCT No. PCT/US95/04262 Sec. 371 Date Sep. 21, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Sep. 21, 1995 PCT Filed Apr. 6, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO96/07088 PCT Pub. Date Mar. 7, 1996A method of introducing a leak detection dye into a closed refrigeration system through circulation of the refrigerant. A predetermined amount of the leak detection dye, which is soluble in the refrigerant and the system lubricant, is installed in a component of the refrigeration system, such as in a desiccant bag placed in a dehydrator. The leak detection dye may come in various forms including as a leak detection additive having the leak detection dye implanted on and absorbed into a host swatch of a substrate material, as a powder, as a solid pellet of powdered dye concentrate and inert ingredients, or as a slurry. The refrigeration system is assembled, charged and operated, by which the refrigerant and system lubricant flowing through the component, such as a desiccant bag in the dehydrator, and mixes the dye with the refrigerant and system lubricant.

A method and apparatus for remote laser-based detection of gas at levels exceeding natural background levels preferably utilizing wavelength modulated tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. In a preferred embodiment, background gas and noise are estimated using statistical moving average and variance calculations. Gas concentration length measurements resulting from the spectroscopy are preferably compared in real-time or near-real-time to the sum of the background and noise estimates and an alarm limit to detect gas presence of concern. Gas levels exceeding this detection threshold are preferably indicated by a prolonged output tone with a pitch indicative of the magnitude of the gas measurement, and gas levels below the detection threshold are preferably indicated by silence.

A system is described that is suitable for use in determining the location of leaks of gases having a background concentration. The system is a point-wise backscatter absorption gas measurement system that measures absorption and distance to each point of an image. The absorption measurement provides an indication of the total amount of a gas of interest, and the distance provides an estimate of the background concentration of gas. The distance is measured from the time-of-flight of laser pulse that is generated along with the absorption measurement light. The measurements are formated into an image of the presence of gas in excess of the background. Alternatively, an image of the scene is superimosed on the image of the gas to aid in locating leaks. By further modeling excess gas as a plume having a known concentration profile, the present system provides an estimate of the maximum concentration of the gas of interest.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for scanning and detecting defects in sewer and similar pipelines that eliminate the need to stop and pan-and-tilt areas of concern. In the method of the invention, a pipeline (15) inspection probe (10) of the apparatus of the invention comprising a CCD camera (14) with fish-eye lens (12) travels through the pipeline (15) on a self-propelled tractor automatically collecting data and transmitting it to a computer to provide a real-time display of the pipeline (15) interior with quasi three-dimensional information for effective and quick data analysis and management. The data includes digitized forward views and unfolded 360 degree laid-flat side-san (22) views of the pipeline (15) interior. Additionally, the digitized data may be stored for further analysis, tabulation, and for use with pipeline infrastructure maintenance software.

A leak detection and identification system a Fabry-Perot etalon, an imaging lens, a microbolometer camera, and a computer for spectral and image data post-processing, wherein the data peaks are deconvoluted for use thus avoiding the need for bandpass filters.

A gas sensor for sensing the presence of a gas includes an IR source, a microphone, a reference gas substantially similar to the gas to be detected, a reference body defining a reference chamber therein, the reference chamber having a pressure port coupled to the microphone, and a broad-band optical window through which at least IR wavelengths corresponding to absorption peaks of the predetermined gas may pass. The window is disposed between the IR source and reference chamber. The reference gas is contained within the reference chamber between the optical window and the microphone. The sensor can be included in a hand-held gas detection instrument having power supply, an outer shell, a circuit board assembly including sensor circuitry, a suction pump, actuation controls and status indicators. A probe defining a lumen therethrough supplies the sample gas.

The apparatus for detecting the presence of a particular gas within a mixture of gases comprises first and second emitter means for emitting measurement and reference electromagnetic radiation beams respectively, which beams are activated in alternation, a measurement cell, a filter cell, first and second detector means for detecting electromagnetic radiation beams, a beam splitter, and acquisition and processing means for synchronously acquiring and processing the four signals <math-cwu id="MATH-US-00001"> <number>1</number> $U_S^1,U_S^2,U_R^1,U_R^2$ <mathematica-file id="MATHEMATICA-00001" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00001.NB"/> <image id="EMI-M00001" wi="216.027" he="11.02815" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00001.TIF" imf="TIFF" ti="MF"/> </math-cwu> delivered by the first and second detector means in succession when the first and second emitter means are respectively activated so as to determine the absolute concentration of the gas to be detected on the basis of the ratio <math-cwu id="MATH-US-00002"> <number>2</number> $R=\left(U_S^{1}x{U}_R^2\right)/\left(U_S^{2}x{U}_R^1\right)$ <mathematica-file id="MATHEMATICA-00002" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00002.NB"/> <image id="EMI-M00002" wi="216.027" he="11.02815" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00002.TIF" imf="TIFF" ti="MF"/> </math-cwu> between the four signals, in which <math-cwu id="MATH-US-00003"> <number>3</number> $U_S^1\mathrm{and}{U}_S^2$ <mathematica-file id="MATHEMATICA-00003" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00003.NB"/> <image id="EMI-M00003" wi="216.027" he="11.02815" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00003.TIF" imf="TIFF" ti="MF"/> </math-cwu> respectively represent the signals delivered by the first and second detector means when the first emitter means is activated, and <math-cwu id="MATH-US-00004"> <number>4</number> $U_R^1\mathrm{and}{U}_R^2$ <mathematica-file id="MATHEMATICA-00004" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00004.NB"/> <image id="EMI-M00004" wi="216.027" he="11.02815" file="US20020050567A1-20020502-M00004.TIF" imf="TIFF" ti="MF"/> </math-cwu> respectively represent the signals delivered by the first and second detector means when the second emitter means is activated.

The invention is a method of measuring oxygen concentration in a package having an oxygen sensitive product disposed therein. The method includes exposing a luminescent compound that is disposed in an interior of the package to light having a wavelength that is absorbed by the luminescent compound so that the luminescent compound is promoted into an excited state. When the exposure of the light is terminated, the excited luminescent compound emits light that is detectable by a detector positioned outside of the package. The intensity of the emitted light is inversely proportional to the oxygen concentration and is used in conjunction with mathematical function that describes the luminescent intensity of the luminescent compound as a function of oxygen concentration and temperature to calculate the oxygen concentration. The method may be used to verify and track the oxygen concentration of a package as it moves through a distribution system.

A method for leakage detection of underground pipeline corridor based on dynamic infrared thermal image processing. The leakage can be detected by the following steps, including: converting infrared thermal videos into infrared thermal images; obtaining the gray scale information and temperature information of internal environment of the underground pipeline corridor. The gray scale information can realize the conventional target of pipe line state identification inside the pipeline corridor, and the temperature information can be used to detect the pipe leakage.

A machine for detecting sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) leaks using the mid-infrared differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique with a commercically available, air-cooled, compact, pulsed transversely-excited-atmospheric (TEA) carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) laser, a Cassegranian optical telescope for focusing both the laser emission and returning reflected signal, a user-operated focusing mechanism, a two-dimensional, thermoelectrically-cooled focal plane array (FPA) sensitive in the mid-infrared wavelength range (10.2-10.6 micrometers), a charge-coupled device (CCD) for 2-D imaging, a computer-based control system to rapidly switch the laser wavelength between 10.2470 micrometers, 10.7415 micrometers, and 10.5518 micrometers to utilize the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) chemical detection technique, a rechargeable battery pack and power supply, and an image and data storage device using a solid-state memory stick.

An open natural gas leakage multiplex inspecting method and optical channel configuration, based on semiconductor laser absorbing spectrum method, relates to master case and open long optical channel system. The master case sets with electrical source socket, switch, fan, optical fiber linker and data transmission interface. The master case owns closed infrared semiconductor laser, semiconductor laser controller, phase-locked amplifier,signal generator,data collection disposal and control module, light switch, light switch driving circuit and infrared detector and connects with the locale optics system by optical fiber. Open optical system relates to integral optics telescope and more component angle reflector array and the former owns import optical fiber coupling implement and output optical fiber coupling implement. It achieves the time-sharing inspect of more gas component and more multiplex based on optical fiber distributing configuration of the light switch technology.

A system for remote quantitative detection of fluid leaks from a natural gas or oil pipeline by use of an airborne platform; including at least one laser light source for nearly simultaneous illuminating two or more target fluids and a background, wherein the two or more target fluids are characterized by two or more absorption wavelengths, and wherein the background has a different wavelength than either of the two or more target fluids. The illumination source is pointed based on a positioning system while in a geometric area along a path two or more target fluids are scanned for using the illumination sources. A signal detector detects the two or more target fluids using quantitative signal processing. Also included are a controller, a path planning and path finding tool for the positioning of the airborne platform, and a communicator for communicating the presence of the detected leak.

An imaging system (10) for imaging an emitting gas (12) includes an imager (16) and a laser source (20). The imager (16) captures an image (18) of light in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. The laser source (20) includes a semiconductor laser (334) that directly emits an output beam (26) that is in the MIR range. The output beam (26) may be adapted to backscatter near and/or be absorbed by the emitting gas (12). Thus, when an emitting gas (12) is present, the gas (12) may absorb and attenuate the backscattered light. As a result thereof, a shadow or contrast (18A) corresponding to the emitting gas (12) may be visible in the image (18) that is captured by the imager (16).