Optical gas detection camera reveals fugitive emissions

A new report describes how the Dutch Environmental Protection Agency (DMCR) is using a FLIR (Wilsonville, OR, USA) GF320 optical gas detection camera to uphold regulations regarding fugitive gas emissions in Rijnmond, the larger ' Port of Rotterdam ' area in the Netherlands.

Due to the presence of the largest seaport in Europe the Rijnmond area is filled with heavy industry, including refineries, waste incinerators, and waste dumping sites as well as many large chemical and metallurgical plants. All of these operations bring with them a risk of pollution.

After comparing several techniques, including differential absorption light detection (DIAL) and solar occultation flux (SOF), the report details how the DMCR opted for a FLIR GF320 optical gas imaging camera, which uses infrared (IR) imaging, as its method of choice to detect airborne environmental pollutants.

More information is available here.

-- by Dave Wilson, Senior Editor, Vision Systems Design