Remote Lidar Methane Sensor

The quantity of the greenhouse gas methane that water reservoirs produce needs to be measured in order to determine the degree to which reservoirs that are constructed as part of our nationĺs hydroelectric infrastructure will contribute to climate change. The proposed technology will measure the quantity of methane that reservoirs emit more simply and efficiently than other technologies can. Limitations of other technologies are that methane measurement equipment must be installed at every measurement point, and it is often not possible to deploy measurement equipment on the surfaces of water reservoirs. This new technology will use laser beams to make methane concentration measurements above water reservoirs, especially in locations where other devices cannot be placed. The lasers will remain on the land next to water reservoirs, and the laser beams will be aimed over the water to make measurements. The technology will measure methane concentration, wind speed, and turbulence at several measurement points along the laser beams. Breadboard laser systems that measured wind speed and direction and the concentration of methane in the air were constructed. Initial tests of the optical and signal processing methods that this new methane sensing technique relies on were conducted. The Phase I study evaluated system performance in methane concentration and wind velocity measurement at short range. This technology can be adopted in a wide range of applications in industry, research, and the military. This technology will be able to detect methane that is leaking out of pipes and storage tanks. The detection will be done from a safe distance, and this technologyĺs wind measurement capability will make the tracking of methane plumes faster and easier. This technology can be modified to detect other molecules, including very hazardous ones, by using different laser wavelengths. Wind farm operators can use this laser-based wind sensor technology to evaluate potential wind farm sites and make existing wind farms more efficient. In military applications, this technology can be used to detect and track chemical and biological agents in the air. Water reservoirs often produce the greenhouse gas methane that contributes to global warming. This development offers a laser-based method that will help determine the quantity of methane gas that reservoirs emit into the atmosphere.