Gas analysis system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816458-B2
Application number	US-201816215221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 10, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A gas analysis system includes spectroscopy assembly coupled to a vehicle. The spectroscopy assembly includes a plurality of emitters configured to emit a plurality of light beams toward a target surface. Each light beam of the plurality of light beams comprises a predetermined wavelength. The spectroscopy assembly includes a collection optic configured to receive a plurality of reflected light beams reflected from the target surface. Additionally, the spectroscopy assembly includes a detector configured to receive the plurality of reflected light beams from the collection optic and to detect a spectral intensity of the plurality of reflected light beams. Further, the spectroscopy assembly includes a controller configured to receive a light beam signal from the detector indicative of the spectral intensity of the plurality of reflected light beams. The controller is configured to detect a target fluid based on the light beam signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas analysis system, comprising:
a spectroscopy assembly coupled to a scanning platform, wherein the spectroscopy assembly comprises:
a plurality of emitters configured to emit a plurality of light beams toward a target surface, wherein each light beam of the plurality of light beams comprises a predetermined wavelength range;
a collection optic configured to receive a plurality of reflected light beams reflected from the target surface; and
a detector configured to receive the plurality of reflected light beams from the collection optic and to detect a spectral intensity of the plurality of reflected light beams;

a sensor configured to determine a wind condition; and
a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of the spectral intensity of the plurality of reflected light beams, wherein the controller is configured to detect a target fluid based on the signal and to determine a flow rate of a plume of the target fluid based at least in part on the wind condition and a concentration of the target fluid.

2. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive an additional signal from the plurality of emitters indicative of an additional spectral intensity of the plurality of light beams, and wherein the controller is configured to detect the target fluid based on a difference between the signal and the additional signal.

3. The gas analysis system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured instruct an emitter of the plurality of emitters to generate a light beam of the plurality of light beams having a wavelength range corresponding to an absorption frequency of the target fluid.

4. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , wherein each emitter of the plurality of emitters comprises a tunable diode laser light source.

5. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , wherein each light beam of the plurality of light beams comprises a different predetermined wavelength range, and wherein each predetermined wavelength range is configured to detect a different target fluid.

6. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of emitters is configured to emit the plurality of light beams along a single axis.

7. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the collection optic is a condenser lens, Fresnel lens, parabolic concentrator, or some combination thereof.

8. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , comprising a micro-scanning mirror configured to direct the plurality of light beams from the plurality of light emitters toward the target surface.

9. The gas analysis system of claim 1 , comprising a signal processor configured to output a signal indicative of the spectral intensity of the plurality of reflected light beams to the controller, wherein the signal processor comprises an analog demodulator, a digital lock-in amplifier, or an analog mixer.

10. A gas analysis system, comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to travel along a flight path;
a global positioning sensor configured to detect a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle along the flight path; and
a spectroscopy assembly coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the spectroscopy assembly comprises:
a plurality of emitters configured to emit a plurality of light beams toward a target surface, wherein each light beam of the plurality of light beams comprises a predetermined wavelength range;
a collection optic configured to receive a plurality of reflected light beams reflected from the target surface; and
a detector configured to receive the plurality of reflected light beams from the collection optic and to detect a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams;

a supplemental sensor configured to determine a wind condition; and
a controller configured to detect a target fluid based at least in part on the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams, and wherein the controller is configured to output a location of the detected target fluid based on a signal received from the global positioning sensor and to determine a flow rate of a plume of the target fluid based at least in part on the wind condition and a concentration of the target fluid.

11. The gas analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The gas analysis system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the flight path based at least in part on a topology of the target surface.

13. The gas analysis system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to position the unmanned aerial vehicle between one foot and one hundred feet above a ground surface.

14. The gas analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the flight path based at least in part on the wind condition, and wherein the wind condition comprises at least a wind speed.

15. The gas analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the collection optic comprises a condenser lens.

16. The gas analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the collection optic is a Fresnel lens.

17. The gas analysis system of claim 10 , wherein each emitter of the plurality of emitters is oriented such that each light beam of the plurality of light beams is offset from one another in at least a first direction.

18. A method comprising:
emitting a plurality of light beams toward a plurality of target surfaces, wherein each light beam of the plurality of light beams is configured to reflect from a respective target surface of the plurality of target surfaces to generate a plurality of reflected light beams;
receiving the plurality of reflected light beams;
detecting a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams; and
detecting a gas plume based at least in part on the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams;
determining a wind condition at the current location;
determining a flow rate of the gas plume based at least in part on the wind condition;
detecting a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle along the flight path; and
geotagging the gas plume with the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising outputting a wireless signal, via a controller, to a communication device, wherein the wireless signal comprises geotagged data indicative of the gas plume and the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising saving geotagged data, indicative of the gas plume and the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, to a memory device.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kasten Ansas Matthias
• Challener William Albert
• Karp Jason Harris
• Chen Cheng-Po

Classifications

• B64U2201/104

  using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2101/26

  for manufacturing, inspections or repairs · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• G01J3/42

  Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry (beam switching arrangements G01J3/08) · CPC title