Quantifying gas leak rates using frame images acquired by a camera

A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) storing computer readable program code embodied therein that:

• receives a first plurality of image frames acquired with a first camera and comprising a plume from a gas leak source;
• identifies a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plume in a first image frame of the first plurality of images frames;
• calculates a plurality of gas concentration path lengths of the plume for the plurality of pixels in the first image frame;
• calculates, based on the first image frame and a second image frame, an image velocity field of the plume comprising a plurality of displacement vectors for the plurality of pixels;
• identifies, within the first image, a plurality of pixels corresponding to the gas leak source and generating a closed boundary enclosing an entirety of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the gas leak source;
• calculates a first gas leak rate in the first image frame by calculating a volume rate of the plume flowing across the closed boundary based on:
• the image velocity field;
• the plurality of gas concentration path lengths;
• and
• a time interval between the first image frame and the second image frame;
• post-processes the first plurality of image frames prior to calculating of the image velocity field of the plume;
• calculates the gas leak rate using the first gas leak rate, and
• wherein the first plurality of post-processed image frames are concentration path length map images.

A system for quantifying gas leak rate, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor that:
• receives a first plurality of image frames acquired with a first camera and comprising a plume from a gas leak source;
• identifies a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plume in a first image frame of the first plurality of images frames;
• calculates a plurality of gas concentration path lengths of the plume for the plurality of pixels in the first image frame;
• calculates, based on the first image frame and a second image frame, an image velocity field of the plume comprising a plurality of displacement vectors for the plurality of pixels;
• identifies, within the first image, a plurality of pixels corresponding to the gas leak source and generating a closed boundary enclosing an entirety of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the gas leak source;
• calculates a first gas leak rate in the first image frame by calculating a volume rate of the plume flowing across the closed boundary based on:
• the image velocity field;
• the plurality of gas concentration path lengths;
• and
• a time interval between the first image frame and the second image frame,
• wherein the processor further:
• post-processes the first plurality of image frames prior to calculating of the image velocity field of the plume;
• calculates the gas leak rate using the first gas leak rate, and
• wherein the first plurality of post-processed image frames are concentration path length map images.