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US 12,487,145 B2Granted
Autonomous fiber optic system for direct detection of CO2 leakage in carbon storage wells
AssigneeLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
InventorsTiziana C. Bond, Allan Shih-Ping Chang
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Abstract
Direct detection of carbon dioxide leakage in a carbon storage well is obtained using an optical fiber adapted to be positioned in the carbon storage well, a detection unit operatively connected to the optical fiber, and a leak sensor section incorporated in the optical fiber.
Claims35
An apparatus for detection of carbon dioxide gas leakage in a carbon storage well, comprising:
- optical fiber adapted to be positioned in the carbon storage well,
- a detection unit operatively connected to the optical fiber, and
- a plurality of leak sensor sections incorporated in the optical fiber, said optical fiber comprising solid core portions and hollow core portions, a first of said leak sensor sections comprising a first of said hollow core portions and a first grating in said optical fiber and a second of said leak sensor sections comprising a second of said hollow core portions and a second grating in said optical fiber, wherein the first of said leak sensor sections includes at least one opening in the first of said hollow core portions or in a first junction between the first of said hollow core portions and a first of the solid core portions,
- wherein said first and second gratings are configured to provide back reflection in a reverse direction along said optical fiber toward the detection unit, said first and second gratings reflecting wavelengths of light that interact with carbon dioxide gas to provide measurable absorption or Raman spectroscopy signals sensitive to the presence of said gas, the concentration of said gas or both the presence and the concentration of said gas.
1 more element
A method of detecting a gas, the method comprising:
- providing optical fiber, the optical fiber comprising solid core portions and hollow core portions, a plurality of leak sensor sections incorporated in the optical fiber, a first of said leak sensor sections comprising a first of said hollow core portions and a first grating in said optical fiber and a second of said leak sensor sections comprising a second of said hollow core portions and a second grating in said optical fiber, wherein the first of said leak sensor sections includes at least one opening in the first of said hollow core portions or in a first junction between the first of said hollow core portions and a first of the solid core portions,
- providing a detection unit operatively connected to said optical fiber, and
- detecting a gas within the optical fiber,
- wherein said first and second gratings are configured to provide back reflection in a reverse direction along said optical fiber toward the detection unit, said first and second gratings reflecting wavelengths of light that interact with carbon dioxide gas to provide a measurable absorption or Raman spectroscopy signal sensitive to the presence of said gas, the concentration of said gas or both the presence and the concentration of said gas.
1 more element
An apparatus configured to detect a gas, the apparatus comprising:
- optical fiber comprising solid core portions and hollow core portions,
- a detection unit operatively connected to said optical fiber, wherein said detection unit is configured to detect a gas within the optical fiber, and
- a plurality of leak sensing sections in said optical fiber, said plurality of leak sensing sections comprising a first of said leak sensing sections comprising a first of said hollow core portions and a first grating in said optical fiber and a second of said leak sensing sections comprising a second of said hollow core portions and a second grating in said optical fiber, said first and second gratings configured to provide back reflection in the reverse direction along said optical fiber toward the detection unit, said first of said leak sensing sections including at least one opening located in said first of said hollow core portions or in a first junction between the first of said hollow core portions and a first of the solid core portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.