US 2026/0202279 A1 · AERIAL METHANE GAS LEAK DETECTION POD

Abstract

An aerial methane gas leak detector pod is mountable to a wing strut of a fixed wing aircraft. The pod includes an external shell assembly and a scope assembly that is mounted within the external shell assembly. The scope assembly includes a scope tube with a scope window, an infrared laser, a video camera, a multi-mirror system, and a photon detector. The infrared laser directs a laser beam out through the scope window to illuminate a gas leak along a pipeline. Backscattered laser light produced by interaction of the laser beam with the gas leak is collected by the mirror system and directed to and sensed by the photon detector. The scope is rotatable by a motor based upon video from the video camera. The scope assembly is vibration isolated from the external shell.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An aerial methane gas leak detection pod comprising:

an external shell assembly including a main body having a front end, a rear end, and an external shell window in a wall of the main body;
a scope assembly coaxially about a longitudinal axis within the external shell assembly, the scope assembly including a scope tube, a rear end, a front end, and a scope window in a wall of the scope tube;
an infrared laser mounted within the scope assembly and positioned to direct an infrared laser beam out through the scope window and the external shell window;
a photon detector mounted on the scope assembly for receiving backscattered infrared light produced by the interaction of the infrared laser beam with a methane gas leak;
and
a mirror system mounted within the scope assembly to collect the backscattered infrared light received through the scope window and to direct the backscattered infrared light to the photon detector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aerial methane gas leak detection pod

Life of this patent

Aerial methane gas leak detection pod

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20