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ESTE: Verification of Portable Optical and Thermal Imaging Devices for Leak Detection at Petroleum Refineries and Chemical Plants
Citation:
HARTZELL, E. ESTE: Verification of Portable Optical and Thermal Imaging Devices for Leak Detection at Petroleum Refineries and Chemical Plants. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/S-08/028, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
Method 21 relies on manual measurements of leak sites using organic vapor analyzers. This is time consuming and labor intensive. Remote sensing systems can potentially be used to monitor components at a distance and identify, in some cases instantly, leaking components within the line of sight of the optical or thermal imager.
Description:
This is an ESTE project summary brief. EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV) is verifying the performance of portable optical and thermal imaging devices for leak detection at petroleum refineries and chemical plans. Industrial facilities, such as chemical plants and petroleum refineries, emit compounds that are listed as toxic or hazardous air pollutants (HAPS). Undiscovered gas leaks, known as fugitive emissions, in chemical plants and refinery operations can impact regional air quality with the resultant loss of the product for the industry. Remote sensing systems detect leaking components within the line of sight of the optical or thermal imager. A draft ETV test protocol was developed under an ETV Environmental and Sustainable Technology Evaluation (ESTE) project and testing is being performed by the ETV Advanced Monitoring System Center. This ESTE brief discusses both efforts.