Highlights

The author

Robert W. Bogue is based at Robert Bogue and Partners, Technology and Business Consultants, Crockham Hill, Kent, UK. He is an Associate Editor for Sensor Review.

Keywords

Detection, Infrared, Spectroscopy, Fourier s transform

Abstract

Describes a passive, open-path infrared gas detector that utilises thermal background radiation as the source. Explains its mode of operation, provides a specification and considers its route to market.

Electronic access

The research register for this journal is available at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0260-2288.htm

Infrared (IR) absorption is used widely to detect a range of hazardous and polluting gases and according to a recent market survey by Frost and Sullivan, it is the most rapidly developing of all gas sensing techniques. Despite falling prices, European sales revenues are forecast to rise from US$44.2 million in 1997 to US$75.8 million by 2004 over one third of the total industrial gas sensor market.

IR gas sensors are configured either as point detectors, which, like other gas sensors, measure concentration at a single spatial position, or as open-path devices, where the spatially-integrated concentration between the source and the detector (or between a combined source/detector and a beam retroreflector ) is determined. These are finding growing uses in areas such as landfill gas monitoring and detecting leakage of hydrocarbons and toxic...