Chemical Leak Inspection System
First Claim
1. A system for visually detecting a leak of any one or more chemicals of a group of chemicals, the leak emanating from a component, including:
- a passive infrared camera system including;
a lens assembly including a lens;
a refrigerated portion with an interior;
an infrared sensor device located in the interior of the refrigerated portion;
a single filter configuration located in the interior of the refrigerated portion and including an optical bandpass filter fixed along an optical path between the lens assembly and the infrared sensor device;
a refrigeration system that can cool the interior of the refrigerated portion;
wherein at least part of the pass band for the single filter configuration is within an absorption band for each of the chemicals; and
wherein the aggregate pass band for the single filter configuration is at least about 100 nm; and
a processor that can process a signal representing the filtered infrared image captured by the infrared sensor device to produce a visible image of the chemical emanating from the component under variable ambient conditions of the area around the leak.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of visually detecting a leak of a chemical emanating from a component includes aiming a passive infrared camera system towards the component; filtering an infrared image with an optical bandpass filter, the infrared image being that of the leak; after the infrared image passes through the lens and optical bandpass filter, receiving the filtered infrared image with an infrared sensor device; electronically processing the filtered infrared image received by the infrared sensor device to provide a visible image representing the filtered infrared image; and visually identifying the leak based on the visible image. The passive infrared camera system includes: a lens; a refrigerated portion including the infrared sensor device and the optical bandpass filter (located along an optical path between the lens and the infrared sensor device). At least part of a pass band for the optical bandpass filter is within an absorption band for the chemical.
49 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A system for visually detecting a leak of any one or more chemicals of a group of chemicals, the leak emanating from a component, including:
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a passive infrared camera system including; a lens assembly including a lens; a refrigerated portion with an interior; an infrared sensor device located in the interior of the refrigerated portion; a single filter configuration located in the interior of the refrigerated portion and including an optical bandpass filter fixed along an optical path between the lens assembly and the infrared sensor device; a refrigeration system that can cool the interior of the refrigerated portion; wherein at least part of the pass band for the single filter configuration is within an absorption band for each of the chemicals; and wherein the aggregate pass band for the single filter configuration is at least about 100 nm; and a processor that can process a signal representing the filtered infrared image captured by the infrared sensor device to produce a visible image of the chemical emanating from the component under variable ambient conditions of the area around the leak. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification