Ultrafast leak detection of hydrocarbons using a 3.3 μm Fabry-Perot quantum cascade laser

Leak detection of aerosol can propellants by means of optical spectroscopy allows for faster and safer operation, at much lower energy consumption than standard technologies. In this paper, a Mid-infrared (IR) optical analyzer that has been developed for ultra-fast leak detection of most common aerosol propellants such as propane and butane is presented. The performance of the instrument for application in leak detection industry was evaluated by combining the instrument with an industrial demonstrator to detect leaks of hydrocarbon gases of 0.12 ml/min, corresponding to the largest acceptable leak according to UN ADR 2007 directives. The measurements proved that the instrument can detect such leaks with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) better than 18 at testing speed of 500 cans/min. The overall energy consumption of the demonstrator is about 50 times lower compared to current detection systems at normal operation.