Most sources of fugitive emissions are from multiple points rather than single point sources. So, open path area or perimeter monitoring provides more meaningful fugitive emissions data than an array of point sensors or a program of grab sampling. Point measurements may underestimate emissions because of missing locations with high gas concentrations, or conversely overestimate because they are located in areas of high concentrations. Grab sampling programs typically check only a small percentage of potential leak locations and extrapolate results to an entire facility. Wide margins of uncertainty are associated with such extrapolations.
Open path monitoring provides continuously updated, real-time, integrated emissions across a facility boundary. This provides a complete picture of the fugitive emissions across that boundary, enabling identification of specific operations and times that give rise to higher emissions, and so enabling these emissions to be properly managed and controlled.
- Boreal’s TDL technology has several benefits for open-path monitoring:
- Can be unpackaged, set-up, and collecting data in minutes.
- Provides continuous and instantaneous response times and data collection.
- Very reliably delivers accurate readings.
- No interference with other gases: It finds exactly what you’re looking for.
- Ease of data collection and interpretation.
- Minimal Maintenance: checks internal reference cell every minute, robust design, and requires no consumables to operate.
- Low (overall or amortized) cost of ownership (because they can last +20 years) and low operation and maintenance costs.
- Our technology is as close to set, collect, and forget as possible.