Leakage Detection of Gaseous CO2 through Thermal Imaging

Leakage detection and monitoring technologies play a critical role in CO2 transportation pipelines to effectively help reduce financial loses and potential damages to the environment. This paper investigates the leak of gaseous CO2 in a controlled laboratory environment using thermal imaging based on the temperature change detection technique. Platinum resistance temperature detector is also used to provide accurate spot temperature measurement as an additional means. An airtight and carefully contained flow system with a pipe circumscribed in a clear-type polycarbonate chamber is used to simulate CO2 gas leak through various aperture diameter sizes and different flow pressures. The leakage rates from the aperture are estimated via mathematical solutions. Measurement results demonstrate that the IR imaging system is capable of detecting temperature changes under different leakage scenarios. Other results and experimental observations are also detailed in the paper.