Leak detection at WWTPs

METHANE EMISSION MONITORING

Leak detection at waste watertreatment plants
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. The European Commission intends to come forward shortlywith a proposal to update the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive* and reduce methane
emissions in this sector. By accurately controlling and measuring methane emissions from waste
water treatment plants, the overall environmental impact can be significantly reduced.

Application
Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas with 84 times theglobal warming potential of CO2 over a period of 20 years.
As methane decomposes significantly quicker than CO2, any
reduced methane emissions have a faster positive effect on
global warming. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
have also led to increased interest in emission monitoring, as
well as recovery and utilization of methane from waste watertreatment as a means of reducing the overall carbon footprintof these facilities. This document describes the advantagesof monitoring methane emissions at waste water treatment
plants, and explains how to locate leaks with help of theIRwin Methane Leak Detector from INFICON.

Traditional Methods
Traditional leak detection aimed to quickly detect toxic andcombustible gases before they created dangerous situations,rather than monitoring emissions to reduce the carbon footprint. Emissions from waste water plants contain significant
concentrations of gases such as CO, CO2 and H2S in adition tohigh humidity levels. This "contaminants" pose difficulties formost conventional instruments, particularly when attempting
to detect minor leaks. Most methane leak detectors available
in the market rely on semiconductor-based sensor technology. This sensor technology is fairly broadband and responds
to a wide range of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), combustible gases and even changes in humidity, which triggers
false alarms. The only way to reduce false alarms would be
to significantly increase the alarm threshold. However, a highthreshold leads to missed leaks.

The diverse environment of a waste water treatment plant requires the use of different probes.
IRwin's modular probe system is designed tomeet all needs.

How we do it
The proprietary IR technology in combination with the modular probe system will allow emission monitoringin contaminated backgrounds with ppm to 100 volume percent leak detection and pinpointing.
Robust sensor technology

Turn on the instrument andstart looking for leaks withina few minutes

Modular probe system

Change probe depending on
the task within a few seconds

Documentation

Results are easily transferred into pdf-reports* See European Union Methane Action Plan: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/document/download/f9a49150-903e-46a6-aec7-f2c21272e9e0_en?filename=EU_Methane_Action_Plan.pdf

reachus@inficon.com   |   inficon.com

Leak detection at WWTPs |    Application NoteThe solution from INFICON
The intrinsically safe IRwin® Methane Leak Detector is an intuitive, robust and fast
instrument specially developed for demanding applications where methane leaks
need to be identified and pinpointed. The instrument uses a proprietary infrared
technology to measure all the way from the ppm range up to 100 vol% CH4. The
technology offers an instrument that is selective to methane and recovers fast after
any major gas exposure. These are key features to avoid false alarms and speedup the daily work. Additionally, the IR system is much more stable over time thansemiconductor based instruments, which minimizes the need of calibration, maintenance and repair.
IRwin is not significantly affected by the surrounding conditions and gases. The tablebelow shows IRwin compared to a market leader, semi based instrument.

CROSS SENSITIVITY

IRWIN
TYPICAL READINGSEMI INSTRUMENT
TYPICAL READING

0 ppm

5 ppm

5 vol% H20 ppm>500 ppm**Tox mix (2.2 vol% CH4, 40 ppm CO,40 ppm H2S, 2.0 vol% CO2)

2.2 vol% CH4 is predominant comparedto other gases

2.2 vol% CH4 is predominant compared toother gases

Dry air (Synthetic air)0 ppm

0 ppm*

Normal air (20C, 40% rH)

0 ppm

0 ppm

Damp air (steam from hot water)

0 ppm>25 ppm

Car exhaust

0 ppm>25 ppm

10 ppm H2

IRwin Methane Leak Detector
complete with hand probe* Air humidity will affect the performance of a semi-sensor. Dry conditions will slow the response down or even givenegative response.
** Recovery time significantly affected. 15-20 minutes to recover back to 0 and slow response after that.

Modular probes systemThe diverse environment of a WWTP (buried pipes, accessible elevated pipes,confined spaces with potentially flammable methane levels etc.) requires the useof different probes. IRwin offers an innovative modular probe system that allows
operators to switch from one probe to another in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, its lightweight design offers the advantage of carrying several probes at thesame time, by simply clipping them onto a belt. Some of IRwin's accessories areunique, such as the bell probe, which draws gas samples through most surfaces,significantly reducing the need for bar holes to pinpoint leaks in buried pipelines.

Advantages of IRwin methane leak detector

As waste water treatment practices continue to evolve and an efficient identificationof any leaking methane will play a crucial role, IRwin offers a cost-efficient solution
for all types of tasks that the operator might face during the daily operation.
••••versatile device
modular accessories
easy operation
low cost of ownershipreachus@inficon.com   |   inficon.com

IRwin features a built-in GPS
functionality and a log function to record the daily workwith date, time, leak rates
etc. Logfiles can be downloaded within seconds andtransferred via Bluetooth toeither a mobile phone or acomputer. All findings canthen be easily converted
into a report with all leaks
clearly marked on a map.

Due to our continuing program of product improvements, specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Documentation