Mobile remote sensing FT-IR for plume detection

A highly mobile passive remote sensing FT-IR spectrometer has been designed and built. It is based on the patented Turbo FT interferometer from D&P Instruments, and was developed for the U.S. EPA in Research Triangle Park, NC. The purpose of the work is to remotely sense, detect, and identify gaseous emissions in the field. The sensor can operate from AC power or on-board battery power. The Turbo FT is a rotary high speed Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectrometer capable of operating in the rugged environments of the field. This sensor was built for 4 cm-1 resolution and 25 scans per second with a dual element MWIR/LWIR (2-16 micrometer) single pixel detector. An auto-calibrating blackbody accessory was built in, and automated real-time chemical detection software was developed. This feature allows quick calibration and facilitates the remote detection of target gas clouds. This paper will discuss the system specifications, preliminary sensor performance, and results from initial testing.