Engineering news
The Aeromon Emission Monitoring System consists of a sensor module with an active sampling system, a data handling/communications computer and a web-based analysis platform, the Aeromon Cloud Service.
The company explained that deploying sensors in static, hand-held and drone-mounted configurations, Aeromon uses its cloud-based service to analyse emissions patterns in any industrial setting – including those that previously proved difficult to access.
Aeromon has successfully run pilots at the Ämmässuo waste treatment centre in Helskini in 2015, and in oil and gas industry sites in 2016. The pilots demonstrated the potential to make significant efficiency and financial savings in process industry monitoring applications.
In each study, the lightweight, easily deployable nature of the Aeromon platform made it possible to map large areas which would normally prove time-consuming solely on foot. When coupled with automated analysis and visual reporting, Aeromon said the whole emissions mapping process gains huge efficiency increases.
“By measuring emissions with drones, we now have the potential to locate emissions which might otherwise go unnoticed,” said Aeromon chairman Jouko Salo.
“It also allows our clients to get more complete results quicker than ever before, as difficult locations can now be easily reached and mapping can be done swiftly.”
Drones have already been deployed to monitor methane from landfills in the UK, monitor ship emissions in Europe, as well as gas leaks in the US.
“We made the decision to apply flexible modular architecture to our design from the very beginning so that we could vary the systems for multiple uses," said Salo. “This has proven valuable in building the monitoring concept for environmental emissions and process industry.”
Meanwhile, the UK Transport Committee has launched an inquiry into civilian drones. The aim of the inquiry is to consider how the benefits of drone technology can be maximised within a robust safety framework. The deadline for written submissions is 26 May.