Methane gas sensor based on direct absorption spectroscopy and the laser self-heating effect

Abstract

In this paper, a methane detection sensor based on direct absorption spectroscopy and the self-heating effect of lasers is proposed, which abandons the traditional method of relying on a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to ensure stable gas concentration detection. The sensor can achieve stable concentration measurement in the temperature range of −10∘ to 40°C without the need for a TEC, which greatly simplifies the structure of the sensor and reduces the cost. The results of gas concentration calibration experiments show that the sensor has a good linear correlation (R2=0.9993). Long-term continuous detection experiments show that the sensor maintains a relative detection error between −2.667% and 4.3% over the full test temperature range. In addition, signal-to-noise ratio analysis experiments further determine that the minimum detection limit of the sensor for methane gas is 27.33ppm⋅m (1σ). Given its advantages of simple structure, low cost, high accuracy, and stability, this methane detection sensor is well suited for natural gas leakage monitoring in home environments and can also be widely used in industrial safety detection and environmental monitoring applications. This technology provides a cost-effective solution for domestic and industrial methane detection.