# Quantitative Methane Plume Imager for Localization and Flow Rate Estimation in Mines

> **NIH ALLCDC R44** · PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INC · 2021 · $424,906

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
NIOSH conducts activities to assure safe and healthful conditions for American workers. This proposed
project addresses a NIOSH mission objective for innovative solutions that provide practical methods to
identify and measure hazards at a reasonable cost in high-risk occupations (e.g. mining). The mining
industry presents particularly challenging safety and health needs. Despite well-regulated safety
procedures, accidental explosions and toxic gas inhalation continue to cause coal miner deaths. To help
prevent such tragedies, technologies are needed that sense and measure, from a distance, concentrations
of explosive or other life-threatening hazards including methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide,
ammonia, and dust. These technologies can warn miners of immediately dangerous conditions within or
prior to entering potentially hazardous areas. Technologies such as the widely deployed backscatter
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy developed and commercialized by Physical Sciences Inc.
(PSI) for natural gas leak surveying using handheld laser tools, enable sensing explosive or toxic
environments from afar by safely illuminating the region of interest with a laser beam. Previous
NIOSH/CDC/OMHSR research demonstrated the use of this technology to detect areas of high methane
concentrations along mine wall faces. The technology is adaptable to measure each of the hazardous
gases listed above. Recently, PSI developed the ability to utilize this technology to create quantified
images of small methane plumes, and to utilize the quantitative information to deduce the plume flux (i.e.
emission flow rate). The Phase I project demonstrated a lightweight and compact design of the transceiver
head that will enable a handheld imaging tool for the visualization and quantification of potentially
hazardous methane emission sources, as well as detection of stagnant methane pockets, in coal mines.
The Phase II objectives are to: 1) develop a handheld prototype, and 2) evaluate the prototype in relevant
environments. The Phase II specific aims are to: 1) develop a prototype handheld imaging sensor
incorporating the optical and electronic components along with data analytics algorithms that can be used
for field testing; 2) challenge the prototype in controlled and real environments; 3) analyze the data,
improve the analytics, and revise prototype. Tasks to achieve these aims include: reducing footprints of
electronics, mechanical and optical components; integrating all sub-systems into a compact package;
designing and modifying toward intrinsically safe device; developing and modifying firmware and software;
conducting open and confined laboratory tests; analyzing results, and; revising prototype and algorithms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10357499
- **Project number:** 5R44OH011711-03
- **Recipient organization:** PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Shin-Juh Chen
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $424,906
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10357499

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10357499, Quantitative Methane Plume Imager for Localization and Flow Rate Estimation in Mines (5R44OH011711-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10357499. Licensed CC0.

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