The LWIR Hyperspectral Imaging Game Changer
The Methane/Natural Gas Camera continuously monitors a large volume of space. The camera is a fully integrated unit capable of autonomously detecting methane and natural gas clouds that exceed safety levels and produce warnings. MetCam is further capable of detecting small emissions, for routine preventive maintenance operations, and serves as a situational awareness camera. The output images, warning and alarm signals of the camera are displayed on a monitor in the control room using ONVIF interface. Industry standard 4-20 mA, ModBus and HART are all available locally on the sensor and can be used to interface the facility infrastructure MetCam utilizes advanced algorithms to insure robustness and immunity to spurious effects of environmental origin. MetCam uses high reliability components and no moving parts to increase the operability and does not need any special maintenance or calibrations other than periodical external cleaning. Due to the optical and imaging nature of the camera the gas sensing is done remotely and, contrary to the situation with point gas sensors, covers a continuous large volume of space without any voids.
All-In-One LWIR Camera - The First of its Kinds
SR-7000 is capable of triple camera operation,
1. Hyperspectral Camera
2. Narrowband Spectral Camera
3. Wideband Spectral Camera
The mode of operation is user-selectable through the user interface software.
This is achieved by CI Systems Circular Variable Filter (CVF) wheel design: the CVF occupies 180 degrees out of the whole 360 degrees of the wheel, and the remaining 180 degrees of the rotation can accommodate an open window and a number of discrete filters. As a result, in one wheel rotation one can achieve a full spectrum, for each image pixel, a wide band infrared image of the scene being measured and a number of additional discrete wavelength data for each pixel in preestablished wavelength ranges.
Proven Robust Field Design
The SR-7000 LWIR hyperspectral camera is the right choice for measurements in field conditions. The SR-7000 is automatically and periodically recalibrated in the field. A built-in double blackbody is used to perform a two-point spectral radiance calibration in units of Photons/(second.steradian.cm2.micron). This radiometric calibration insures both a continuous radiometric accuracy of measurement and a Non-Uniformity-Correction (NUC) of the Fixed Pattern Noise (FPN). As a result, high quality black and white images (monochromatic or wide band) are provided. The CVF spectral separation technology is rugged and reliable since it is done by rotating a single optical element (the CVF), which is positioned on a focal plane of the optics: i) ruggedness due to insensitivity to vibrations is achieved by the fact that the depth of focus of the focal plane allows a loose tolerance on the axial CVF position, and ii) system reliability is achieved by the mature motor technology used to rotate the CVF, insuring many years of operation without need of maintenance.
Cost Effective Hyperspectral Camera
The SR-7000 LWIR hyperspectral camera is a cost-effective system since it does not require precise filter motion, complicated optics and data processing (with respect to an interferometer). The unique all-in-one spectral design enables the flexibility to adapt the SR-7000 hyperspectral camera to fulfill specific application requirements by controlling the trade-offs with respect to spectral range and resolution, acquisition time, etc.This control is made possible by the presence of a free 180 degree section in the wheel where a number of application specific wide band filters can be mounted, in addition to the CVF. These filters conveniently provide simultaneous information without the need of additional analysis of the spectral cube.
Key Features
- Produces radiometrically calibrated spectral images
- Circular variable fi lter-based spectral imager
- Optimized for the 7.8 - 12 μm spectral band
- Spectral resolution: 0.5% of wavelength
- Hyperspectral, full band and wideband fi lters modes
- Simple fi eld setup
- Built in calibration
Specifications
| Item | Unit | Value |
| Wavelength range | μm | 7.8-12 |
| Spectral resolution | % | 0.5% of wavelength |
| Spectral bands | # | 80 |
| Typical NESR@10μm( temperature: 300K)* | Watt/sr/cm2 | 6.8 x 10-8 |
| Spatial resolution | pixels | 320 x 256 |
| Time to accuire a spectral image | sec | 2 |
| FOV | ° | 5.5 x 4.4 |
| Communication and data transfer | GigE | |
| Power consumption | Watt | 150 |
| Weight | Kg | 18 |
* Other measurement schemes can improve NESR
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice
Applications
- Gas imaging
- Standoff identification of Surface and liquid contaminants
- Research (infrared signature acquisition of targets)
- Explosives and drugs laboratories detection
- Gas imaging & identification
- Environmental Monitoring
- Industrial processes
- Quality control
- Surveillance
CI's Hyperspectral Imaging History
CI Systems has been designing infrared spectroradiometers for remote sensing of atmosphere, objects’ spectral signatures and ground truth measurements for over than 30 yers. During the years CI Systems has become the world expert in quantitative infrared measurements, including the most sensitive and accurate infrared detection and calibration techniques.
CI Systems has a history of developing and building spectral imaging instrumentation that dates back to the early '90's, when it produced the first commercial spectral imager, called at the time the SpectraCubeTM. That system is a Fourier Transform staring type, working in the visible range with most applications in genetic cancer and pathology studies, and became the first product of Applied Spectral Imaging, a spin-off company of CI. The system is compatible with both microscopic and remote sensing work.
The next CI's hyperspectral system was a Mid Wave infrared pushbroom system for 3 to 5 microns, the SI 5000, based on a cooled InSb array and a common path interferometer made of a prism, in 2008.
During the last few years CI developed its own Circular Variable Filter (CVF) technology for continuous wavelength spectral filtering, which was mainly needed for its flagship spectroradiometer product, the SR 5000N. This was an event that inspired us to use the CVF also as the spectral separation technology to make infrared spectral imagers more affordable.