Smart methane monitor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the detection of methane gas including a low-cost low-power infrared methane sensor integrated with a smart energy network endpoint node, a volume corrector, or an electronic data recorder for transmission of alarm conditions and detector data between the instrument and a remote gas utility company. An independent gas calibration/verification cell may be included in the methane detector for periodically testing the functioning and calibration of the infrared sensor. An infrared carbon monoxide sensor aid associated calibration/verification cell may also be installed with the methane sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A natural gas distribution system comprising
 gas utility apparatus of a gas utility company which supplies natural gas to a plurality of consumer locations via a natural gas distribution system, said apparatus including a service computer system ( 80 ) which is connected to a communications network,   a plurality of methane detectors ( 30 ) disposed so that each of said plurality of consumer locations has at least one of said plurality of methane detectors, each of said plurality of methane detectors having a low-power, low-bandwidth radio transceiver, an infrared light source ( 231 ), an infrared light detector ( 233 ) disposed so as to receive light from said infrared light source, and a sampling chamber ( 232 ) disposed between said infrared light source and said infrared Sight detector,   smart energy communication networks ( 10 ) that link each of said plurality of methane detectors ( 30 ) with said communications network for communication with said service computer system ( 80 ) of said gas utility company,   said smart energy communication networks ( 10 ) each including a network coordinator ( 20 ) in communication with said internet ( 70 ) for communication with said service computer system (SO) of said gas utility company,   said plurality of network coordinators ( 20 ) placed at one of said consumer locations so that each of said plurality of methane detectors ( 30 ) is in wireless communication with at least one of said plurality of network coordinator ( 20 ),   circuitry disposed in each of said methane detectors ( 30 ) which is arranged and designed to notify said service computer system ( 80 ) of said gas utility company of high methane gas conditions via said smart energy communication network ( 10 ), and   a display device ( 31 ) disposed in one of said consumer locations, said device ( 31 ) being in wireless communication with one of said plurality of network coordinators ( 20 ) via said smart energy wireless network ( 11 ), said display device designed for displaying said methane gas conditions detected by said at least one of said plurality of methane detectors.