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Where is it found?
Methane (CH4) is the most abundant organic molecule in the atmosphere, being one of the most important greenhouse gases. It is colourless, odourless and insoluble in water. The main anthropogenic emission sources are due to the production and transport of coal, natural gas and oil.
CH4 emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices, land use and solid waste landfills. Other natural sources include reduced, anoxic portions of wetlands and portions of ecosystems undergoing organic decomposition.
Why is it harmful?
High levels of CH4 can result in vision problems, memory loss, nausea, vomiting and headache. In severe cases, there may be changes in breathing and heart rate, balance problems, numbness and unconsciousness. Long-term or large quantity exposures to it may cause death. CH4 contributes to the formation of tropospheric ozone and particulate pollution.
Moreover, methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, contributing significantly to global warming and climate change.
CH4 cartridge
Various options are available for methane monitoring, each designed for different applications and measurement ranges:
- Cartridge (Type C): A state-of-the-art sensor designed for applications requiring high-sensitivity CH4 monitoring. This sensor provides accurate measurements from low concentrations (2 ppm) to 300 ppm. Its compact design, cost-effectiveness and cutting-edge performance make it an ideal solution for continuous monitoring and leak detection. This sensor is sensitive to H2S concentrations (> 100 ppb); therefore, it is recommended to install the H2S cartridge in the same device in order to correct for this interference and ensure accurate CH4 measurements.
- Methane Laser Module (Type D): Leveraging Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology, this module (320 × 150 × 120 mm) provides exceptional accuracy for methane measurements, with a range spanning from sub-ppm levels to 1,000 ppm. Its unique selectivity for methane, free from interference by other gases, water vapor or dust particles, makes it an advanced solution for industries demanding the highest accuracy.
Technical specifications
| Type |
N.A. (C) TDLAS (D) |
| Unit of measurement | mg/m3, ppm |
| Measurement range (1) |
2–300 ppm (C) 0–1,000 ppm (D) |
| Resolution (2) |
0.01 ppm (C) 0.1 ppm (D) |
| Operating temperature range (3) | -30 to 60 °C |
| Operating RH range (4) |
10 to 99 %RH (C) 0 to 98 %RH (D) |
| Recommended temp. & RH range (5) |
-30 to 45 °C 15 to 90 %RH |
| Operating life (6) |
> 24 months (C) > 5 years (10 years from manufacturer) (D) |
| Guarantee range (7) | 10,000 ppm |
| Limit of Detection (LOD) (8) | < 0.05 ppm |
| Repeatability (9) |
< 0.35 ppm (C) < 0.30 ppm (D) |
| Response time (10) |
< 120 sec (C) < 30 sec (D) |
| Typical accuracy (12) |
± 1 ppm + 10% of reading (C) ± 0.5 ppm + 1% of reading (D) |
| Typical precision R2 (11) |
> 0.90 (C) > 0.90 (D) |
| Typical slope (11) | 0.8–1.2 (C) |
| Typical intercept (a) (11) | -0.4 ppm ≤ a ≤ +0.4 ppm (C) |
| DQO - Typical U(exp) (13) | — |
| Typical intra-model variability (14) | < 0.3 ppm (C) |
- Measurement range: Concentration range measured by the sensor.
- Resolution: Smallest unit of measurement that can be indicated by the sensor.
- Operating temperature range: Temperature interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements. In the PM sensor Type A: -40 to 50 °C with heater (more information on this version on request).
- Operating RH range: Humidity interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements.
- Recommended RH range: Recommended relative humidity range for optimal sensor performance. Continuous exposure outside the recommended range may damage the cartridge.
- Operating life: Time period during which the sensor can operate effectively and accurately under normal conditions.
- Guarantee range: Concentration range covered by Kunak's guarantee.
- LOD (Limit of Detection): Measured at laboratory conditions at 20 °C and 50% RH. The limit of detection is the minimum concentration that can be detected as significantly different to zero gas concentration, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Repeatability: Measured at laboratory conditions at 20 °C and 50% RH. Closeness of the agreement between the results of successive measurements of the same measurand carried out under the same conditions of measurement, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Response time: Time needed by the sensor to reach 90% of the final stable value.
- Typical precision – R2, slope and intercept: Statistics obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments in field tests between -10 to +30 °C at different locations. For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in the presence of coarse particles.
- Typical accuracy: For criteria pollutants, this is the average Mean Absolute Error (MAE) obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months of field tests between -10 to +30 °C in different countries. For other pollutants, it is the expected error of the measurement at the reading.
- DQO - Typical U(exp): Data Quality Objective expressed as the Expanded Uncertainty in the Limit Value obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months of field tests between -10 to +30 °C in different countries, calculated according to the European Air Quality Directive 2024/2881 and the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660. For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in the presence of coarse particles.
- Typical intra-model variability: Calculated as the standard deviation of the three sensor means in 1 to 8 months of field tests between -10 to +30 °C in different countries.
A, B, C, D superindex: The super indexes refer to different types of cartridges related to the same target pollutant but with different technical specifications.
