New, game-changing sensor for methane emissions

A comprehensive solution for the detection and control of methane emissions in industrial sites.

Methane monitoring has become a key challenge for industries such as oil & gas, landfills, and wastewater treatment and biogas plants. To address this challenge, Kunak presents an innovative solution that combines high precision, versatility, and cost-efficiency for leak detection and regulatory compliance.

Innovation for a global challenge

Monitoring and mitigation of methane emissions have become top priorities for industries with significant environmental impact. As one of the leading contributors to global warming, methane has a global warming potential 84 times higher than carbon dioxide over a 20-year horizon, making it a critical target in global climate change mitigation strategies.
In this context, Kunak has developed an innovative methane sensor that combines accuracy, versatility, and a significantly lower cost than traditional technologies, opening new possibilities for monitoring this gas in industrial environments.

Addressing methane emissions across industrial sectors

Methane emissions represent a critical challenge for multiple sectors, where their origin may be due to both production processes and accidental leaks.
Methane emissions pose a significant environmental concern across a range of industrial sectors. These emissions can result from both routine production processes and unexpected leaks, making them a challenge to monitor and mitigate effectively. As industries strive to meet regulatory standards and reduce their environmental footprint, the importance of advanced methane detection and monitoring solutions becomes even more apparent.
In landfills, the decomposition of organic waste generates large amounts of methane, making them one of the main sources of this gas worldwide. Fenceline monitoring of these facilities through sensor networks enables real-time leak detection and the evaluation of the efficiency of gas collection systems used to limit emissions into the atmosphere, reducing environmental impact.
In the oil & gas sector, methane leaks can occur in wells, pipelines, valves, or compression equipment. The deployment of multipoint sensor networks like those from Kunak facilitates the identification of emission sources, allowing companies to act quickly, minimising both environmental impact and product loss costs.
In wastewater treatment plants, methane is produced during anaerobic digestion processes. Any leaks that occur during these processes result in methane being released into the atmosphere. Continuous monitoring enables early leak detection, optimizes biogas production efficiency and enhances facility safety by preventing potential hazards.

Accuracy and reliability: the key to leak detection

One of the most critical aspects of methane monitoring is the ability to detect low concentrations with high accuracy, especially in leak detection applications where expected concentrations can be just a few ppm. Kunak’s methane sensor offers a detection limit of 2 ppm and high accuracy at low concentrations (up to 300 ppm), positioning itself as a highly reliable alternative to proven technologies such as Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS).
Comparative tests between Kunak’s sensor and TDLAS systems show a strong correlation (R² = 0.95) and minimal measurement discrepancies (MAE =), even at concentrations below 20 ppm. This reliability makes it an effective tool for early leak detection, enabling companies to optimise processes, minimise associated costs, and reduce environmental impact.

Versatility for comprehensive monitoring

Kunak’s new methane sensor stands out for its ability to integrate into multipoint monitoring networks and its flexibility to adapt to different applications. Thanks to the compact size and easy installation of Kunak AIR stations, it is possible to deploy distributed sensor networks along facility fencelines for real-time methane emissions monitoring. These stations, equipped with slots for multiple gases, not only measure methane but also offer the capability to monitor other pollutants as needed, delivering a comprehensive approach for environmental monitoring.
The combination of these sensors with the Kunak AIR Cloud platform offers a complete solution for emissions control, with advanced data visualisation capabilities, automatic alert configuration when predefined thresholds are exceeded, and technical report generation for submission to regulatory authorities or stakeholders.

Unprecedented cost-efficiency

Historically, continuous methane monitoring has been limited by the high cost of the available technologies like TDLAS or gas chromatographs. Kunak’s sensor breaks this barrier by offering an affordable solution without compromising measurement accuracy or reliability.
Its robust design, wireless communications, and low energy consumption enable autonomous operation with solar power, reducing operational costs and making deployment possible even in remote industrial environments or those with limited access to the electrical grid.

Conclusion

Kunak’s new methane monitoring solution represents a significant breakthrough in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions like methane, offering a unique combination of accuracy, versatility, and cost-efficiency. Its ability to detect leaks in real-time, integrate into multipoint networks, and provide high-quality data positions it as a key tool to help industries comply with environmental regulations, optimise processes, protect the health of workers and neighbouring communities, and contribute to climate change mitigation.
With this innovation, Kunak is democratizing methane monitoring and establishing itself as a global leader in environmental monitoring solutions for industry.