4. Application to methane gas detection

4.1 About methane

Methane detection has always been an interesting subject. In the past, its detection was necessary, in mines, to prevent firedamp. The detection of CH ₄ has been the subject of numerous patent applications. Today, almost all commercial methane detectors are based on flame ionization. The technique is relatively simple: during normal combustion, a stable proportion of CH ₄ molecules (around 0.0002%) temporarily ionize into the carbon ion C ⁺ and electrons e ^– . The flame produces the energy for this ionization. This phenomenon has a very short lifetime, and the charged components quickly...