MIPEX NDIR sensors in ppm resolution for industrial emission monitoring

Fugitive and process emissions of methane and propane are a growing compliance and safety concern across oil & gas production, wastewater treatment, animal husbandry, and HVAC/indoor air quality applications. Undetected component-level leaks from valves, flanges, and piping fittings contribute significantly to greenhouse gas inventories, while accumulation of CH₄/C₃H₈ in confined or Ex-classified zones creates an explosion risk. 

Contemporary regulatory approach increasingly prescribes the ppm Lower Detection Limit (LDL) as a primary performance criterion, not merely an auxiliary outcome of lower-explosive-limit (LEL) monitoring. Across Europe and globally, a consolidated set of standards explicitly requires ppm-capable, drift-stable, Ex-certified detection:

• EN 15446:2008 — measurement of fugitive emissions from equipment and piping leaks;
• EN/IEC 60079-29-1 with IEC 60079-11 (Ex ia) — combustible gas detector performance and intrinsic safety;
• EN 16723-2 and VDI 3860 — biomethane quality thresholds and digester monitoring;
• ATEX 2014/34/EU and IECEx — hazardous-area certification.

This is precisely where ultra-low power MIPEX NDIR ppm sensors from MGS Technology set a new benchmark! 

How MIPEX ppm sensors outperform the alternatives

MIPEX sensors are based on the Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) principle, measuring gas concentration via a selective infrared absorption and dual-wavelength method that resolves both trace-level (ppm) and near-explosive (%LEL) concentrations. 

This is a critical advantage of the technology because it achieves what no alternative can, breaking the historical paradigm where ppm-level leak detection and %LEL explosion monitoring required separate sensing architectures. It compelled gas analyser manufacturers to integrate multiple principles within one device, inevitably escalating design complexity and costs.

Other advantages of NDIR over competing technologies: 

• TDLAS sensors achieve ppm-level sensitivity with high precision and selectivity to target gas, but carriy significantly higher power consumption, bigger size, lower speed of response and higher cost; 
• FID sensors are large, expensive and dependent on continuous hydrogen flame, being unsuitable for unattended operation in classified zones.
• Catalytic beads (pellistors) are irreversibly poisoned by siloxanes and sulphur compounds, vulnerable to humidity and expensive.

Cutting-edge NDIR sensors MIPEX-04 ppm (52×24×18 mm) and MIPEX-05 ppm (in standard Series 4 size - ⌀20.1×16.6 mm) are developed for automatic continuous hydrocarbon measurement in hazardous areas covering both ppm and %LEL concentrations! 

Key advantages of MIPEX ppm sensors

Performance-related:

• Low power consumption below 0.3 mW;
• Compact size, light weight; 
• Certified in compliance with IECEx, ATEX, UL;
• Applicability for integration into a broad range of portable and fixed gas analysers produced worldwide;
• Cost-effectiveness for manufacturing detectors in the same price range as gas analysers featuring %LEL channel.

Metrology-related:

• LDL from 10-20 ppm at 10 ppm resolution
• Full %LEL coverage alongside ppm sensitivity, in one Ex ia-certified housing:

• Methane (CH₄): 0–1000 ppm, 0.1–5 vol.%LEL
• Propane (C₃H₈): 0–600 ppm, 0.06–2.5 vol.%LEL

●    Linearised, temperature-compensated signal processing 

●    Measurement stability up to 20 years 

This satisfies EN 15446 fugitive-emission and EN 16723-2 biomethane monitoring while replacing multiple sensor technologies with a single measurement core. 

For gas analyser manufacturers, installation of MIPEX sensors means fewer components, longer service intervals, and unified emission-safety compliance from one field-proven platform.

For more information, visit the website or contact the team today.