Project AGATO - Aerial and Ground Gas Tomography

07/04/2025

• Challenge
• Objective
• Methods
• Partners + Funding

Methane emissions from sewage treatment plants significantly contribute to global climate change, as methane is far more harmful to the climate than CO2. To better understand these emissions, it is essential to develop suitable measurement systems that enable comprehensive analysis. The AGATO project is currently working on the development of such a system.

The aim of the project is to develop, set up and validate a system for monitoring methane emissions from wastewater treatment plants. For this purpose, a robot-supported gastomographic measuring system for emission monitoring in municipal sewage treatment plants is being developed. This uses laser absorption measurements in conjunction with aerial and ground robotics (drones/rovers) to reconstruct 2D gas distributions.

.The project's goal is to develop, implement, and validate a system for monitoring methane emissions from wastewater treatment plants. To achieve this, a robot-supported gastomographic measuring system is being created for emission monitoring in municipal sewage treatment plants. This system utilizes laser absorption measurements combined with aerial and ground robotics (drones/rovers) to reconstruct 2D gas distributions.

Funding: The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and supported by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).

The aim of the R&D project is to develop, construct, and validate a gastomographic measurement system using stationary and mobile sensors for emission monitoring in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Gastomography relies on integral concentration measurements from various viewing angles to reconstruct gas distribution. This project integrates stationary sensor networks with airborne and ground-based robotic systems into a single system.

For this purpose, open-path gas measurement technology based on Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS, primarily CH4 in ppm-m) and in-situ gas sensors (CH4, ppm) utilizing infrared absorption are employed. BAM's Department 8.1, leveraging its expertise in air and ground robotics, will develop a coordinated measurement data acquisition system for tomographic reconstruction. This includes the development, construction, and validation of the gastomographic measurement system's acquisition side, encompassing the development, integration, and programming of robotics, as well as the connection of gas sensors and stabilization systems (gimbals).

Additionally, significant development work will focus on the evaluation side, particularly the development and validation of gas tomography algorithms. The project will culminate in the validation of the measurement system through real-world measurements at wastewater treatment plants.

Partner

Potsdam sewage treatment plant as an associated partner

Funding

Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), FKZ 3721 41 304 1, technical support by Federal Environment Agency (UBA) FG III 2.6