Solid State Fuel Fluorescence Detector

Rapid Site Characterization

Vertek's down-hole LED Fuel Fluorescence Detector (FFD) measures fluorescence produced by aromatic hydrocarbons when excited by ultraviolet (UV) light. Pushed with Vertek's Cone Penetrometer Technology (CPT) equipment, the FFD significantly reduces the time required to detect and delineate the extent of hydrocarbon fuel spills or leaking storage tanks.

FFD Features:

• FFD uses standard Vertek CPT cables, and any Datapack 2010 Series VTK DataPack.
• No need to thermally stabilize the light source, which can take up to 30 minutes with conventional UV lamps.
• Licensed and patented Sapphire Window technology for maximum window life and high transmissivity of UV light.
• Dual filtered detectors (see chart below) sense the full range of light to heavy fuel types (aromatic hydrocarbons).
• LED is pulsed at 10 Hz, providing a resolution of 0.2 cm at a push rate of 2 cm per second.

FFD Filters Cover Fuel Range

Immediate Savings

This innovative technology produces savings at each step in the site characterization process. The CPT delivery system generates minimal investigation-derived waste, reducing containment and disposal costs. Additional savings are realized due to a reduction in time required to complete the investigation.

Continuous Measurement

Vertek's FFD provides a continuous, real-time output of fluorescence over the entire depth of the sounding. This information can be viewed graphically in real-time with Vertek's CPT Data Acquisition System (DAS)as the probe is advanced, providing a more complete characterization of the plume’s extent than traditional discrete sampling techniques.

Typical Results

Typical FFD results from three colinear soundings conducted across a hydrocarbon contaminant plume. (source: HANDEX Corp.) The data from each of the soundings shown were presented to the customer within 15 minutes after the CPT sounding.

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