Water Vapour
Chemical Formula: H2O
Typical Detection Wavelength: 5.068µm
Filter Type: Narrow Bandpass (NBP)
Description: Water, and its gaseous form as vapour, is one of the most prevalent substances on Earth and critical to the health and wellbeing of the planet. In industry, detection of the gas can be important for a number of reasons, such as ensuring that there is no potential build up of condensation which could lead to electrical/mechanical system malfunction or corrosion. Detection of the gas is therefore more as a preventative measure rather than for any significant health and safety concerns to people.
An infrared optical filter can be successfully used for the early detection and warning of the presence of Water Vapour in the atmosphere, as the H2O gas absorbs IR radiation at a specific wavelength with typical absorption around 5.068µm.
Example Transmission Curve:
Centre Wavelength: 5.068µm ± 0.5%
Half Bandwidth: 100nm ± 15nm
Transmission Peak: >70%
Umicore has significant experience in producing IR Filters to the highest standards for the early detection of Water Vapour and many other gasses.