Engie seeks leak detection solutions

FRANCE: Utility company Engie is looking to support and invest in innovative refrigerant leak detection solutions.

While there are many solutions already on the market, Engie maintains that they often aren’t efficient enough. In some areas, no satisfactory solutions exist for detecting leaks. It argues that this is the case, for example, for refrigeration units that are located outside or those that do not have a liquid reservoir.

Engie say that the purpose of the project is to develop solutions that can detect refrigerant leaks as soon as possible while also improving the operational efficiency of leak detection systems using new tools or sensors.

It is looking for solutions that are more competitive, more efficient or more universal and which, above all, comply with current regulations.

“We are looking for solutions or tools that can be used to optimise leak detection,” the company says in a statement. “We are also interested in solutions for how to best search for leaks in hard-to-reach areas. We are open to a wide range technical approaches, for example a visual search using imaging systems, or an olfactory approach with gas odourisation, etc. Using drones to assess hard-to-reach areas could also be of interest,” it adds.

Selected projects could receive product development assistance and advice, access to testing facilities, field testing by Engie refrigeration technicians, financial support and installation of the solution in facilities maintained by Engie.

Deadline for applications is February 28, 2018. Further details here.

Engie companies involved in the selection progress are Engie Axima, the French leader in HVAC, refrigeration and fire protection, Engie Lab Cylergie, one of the group’s research centres located near Lyon, and Engie Cofely is one of the leaders in the energy transition in France.