MPAC128 and MPAC128-ATEX Acoustic Imager
Megger’s state-of-the-art acoustic imager visualises gas leaks and partial discharge with optimal clarity - helping you address issues before they lead to safety incidents, compliance violations, equipment damage, resource wastage and costly unplanned downtime.
Left undetected, partial discharge (PD) and gas leaks can lead to major failure, explosions, efficiency losses and downstream impacts. Identifying PD issues early prevents very costly unplanned outages, equipment failures, safety hazards and potential regulatory consequences.
This acoustic imaging camera is ATEX-certified and IP54-rated, and offers non-contact detection up to a distance of 120 metres. With 128 microphones and a detection frequency of 2 to 48 kHz, the MPAC128 provides an optimal level of clarity of partial discharge and gas leak detection.
The MPAC128-ATEX is ATEX-certified for use in Zone 2 hazardous areas (II 3G Ex ic IIC T5 Gc), ideal for environments where explosive gases may be present.
How do you avoid environmental noise interference?
By looking to see where the leak/PD frequency sits on the spectrum, adjusting the frequency range to eliminate frequencies outside this value and using the focus function all help to give a far more accurate reading or pinpoint the location.
How can you distinguish between leakage signals or reflected signals?
By adjusting the measurement angle and distance, if the acoustic image remains stable on the display, it is a genuine leakage signal and not a reflected leak.
How do you tell the difference between throttling and air leakage?
Both air leakage and throttling have a common cause and phenomenon. Both are turbulence caused by sharp changes in the gas channel which result in the generation of sound waves. Therefore, from the acoustic point of view, their characteristics are relatively similar.
In practice, adjusting the dynamic range to see if the acoustic image is distributed along the pipeline indicates that there is a throttling phenomenon. When the leakage point is near the throttling pipe, the location of the leakage point can be confirmed by approaching the leakage point or changing the angle for multi-angle imaging. Using the focus function aids the pinpointing of the leak.
What is acoustic imaging?
Many types of fault conditions – in particular, gas leaks and partial discharges – produce sounds. Sometimes, the sounds are audible, but more often, they are ultrasonic; that is, they are at frequencies above the limit of human hearing. By ‘listening’ for these sounds, it is possible, in principle, to discover that a fault is present and, by tracing the source of the sound, to find the location of the fault. This is the principle on which acoustic imagers work.
Why does the device have 128 microphones but the upper limit of the frequency is only 48kHz?
The upper limit of the frequency captured by the device has nothing to do with the number of microphones. Through our test, 48kHz has been found to be suitable for nearly all detection needs. 128 microphones improves the frequency resolution of sound source localisation.
What is the maximum distance that the MPAC will identify a leak or PD?
The specified measurement range is 0.5m to 120m, depending upon prevailing conditions (rain/airborne particles etc.). In general, the device performs best when it is positioned between 10 and 20m away from the detection point.
What is the battery life of the device?
Decay of about 20% for 1000 cycles (Fully charge and discharge). It is standard decay of battery life. Reaching this number of cycles does not automatically mean that the battery will fail. The internal battery can be replaced by authorised service (currently manufacturer only).
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