Glossary – Heath Consultants Remote Methane Leak Detector Intrinsically Safe (RMLD-I) User Manual
Page 35

Glossary
Beam Skip: Occurs when the IR beam jumps between a near object and a far away 
object. This may cause a false detection. 
 
Control Module: The portion of the RMLD-IS with the keypad and display that clips 
onto a harness. 
 
Dark Zone: An area not being scanned due to an obstruction. This may be an elevation 
change, the side of a building, behind a curb, etc. 
 
DMD (Digital Methane Detection): An advanced detection mode which, when 
activated, will only alert the operator when there is a probable detection of methane. 
 
Footprint: The surface area covered by the IR beam, increasing with distance. At 100 
ft., this area is 22” in diameter when shined against a vertical wall. 
 
Infrared (IR): A wavelength of light just outside the range of the visible spectrum. 
 
Laser Calibration Drift: A normal characteristic of tunable diode lasers is that the 
wavelength calibration can drift slowly overtime. The RMLD-IS has a built in Self-
Test/Calibration feature to automatically maintain proper calibration. 
 
ppm-m (Parts Per Million Meter): The product of the methane concentration times the 
width of the plume. 
 
Pure Tones: A mode that will emit a continuous tone relative to the concentration of gas 
detected. 
 
Spotter Laser: The green, blinking laser attached to the top of the transceiver which 
guides the operator as to the location of the IR beam. This laser can be activated through 
the trigger located on the transceiver grip. 
 
Transceiver: The hand-held portion of the RMLD-IS, which contains the invisible IR 
laser transmitter/receiver and green spotter laser. 
 
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy: A method of gas detection that utilizes 
a laser that, when shined through a cloud of methane, will be partially absorbed by the 
gas which can be measured for gas concentration. 
 
 
 
 
101296-0 RMLD IS MANUAL REV J
Page 35 of 40
