Acoustic Gas Leak Detection System: DETECT LEAKS EARLY, ACT FAST, STAY SAFE

Keep your plant safe and running with sonic precision

SonicView is an acoustic gas leak detection system that covers large volumes with pinpoint accuracy.

Unlike traditional detectors, which wait for the gas clouds to reach the sensor, SonicView detects leaks instantly using Acoustic Leak Imaging technology (ALI).
With zone-specific alerts and seamless integration into existing systems, it delivers the reliability that plant operations demand while minimizing false alarms that shut down plants unnecessarily.

From unmanned sites to complex industrial facilities, SonicView delivers 24/7 gas leak monitoring with intuitive visual confirmation of leaks of any gas type, including invisible and flammable gases like hydrogen, across vast areas.

Cover more ground. Respond faster.

SonicView

Acoustic Gas Leak Detection System: DETECT LEAKS EARLY, ACT FAST, STAY SAFE

Keep your plant safe and running with sonic precision

SonicView

SonicView is an acoustic gas leak detection system that covers large volumes with pinpoint accuracy.

Unlike traditional detectors, which wait for the gas clouds to reach the sensor, SonicView detects leaks instantly using Acoustic Leak Imaging technology (ALI).
With zone-specific alerts and seamless integration into existing systems, it delivers the reliability that plant operations demand while minimizing false alarms that shut down plants unnecessarily.

From unmanned sites to complex industrial facilities, SonicView delivers 24/7 gas leak monitoring with intuitive visual confirmation of leaks of any gas type, including invisible and flammable gases like hydrogen, across vast areas.

Cover more ground. Respond faster.

Radius

Coverage

20m detection radius
180° field of view
Fast response

Instant leak detection

Within Seconds
Leak

Leak rate from

0,075 g/s at 20m

(for hydrogen 1 bar)

Attention
High Selectivity
Low false alerts
Live and replay
Live view &
Replay alerts

AVOID FALSE ALERTS: SELECT CRITICAL AREAS TO MONITOR, IGNORE OTHERS

Cover a wide area, react specifically

Distran SonicViewzoning setup and leak view

Set up zones to monitor, leak thresholds, and visualize leaks live from the web interface.

Distran SonicView’s acoustic gas leak detection system captures gas leak ultrasounds across a 20-meter radius and a 180° angle, even outdoors and in windy conditions.

The system triggers specific actions depending on the leak’s location and severity, from mailing the maintenance team for a nitrogen leak to shutting down the installation for major hydrogen leaks.

  • Lower infrastructure costs: a single detector covers a 20-meter radius area
  • Zone-specific response: configure different actions depending on the location and severity of the leak.
  • No shutting down of your plant’s operations for non-critical leaks.
  • 2 concept levels of alerts: low for maintenance, high for safety.
Distran SonicViewzoning setup and leak view

Set up zones to monitor, leak thresholds, and visualize leaks live from the web interface.

AVOID FALSE ALERTS: SELECT CRITICAL AREAS TO MONITOR, IGNORE OTHERS

Cover a wide area, react specifically

Distran SonicView’s acoustic gas leak detection system captures gas leak ultrasounds across a 20-meter radius and a 180° angle, even outdoors and in windy conditions.

The system triggers specific actions depending on the leak’s location and severity, from mailing the maintenance team for a nitrogen leak to shutting down the installation for major hydrogen leaks.

  • Lower infrastructure costs: a single detector covers a 20-meter radius area
  • Zone-specific response: configure different actions depending on the location and severity of the leak.
  • No shutting down of your plant’s operations for non-critical leaks.
  • 2 concept levels of alerts: low for maintenance, high for safety.

FLEXIBLE ALERT DELIVERY

Alerts your way: every channel, every team

SonicView integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure through multiple output options, from traditional dry contacts to modern SMS notifications.

This flexibility ensures alerts reach the right people through the channels they already use, whether:

  • triggering existing alarm systems (such as your existing Fire and Gas system, PLC, DCS, through relays, 4-20mA or OPC-UA),
  • sending direct messages to maintenance teams,
  • or integrating with your facility’s control room protocols (e.g Web/TCP, RTSP).

FLEXIBLE ALERT DELIVERY

Alerts your way: every channel, every team

SonicView integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure through multiple output options, from traditional dry contacts to modern SMS notifications.

This flexibility ensures alerts reach the right people through the channels they already use, whether:

  • triggering existing alarm systems (such as your existing Fire and Gas system, PLC, DCS, through relays, 4-20mA or OPC-UA),
  • sending direct messages to maintenance teams,
  • or integrating with your facility’s control room protocols (e.g Web/TCP, RTSP).

BUILT TO SURVEY. PROVEN ON THE FIELD.

See it, solve it: remote assessment and root cause analysis with ALI

Leak detected by SonicViewadi_2

Leak captured at the TADI test site in Lacq, France – a cutting-edge industrial simulation facility.
This example shows SonicView instantly detecting and visualizing a controlled methane leak of just 0.5 g/s, demonstrating its precision in realistic plant conditions.

LIVE & REMOTE VISUAL VERIFICATION:

When an alert triggers, operators can remotely access SonicView’s visual interface to see the exact location and characteristics of the detected leak.
This remote diagnostic capability allows you to assess the severity and determine whether immediate on-site intervention is required or if the situation can be managed through other means, reducing unnecessary emergency responses.

THOROUGH ROOT-CAUSE ANALYSIS:

After a leak happens, SonicView lets you rewind time and replay events to see exactly what occurred when the leak started.
This helps you plan corrective actions while the leaky system is offline.

SonicView detects, locate, contain, and resolve leaks quickly.

BUILT TO SURVEY. PROVEN ON THE FIELD.

See it, solve it: remote assessment and root cause analysis with ALI

Leak detected by SonicViewadi_2

Leak captured at the TADI test site in Lacq, France – a cutting-edge industrial simulation facility.
This example shows SonicView instantly detecting and visualizing a controlled methane leak of just 0.5 g/s, demonstrating its precision in realistic plant conditions.

LIVE & REMOTE VISUAL VERIFICATION:

When an alert triggers, operators can remotely access SonicView’s visual interface to see the exact location and characteristics of the detected leak.
This remote diagnostic capability allows you to assess the severity and determine whether immediate on-site intervention is required or if the situation can be managed through other means, reducing unnecessary emergency responses.

THOROUGH ROOT-CAUSE ANALYSIS:

After a leak happens, SonicView lets you rewind time and replay events to see exactly what occurred when the leak started.
This helps you plan corrective actions while the leaky system is offline.

SonicView detects, locate, contain, and resolve leaks quickly.

WE SUPPORT YOU FROM TESTING TO IMPLEMENTATION TO COMMISSIONING

Services we provide alongside SonicView

Compreensive inspections
PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Benefit from manufacturer’s expertise from initial planning to system commissioning through our project manager team.

Location
SITE SURVEY & PLACEMENT OPTIMIZATION

We advise you to ensure detectors are installed in the most effective positions, tailored to your plant’s specific layout and risk zones, to maximize coverage and minimize the risk of missed leaks.

Efective repairs icon
TAILORED COMMISSIONING
LED BY SPECIALISTS

Our experts configure the system according to your exact requirements, ensuring that all alarm thresholds, zones, and integrations meet your operational and safety goals from the start.

Training
ROLE-BASED TRAINING
& RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS

We provide role-specific training for operators, safety teams, and supervisors, ensuring each team member can accurately interpret alerts and execute proper response protocols for different leak scenarios.

Improve your facility’s safety and minimizing false alarms that shut down plants unnecessarily with SonicView.

Technical specifications

Detected gasesAll compressed gases incl. air, vacuum and steam
Range50L/min (4.5g/min) (H2, >4bar) at 20 meters, typical (dependent on background noise and alert threshold)
i.e 1.8scf/min (0.01lb/min) (H2, >60psi) at 70 feet
Cone of detection180°
Response time1 second
Relays2x relays. Fault and Alarm
Max. 30 V AC/DC, max. 1A resistive load
Analog Output Signal4-20 mA sink or source
Digital communicationsIndustrial data communication protocol to PLCs (alarm data): OPC-UA Server over Ethernet
Live video-stream: RTSP
Configuration and commissioning, live view and alert log and replay: password-protected web Interface accessible from local network
Event logsTime stamped video of events
Weather protection
IP65
Safety Approvals

ATEX/IECEx ( Approval pending)
II 3G Ex ec ic IIC T4 Gc
II 3D Ex ec ic IIIC T135°C Dc
Tamb = -20°C to 50°C
Dimensions and WeightDevice: 272 x 272 x 50 mm, 1.5 kg | 10.71 x 10.71 x 1.97 in, 3.4 lbs
Device and mounting bracket: 272 x 272 x 155 mm, 1.9 kg | 10.71 x 10.71 x 6.10 in, 4.2 lbs
Device, mounting bracket and U-rod plate: 272 x 272 x 160 mm, 2.6 kg | 10.71 x 10.71 x 6.30 in, 5.8 lbs
CalibrationCalibrated at factory, field calibration not required

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the portable and the fixed Distran solutions?

Depending….

What type of gases can SonicView detect?

The camera does not detect gases directly but the sound leaks make when the gas is escaping (learn more about technology). Vacuum leaks can also be detected because they create turbulences and thus ultrasounds. What is needed is a minimum pressure difference (typically 50 mbar / 0.7 psi) and a path in the air for the sound to propagate.

To what maximal distance can SonicView detect leaks?

Depending on the flow rate of the leak, from 30 centimeters (1 feet) to 50-100 meters (150-300 feet). Large leaks (thousand of liters per hour) can be detected up to 50 meters. Small leaks (a few liters per hour) are detectable at a few meters. Typical leak search distance is between 1 to 6 meters (3 to 20 feet).

Can I see the gas leak location?

Ultra Pro filters all noises outside the detection window, in particular low frequency in the audible range. Even in a very noisy environment like in gas turbine noise enclosure with up to 100 dB(A) noise, leakages have been detected.

Ultra Pro estimates in real-time its lower limit of detection (LoD), allowing the user to know how accurate the inspection is. This is typically useful when acceptance criterion is used.

How are Distran's solutions not affected by false positives?

Direct sight is not required for leak detection, but the sound must propagate from the leak to the surface of Ultra Pro, where the microphones are located. This is typically not the case for underground systems (shielded by soil). For insulated systems it depends on how tight the insulation is.

How can I connect the camera to my actual gas detection system?

Similar to an optical camera, the accuracy is determined as an angle (the closer you are to a leak, the smaller is the linear accuracy). The accuracy depends on the acoustic imaging algorithm, the imaging frequency and how good the optical camera and the microphone array are matched.

The typical accuracy is about 1°.

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What is the difference between Distran’s portable and fixed solutions?

While the technology is the same: gas leak detection at a distance and without contact, the difference lies in its usage:

  • On-site personnel manually deploy Distran’s portable range to inspect for gas leaks.
  • The fixed device, SonicView, operates autonomously, providing 24/7 monitoring of an area, on staffed or unmanned sites, triggering alerts upon detection of a leak.

Each SonicView device allows users to define specific zones to survey independently, with specific alert thresholds for each zone. When a leak occurs, the response is fast; SonicView triggers the alert in under 1 second, on-site or remote personnel are automatically warned.

In short, although both devices offer similar detection capabilities, their applications are fundamentally different.

What is Distran’s Acoustic Leak Imaging (ALI) technology?

When gas-pressurized equipment leaks, it generates acoustic emissions. These emissions travel in the air as ultrasound waves. See our technology page for more information.

Thanks to its ultrasound-sensitive sensors, a Distran device picks up ultrasound emitted by gas leaks within industrial facilities. By detecting such sounds, Distran devices detect but also accurately locate gas leaks. Leak indication and location is overlaid on the optical image in real-time, providing clear insights to operational teams.

What type of gases can SonicView detect?

Distran’s cameras detect gas leaks by capturing the ultrasounds they emit, making them gas agnostic. SonicView can detect and pinpoint leaks of any type of gas type. The “size” of the leak matters more, to enable detection from a distance.

To what maximal distance can SonicView detect leaks?

Since ultrasound signals propagating in air attenuate with distance, the closer the camera is to the source, the smaller the leaks it can detect. In typical applications, SonicView is used to monitor multiple assets, its range is of 20 meters. In addition, SonicView’s cone of detection (or field of view) is 180°, to detect leaks on a vast area at once.

Depending on the alert threshold set, at 20 meters (or 70 feet), you can detect leaks of:

  • 50L/min or 4.5g/min for a hydrogen leak (> 4bar)
  • (Or 1.8scf/min or 0.01lb/min for a hydrogen leak (> 60psi))

Additionally, given SonicView’s coverage, you will need less devices to cover the same ground compared to traditional technologies, lowering your infrastructure costs.

Can I see the gas leak location?

SonicView pinpoints the location from where the leak is originating and records an optical image, on which the leak indication is displayed, for an easy visualization. Distran devices consider an unlimited number of sources simultaneously.

How is Acoustic Leak Imaging (ALI) different from traditional point gas detectors or fixed gas detectors?

Traditional point gas detectors, or commonly named fixed gas detectors, rely on measuring gas concentration at a fixed location where leaking gas will physically reach and accumulate around the sensor. This makes them vulnerable to missed detections if the gas is dispersed by wind or ventilation before reaching the sensor, as well as until concentration is sufficient.

How is Acoustic Leak Imaging (ALI) different from traditional single microphone detectors (UGLD)?

SonicView uses an array of microphones and acoustic imaging to locate gas leaks, not just detect them—offering clear visualization and wide-area coverage that single-microphone UGLDs can’t provide.

How are Distran's solutions not affected by false positives?

SonicView detects ultrasounds, which can originate from various sources. While gas leaks are a key example, other sources—such as vents, machinery noise, vehicles, or nearby construction—can also emit ultrasound and potentially contribute to false positives.

To minimize their impact, SonicView features advanced algorithms letting users define specific zones for targeted leak detection. This zoning capability helps filter out known noise sources that will be overlooked by the detector. This ensures alerts are triggered only in areas of interest.

SonicView offers a powerful combination of wide-area monitoring and precise, reliable detection.

Can the camera be mounted outdoors?

Absolutely. SonicView is built for outdoor use, with IP65 protection. Unlike gas concentration detectors, it excels outdoors as it is unaffected by wind or gas dilution.

Does it work in all weather or lighting conditions?

Yes. SonicView operates day and night, in any weather, as it relies on ultrasound—not light or gas concentration—making it ideal for harsh industrial environments.

Does SonicView require regular calibration?

While we recommend a periodical maintenance to ensure smooth operations, SonicView is calibrated at the factory. It doesn’t require field calibration.

How can I connect the camera to my actual gas detection system?

The camera can be connected through three different channels to the gas detection system. Two of these systems are analogic with 4-20 mA and relay the other one is digital, through ethernet on OPC-UA and RSTP protocol.

How can I visualize leaks, do I need an additional software?

Audalytics, SonicView’s software, is accessible through a normal browser. You will not require any additional software or platform access.

Can I replay the leak footage after an alert is triggered?

When an alert is triggered, SonicView automatically records the event under the form of a short video. All alerts are time-stamped.

Through Audalytics, SonicView’s software, accessible through a browser, survey the site in real-time or replay any alert at any time.

Is technical support or training available?

Yes. Our expert support team assists from project planning to commissioning, and we offer role-based training to ensure every user knows how to respond effectively to alerts.

Ready to upgrade to Sonic safety?

Claudio Fecarotta
Claudio Fecarotta

Business Development Manager
Fixed Detection

Hermann Préchoux
Hermann Préchoux

Business Development Manager
Fixed Detection