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What is Boreal Laser?
Boreal Laser is a manufacturer of laser-based gas detection instruments, built around Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS). Its GasFinder line measures a specific target gas—toxic, combustible, hazardous or greenhouse—by analysing how laser light is absorbed along a path or inside a probe. The company describes its products as used in industrial hazardous-area applications across 48 countries, with regional distributors handling sales, quoting, commissioning and support.
What the product line covers
The page organises the offering by how and where gas is measured:
- Fixed leak detection ("outside of the pipe"): an Open Path (OPX) head paired with a GasFinder3 analyser works as an open-path detector for industrial leak detection or ambient monitoring. A Remote Point (RPX) probe instead gives a fixed point measurement where fast response or immunity to poisoning and fouling matters.
- In-situ and extractive analysis ("within the pipe"): a Stack/Duct (SDX) probe provides direct, non-contact measurement inside a stack or duct for quantitative or feedback-control use, and an Insertable (IPX) probe covers in-line measurement.
- Transportable and mobile detection: separate categories for portable and vehicle-based use.
Who it suits
The design priorities the company emphasises—quantitative performance in difficult applications, fail-safe design and maintenance-friendly operation—point to continuous industrial monitoring rather than spot-checking. A plant engineer specifying a fence-line or duct monitor, or a safety team wanting a detector that does not drift or poison over time, is the natural reader. Someone who only needs occasional handheld checks may find a fixed open-path system more than necessary.
A practical next step
Work backwards from the measurement itself: identify the target gas, decide whether it is inside a pipe/duct or in open space, and note the path length and response time required. Those three answers map fairly directly onto the OPX, RPX, SDX and IPX head choices. Confirm gas-specific detectability and hazardous-area certification with a regional distributor before specifying, since availability and support are organised regionally.
How does TDLAS open path gas detection work compared to traditional point gas detectors?
TDLAS open-path detection measures gas across an open beam between a transmitter and receiver, rather than at a single enclosed sensor point. Boreal Laser's GasFinder line uses tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy: the laser is tuned across a narrow absorption feature of a target gas, and the amount of light absorbed over the path indicates gas concentration. Traditional point detectors instead wait for gas to reach a local sensing element, so they report only at that spot.
Practical differences
| Aspect | TDLAS open path (Boreal GasFinder OPX) | Traditional point detector |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | A line across a area, e.g. along a pipe rack or fence line | A small zone around the installed sensor |
| Response | Detects gas anywhere along the beam, including a plume crossing it | Requires gas to reach the sensor housing |
| Siting | Needs a clear line of sight and stable mounting for transmitter and receiver | Needs local placement in likely leak zones |
| Interference | Targets a specific gas absorption line, reducing cross-sensitivity | Can be affected by poisoning, fouling or other gases depending on sensor type |
| Maintenance | Non-contact optical measurement; windows need cleanliness checks | Sensor elements may need replacement or calibration |
A concrete case: on an outdoor compressor station, a point detector at a flange catches a leak only if wind carries gas to it. An open-path beam crossing the walkway can intercept a plume from several potential leak points. The trade-off is that a beam gives a path-integrated reading, not a precise leak location, and fog, dust or misalignment can interrupt it.
Boreal Laser also offers a Remote Point (RPX) probe for fixed-point measurement where fast response or immunity to poisoning matters, and stack/duct and insertable probes for in-pipe analysis. That range lets you match the measurement geometry to the problem rather than defaulting to one technology.
For a next step, map your likely leak paths and prevailing wind directions; use open path where a beam can cross multiple candidate zones, and keep point detection where you need localized alarm or confined-space coverage.
Which gases can Boreal Laser GasFinder instruments detect?
Boreal Laser does not present GasFinder as a fixed list of gases. The instruments use tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS), and the detectable target gas depends on the laser and configuration chosen. Boreal describes the technology as suited to toxic, combustible, hazardous and greenhouse gases, and directs readers to a "products by gas" section of its site for the specific detectable gases. So the practical answer is: check the gas list for the exact GasFinder analyzer or measurement head you are considering, because gas coverage is a configuration question, not a single product-wide specification.
What the site does make clear
- Detection principle: TDLAS measures a specific target gas by its absorption of laser light, so each setup is tuned to one gas rather than acting as a broad-spectrum sensor.
- Gas categories named: toxic, combustible, hazardous and greenhouse gases.
- Measurement heads share one analyzer line: the GasFinder3 analyzers pair with different heads for different jobs, which is where gas and application choices converge:
- OPX (open path): leak detection or ambient monitoring "outside of the pipe."
- RPX (remote point): fixed point detection where fast response or immunity to poisoning/fouling matters.
- SDX (stack/duct): direct, non-contact measurement inside a stack or duct, including feedback control.
- IPX (insertable probe): in-situ measurement within a process line.
A useful next step
Decide your target gas first, then your measurement geometry. For example, a facility watching a perimeter for fugitive combustible gas would look at an OPX open-path setup, while a plant controlling a stack process would look at SDX. Ask the regional distributor to confirm the specific gas is offered for that analyzer and head combination, and what detection limits apply in your conditions. Boreal states that its products are sold and supported through regional technical sales organizations, listed on its distributors page at Boreal Laser.
For cross-checking open-path options from other manufacturers, compare their published gas lists against Boreal's on the same basis: target gas, path length, and response time.
Should I choose an open path OPX head or a remote point RPX probe for my leak detection application?
Choose the OPX open-path head when you need to detect gas escaping into an area — a leak anywhere along a line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver. Choose the RPX remote point probe when you need a fast, localized measurement at one specific point and want to avoid the poisoning and fouling problems that affect conventional point sensors.
Both are measurement heads that pair with a GasFinder3 analyzer; the choice is about the geometry of what you are monitoring, not about which is "better."
How they differ in practice
| OPX open path | RPX remote point | |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | Gas integrated along a beam across an open area | Gas at a single point, via a probe |
| Typical use | Perimeter/fence-line monitoring, area leak detection, ambient monitoring | Fixed point detection where response speed matters, or where poisoning/fouling is a concern |
| Coverage | One beam can span a wide area or boundary | Covers only the point where the probe is installed |
| Trade-off | Detects leaks anywhere in the beam path, but the reading is a path average, so pinpointing the exact leak location needs other clues | Localized and fast, but you need one probe per point of interest |
A concrete scenario
A facility storing toxic gas in a tank farm wants to know if anything escapes the containment area. An OPX beam run along the boundary catches a leak anywhere along that line — useful when leaks are unpredictable in location. The same facility might place an RPX probe at a specific valve or flange where a leak is most likely or where a conventional sensor would quickly foul; there, speed and immunity to poisoning matter more than broad coverage.
Decision criteria
- Leak location unknown or spread over an area? OPX.
- A known, critical point needing fast response or resistance to fouling? RPX.
- Need to pinpoint where a leak is? OPX tells you gas is present along the path; combine it with point measurements or site knowledge to localize.
- Budget and installation effort per point? Each RPX covers one point; one OPX path covers more area but requires a clear line of sight and stable mounting for the beam.
Boreal Laser's own product descriptions frame OPX as "outside of the pipe" area detection and RPX as fixed point detection for fast response or immunity to poisoning/fouling. As a next step, map your site: mark the areas where a leak could occur anywhere versus the specific points that need continuous, fast confirmation, and match each to the appropriate head. Boreal's distributor network, listed on Boreal Laser, can confirm gas-specific suitability for your target gas.
Can Boreal Laser analyzers measure gas concentrations inside a stack or duct for process control?
Yes. Boreal Laser's GasFinder3 analyzers, paired with a Stack/Duct (SDX) probe, are described as providing a direct, non-contact measurement within a stack or duct for quantitative or feedback control applications. That is the configuration intended for "within the pipe" monitoring, as distinct from the open-path and remote-point heads used for leak detection outside the pipe.
What this means in practice
A plant engineer using an SDX probe with a GasFinder3 analyzer would be measuring gas concentration in the process stream itself, rather than surveying for fugitive emissions in the surrounding area. Because the page frames it for feedback control, the intended use is continuous measurement that can inform how a process is run, not just periodic checks.
The trade-off is specificity of setup: the SDX is a dedicated in-stack probe, so it suits a fixed installation at a known measurement point. If the requirement is instead to detect leaks across an open area or at a single fast-response point, the OPX open-path head or RPX remote-point probe are the relevant options, and those serve different purposes.
Next step
Confirm two things with Boreal Laser or a regional distributor before specifying: that your target gas is among those detectable with the laser-based method, and that the stack or duct conditions suit the SDX probe. For background on the broader product line, see Boreal Laser.
How do I find a Boreal Laser distributor or get service and support in my region?
Start with the regional sales and support phone number on Boreal Laser's site (+1.780.488.5173) for a direct route, then use the Distributors page to find a representative for your country. The company states its products are sold, commissioned and supported through regionally focused technical sales organizations, so the distributor is usually your first contact for quotes, commissioning and service.
Practical path
- Check the Distributors page at Boreal Laser for the representative covering your region. This matters most for installation, commissioning and on-site service.
- Call or email sales and support using the listed number or the Contact page if no local distributor is shown, or if you need help choosing between fixed open-path, fixed point, in-situ/extractive, transportable or mobile configurations.
- Prepare your application details before contacting anyone: target gas, whether detection is outside the pipe (leak/ambient) or inside the pipe (stack, duct, process), hazardous-area classification, required response speed and any poisoning/fouling concerns. These determine which GasFinder3 analyzer and measurement head (OPX, RPX, SDX or IPX) fits.
Choosing whom to call
| Need | Best first contact |
|---|---|
| Local quote, commissioning, spare parts | Regional distributor |
| Technical selection or no local distributor listed | Boreal Laser sales and support |
| Existing installation troubleshooting | Distributor, then Boreal support |
For a concrete case: a plant engineer specifying an open-path leak detector for a hazardous area should ask the regional distributor for a site assessment and confirm commissioning responsibility in writing, rather than ordering from a general catalog.
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