tm – Technisches Messen 2016; 83(10): 606–615 DE GRUYTER OLDENBOURG Beiträge Patrick P. Neumann*, Klaus-Dieter Werner, Sergej Petrov, Matthias Bartholmai, and Detlef Lazik Setup of a large-scale test feld for distributed soil gas sensors and testing of a monitoring method based on tomography Aufau eines großflächigen Testfeldes für verteilte Bodengassensorik und Untersuchung einer Monitoringmethode basierend auf Tomographie DOI 10.1515/teme-2016-0015 Received May 30, 2016; revised July 8, 2016; accepted July 11, 2016 Abstract: A 400 m 2 soil test feld with gas injection sys- tem was built up for the purpose of large-scale validation, optimization, and characterization of a novel comprehen- sive monitoring method for underground gas storage ar- eas. The method combines gas sensing technology with linear form factor for in-situ monitoring of gases in soil with the mapping capabilities of Computed Tomography (CT) to reconstruct time-series of gas distribution maps based on samples of orthogonally-aligned linear gas sen- sors. Several injection experiments with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at diferent days with varying boundary conditions indicates the potential of the method for, e.g., rapid leak- age detection with respect to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) issues. Keywords: Soil test feld, distributed linear sensor, membrane-based gas sensing, subsurface monitoring, gas storage areas, computed tomography. Zusammenfassung: Zur Validierung, Optimierung und praxisnahen Demonstration eines fächendeckenden Mo- nitoringverfahrens für Untergrundgasspeichern wurde ein 400 m 2 großes Testfeld mit Gasinjektionssystem auf dem BAM Testgelände Technische Sicherheit aufgebaut. Die *Corresponding author: Patrick P. Neumann, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany, e-mail: patrick.neumann@bam.de Klaus-Dieter Werner, Sergej Petrov, Matthias Bartholmai: Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany Detlef Lazik: Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research – UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany Methode kombiniert verteilte, linienförmige Gassensorik für die In-situ-Überwachung von Gasen im Boden mit den Mapping-Fähigkeiten der Computertomographie (CT). Auf Basis von orthogonal zueinander ausgerichteten linearen Gassensoren können mit diesem Verfahren so Zeitreihen der Gasverteilung rekonstruiert werden. Experimente mit Kohlendioxid (CO 2 ) zeigen das Potential des Verfahrens zur schnellen Lokalisierung von Leckagen auf. Schlüsselwörter: Testfeld, verteilte Sensorik, membran- basierte Gassensorik, Monitoring von Untergrundgasspei- chern, Computertomographie. 1 Introduction Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a promising tech- nology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions associ- ated with, e.g., electricity production by coal-fred power plants. However, adequate technologies for comprehen- sive monitoring of subsurface carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) stor- age areas¹ are still missing. Essential aspects associated with these technologies are the rapid identifcation of CO 2 leaks in critical areas and the continuous quantifcation of escaping CO 2 from the repository [3]. In addition, trans- port and storage facilities for hydrogen (H 2 ) and natu- ral gas (containing mainly methane – CH 4 ) demand for equivalent rapid monitoring solutions, e.g., to enhance the safety of energy supplies of renewable energy systems (photovoltaic, wind power) by power-to-gas conversion technologies. 1 Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the geological storage of carbon dioxide.