SBIR Phase I: Harsh Environment Fluid Viscosity-Density Sensor

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将解决单晶硅碳化硅和III-V型氮化半导体的批量微加工问题，以开发基于声波（AW）原理的小型化流体密度和粘度传感器。第一阶段将开发能够在恶劣操作条件下精确测量流体粘度和密度的传感器：高压，高温，腐蚀性或磨蚀性。恶劣的环境需要制造用于流体粘度-密度传感器的微机电系统（MEMS），这些传感器由碳化硅（SiC）和氮化镓铝（GaN-AlN）化合物制成，它们具有高熔化温度（1700-3000摄氏度）和良好的化学和机械性能。第一阶段将测试微机械SiC-AlN流体粘度-密度传感器的可行性，用这些材料制造一个未包装的预原型设备，并演示在不同温度和压力下测量各种流体的粘度和密度。恶劣环境下的MEMS流体粘度和密度传感器在石油勘探和生产的井眼、汽车、航空航天和军用车辆的发动机流体监测以及化学合成和生产过程监测等方面都有商业应用。这些设备有望以更低的成本提高油井产量，通过对流体特性的直接和连续反馈，提高发动机流体的使用效率，并实现对化学过程的实时现场监测。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address bulk micromachining of single crystal silicon carbide and III-V nitride semiconductors to develop miniaturized fluid density and viscosity sensors based on acoustic wave (AW) principles. Phase I will develop sensors capable of precisely measuring fluid viscosity and density over wide limits under harsh operating conditions: high pressure, high temperature, corrosive, or abrasive. The harsh environments require fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for fluid viscosity-density sensors from silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium-aluminum nitride (GaN-AlN) compounds, which have high melting temperatures (1700-3000 degrees Centigrade) and favorable chemical and mechanical properties. Phase I will test the feasibility of the micromachined SiC-AlN fluid viscosity-density sensors by fabricating an unpackaged pre-prototype device from these materials and demonstrate the measurement of viscosity and density in a variety of fluids at various temperatures and pressures.Harsh-environment MEMS fluid viscosity and density sensors have commercial applications in boreholes for oil exploration and production, monitoring of engine fluids in automobiles, aerospace and military vehicles, and monitoring chemical synthesis and production processes. These devices are expected to increase oil-well production at reduced cost, promote more efficient use of engine fluids resulting from direct and continuous feedback of fluid characteristics, and enable real-time in situ monitoring of chemical processes.