I-Corps: Accelerated Innovation and Technology Transition in Semiconductor-Based Hydrogen and Hydrocarbon Sensors

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The purpose of the proposed program is to quantify the technical and economic viability of the sensor technology towards commercial deployment of the sensor through strategic partners within the electrochemical and energy markets. The value proposition of this effort is to provide chemical detection in industrial processes at locations where no monitoring previously existed due to the harshness of the operating environment. The effort is centered on the deployment of a novel, robust chemical sensor technology developed by the proposing team at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). The team has demonstrated the sensitivity of the sensing technology to hydrogen and various hydrocarbons ranging from parts-per-million levels to 20%. This range covers the lower explosive limit of hydrogen and hydrocarbons in an oxidizing environment (typically 4-10%), making this technology a viable candidate for detection of faulty conditions that may lead to explosions in industrial processes. Devices have been operated at elevated temperatures and in the severe environment of wet chlorine without any observed degradation of the device sensitivity. Empowering this commercial endeavor will have the following three overall broader impacts: 1. Prevent explosions, which may endanger lives, damage capital equipment and cause plant down-time; 2. Advance complementary technologies (e.g. electrical contacts, data transmission). These technologies can be subsequently used to deploy other capabilities (e.g. in-situ flow control and feedback) into similar harsh environments; 3. Develop entrepreneurial expertise required for transitional research. This aspect includes the training of a graduate student who will gain valuable experience with innovative and entrepreneurial processes. Chemical monitoring is of prime importance within industrial processes that deal with flammable gases such as hydrogen and hydrocarbons. Oftentimes, chemical monitoring is not available at the point of flammable gas evolution due to corrosive environments or elevated temperatures. Improvements to existing monitoring can be readily achieved by deploying sensors capable of operation at the point of flammable gas evolution. Development of complementary technologies (e.g. electrical contacts, wireless communications in industrial plants) will contribute to the general understanding of device operation in these environments, which will empower deployment of other innovations.