SBIR Phase I: Low Cost, High Precision Methane Sensor System

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种改进的甲烷传感器模块，可以在能源，农业和废物管理领域实现新的无人机传感和传感器网络应用。甲烷是美国仅次于石油和煤炭的第三大能源，与其它气体相比，测量相对困难和昂贵。它是一种主要的大气污染物，既是烟雾的一种成分，也是一种温室气体。这项技术可以通过无处不在的小型天然气泄漏传感来帮助减少甲烷释放到环境中，从而使公司能够迅速做出反应，从而提供社会环境效益。该传感器系统具有基于激光的光谱仪的灵敏度，但体积更小，重量更轻，功率要求更低，价格比现有的高端光谱仪低三个数量级。该技术旨在将功率、重量和成本降至最低，同时不影响灵敏度，是基于无人机的测量的理想选择。它还可以以较低的价格为车载和手持式监测单元提供高灵敏度，从而实现多监测器采样策略和多站网络阵列，以跟踪间歇性甲烷泄漏源。这项技术可以为能源行业注重成本的客户提供新的功能，同时为农业，废物管理和安全产品开辟更多的市场。这种甲烷传感器的第一个原型成功地测量了氮气中的甲烷，浓度低至10 ppm。长期目标是建立一个商业上可用的低成本，高精度甲烷传感器产品线。SBIR项目资金使这种有前途的传感器技术从小型企业研发项目过渡到有价值的新产品的早期商业化阶段。SBIR第一阶段项目提出创建一个独立的甲烷传感器系统，尺寸小于四分之一，具有先进激光光谱仪的灵敏度。目前的检测方法不能满足行业的需求。它们要么是廉价、高功率和低灵敏度的，例如基于催化剂的系统，要么是大型、昂贵、高功率的光学系统。市场需要甲烷传感器，其改进尺寸、重量和功率，同时仍然保持有用的灵敏度和选择性。该系统由3个主要模块组成：可更换或可消耗的传感器包、传感电子器件以及数据存储和通信系统。由于传感器的功耗要求极低，因此如果要在产品中实现传感器的低功耗优势，则数据和通信系统的巧妙设计至关重要。最终，该系统将包括用于云和物联网数据管理的无线连接（蓝牙，WiFi，5G，Zigbee）。这一设计将进行原型制作，并将进行性能测量。SBIR第一阶段的目标是生产一种用于甲烷传感的初始原型传感器，这将是SBIR第二阶段的重点。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of an improved methane sensor module that can enables new drone sensing and sensor network applications in the energy, agricultural, and waste management sectors. Methane, the third largest energy source after petroleum and coal in the U.S., is relatively difficult and expensive to measure compared to other gasses. It is a major atmospheric pollutant, both as a component of smog and as a greenhouse gas. This technology can provide societal environmental benefits by helping reduce methane release into the environment through the ubiquitous sensing of small natural gas leaks, allowing companies to rapidly respond. This sensor system has the sensitivity of laser-based spectrometers but is smaller, lighter, and has lower power requirements at a price three orders of magnitude less than existing high-end spectrometers. Designed to reduce power, weight and cost to a minimum while not compromising sensitivity, this technology is ideal for UAV-based measurements. It can also give station mounted and handheld monitoring units high sensitivity at a lower price point, enabling multiple monitor sampling strategies and a multi-station networked array to track intermittent sources of methane leaks. This technology can provide novel capabilities to cost-conscious customers in the energy sector while opening up additional markets for agricultural, waste management, and safety products. A first prototype of this methane sensor successfully measured methane in nitrogen down to 10 ppm. The long-term objective is the creation of a commercially available low-cost, high precision methane sensor product line. SBIR project funding is enabling the transition of this promising sensor technology from a small business research and development project into the early commercialization stages of a valuable new product. This SBIR Phase 1 project proposes to create a self-contained methane sensor system, smaller in size than a quarter, with the sensitivity of advanced laser spectrometers. Current methods of detection do not meet the needs of industry. They are either cheap, high power and low sensitivity, such as catalyst-based systems, or they are large, expensive, high power optical systems. There is a market need for methane sensors that improve upon size, weight and power, while still maintaining useful sensitivity and selectivity. The system consists of 3 primary modules: the replaceable or consumable sensor package, the sense electronics, and the data storage and communication system. Due to the extremely low power requirements of the sensor, clever design of the data and communications system is critical if the low power benefits of the sensor are to be realized in a product. Ultimately, the system will include wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, WiFi, 5G, Zigbee) for cloud and IoT data management. This design will be prototyped and will undergo performance measurements. Materials for methane sensing will be identified The objective of SBIR Phase 1 is to produce an initial prototype sensor for methane-sensing that will be the focus of SBIR Phase II.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.