SBIR Phase I: Harsh Environment Fluid Viscosity-Density Sensor

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将解决单晶碳化硅和III-V族氮化物半导体的批量微加工，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苛刻的操作条件下精确测量流体粘度和密度的传感器：高压，高温，腐蚀性或磨损性。 恶劣的环境要求由碳化硅（SiC）和氮化镓铝（GaN-AlN）化合物制造用于流体粘度-密度传感器的微机电系统（MEMS），其具有高熔化温度（1700-3000摄氏度）和有利的化学和机械性能。 第一阶段将测试微加工SiC-AlN流体粘度-密度传感器的可行性，通过制造这些材料的未封装的预原型装置，并演示在各种温度和压力下测量各种流体的粘度和密度。恶劣环境MEMS流体粘度和密度传感器在石油勘探和生产的钻孔，汽车发动机流体的监测，航空航天和军用车辆以及监控化学合成和生产过程。 这些装置预计将以较低的成本增加油井产量，促进更有效地使用发动机流体，这是由于流体特性的直接和连续反馈，并能够实时原位监测化学过程。

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.