Miniaturised low-cost high precision mass market conductivity and temperature sensor technology

南安普敦国家海洋学中心和南安普顿大学电子与计算机科学学院的研究人员合作生产了一种用于高精度海洋盐度监测的低功率、小电导率和温度(CT)传感器系统。这些微型化设备使用的微制造技术类似于用半导体材料制造集成电路的技术。该电导传感器包括多个电极和一个用于浸泡应用的水通道。该温度传感器基于铂电阻温度计(PRTS)的电桥。市面上有几种高精度的盐度传感器，但它们都很大而且很贵。已经开发出了较小的系统，但它们并不准确。我们目前的样机是一个1.5L大小的锅，使用7个电极和一条2x2 mm的水槽来测量电导率。采用基于跨阻抗放大器和现场可编程门阵列的电路来驱动CT传感器并记录数据。由PP3电池供电的传感器系统可以工作一个月以上。下一代将使用无水通道的四电极电池来测量电导率。通过将所有控制电路集成到ASIC中，传感器系统可以封装在一个设备中，从而可以用作高精度的数据记录鱼牌。拟议的活动将评估这项技术是否具有商业潜力(即行业能否从中赚钱)，并将确定使这一想法产生的收入最大化的计划的第一步。这将包括对传感器技术市场的评估；对专利和保护该想法的机会的审查；以及评估可能的合作伙伴并开始与他们接触。CT值不仅可以用于计算盐度，而且是大多数化学传感器的关键参数。因此，CT传感是许多行业(例如农业、水产养殖、水处理行业和近海行业)和科学家(例如海洋学、淡水系统研究和植物研究)所需要的。因此，我们希望这一想法能够具有巨大的市场潜力，并有助于提高英国工业的竞争力。

Researchers at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, and at the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton have collaborated to produce a low power, small conductivity and temperature (CT) sensor system for high accuracy ocean salinity monitoring. These miniaturised devices use microfabrication techniques similar to those used to manufacture integrated circuits out of semiconductor materials. The conductivity sensor contains several electrodes and a water channel for immersion application. The temperature sensor is based on an electric bridge of platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs). Several high accuracy salinity sensors are commercially available, but they are all large and expensive. Smaller systems have been developed but they are inaccurate. Our current prototype is the size of a 1.5L pot, using 7-electrode and a 2x2 mm water channel for conductivity measurement. A circuit based on trans-impedance amplifiers and FPGA is used to drive the CT sensor and log the data. The sensor system can work for more than one month powered by a PP3 battery. The next generation will use a 4-electrode cell without water channel for conductivity measurement. By integrating all the control circuit into an ASIC, the sensor system can be packaged in a device that will allow use as a high accuracy data logging fish tag. The proposed activity will evaluate if this technology has commercial potential (i.e. can industry make money out of this) and will identify the first steps of a plan to maximise the income generated by this idea. This will include an evaluation of the market for the sensor technology; a review of patents and opportunities for protection of the idea; and evaluating possible partners and initiating contacts with them. CT values not only can be used for salinity calculation, but also are the key parameters for most chemistry sensors. So CT sensing is required by a number of industries (e.g. agriculture, aquaculture, water treatment industries, and offshore industries) and by scientists (e.g. in oceanography, in the study of fresh water systems, and in plant research). We are therefore, hopeful that this idea could have significant market potential and could contribute to the competitiveness of UK industry.