Improving the Sensitive of Industrial Acid-Dew Point Sensors for Flue-Gas Analysis

该项目将在CBE， UoS和Land Instruments之间的密切合作下运行，他们希望实现增强型传感器的全部市场领先潜力。因此，这个博士项目将跨越许多TRL级别-在项目结束时接近最终产品。最初的研究将集中在三个并发主题：#1 -电极几何。电导率在一对安装在玻璃顶针末端的铂电极之间测量（直径25mm）。一个也是热电偶。它们是通过传统的玻璃吹制方法制成的，尽管吹制玻璃的技术高超，但它产生的电极是可变的（和大毫米的）分离。为了提高灵敏度，我们需要把电极做得更大、更交叉、更紧密。我们将使用金属蒸发和阴影光刻技术在定制的“基础”电极上涂覆并制作一系列电极几何形状，而不是使用传统的玻璃吹制来定位熔融玻璃中的铂电极，从而修改其电极几何形状。学生将把灵敏度量化为电极之间的分离距离和它们的重叠距离的函数。2 .现代制造技术。腐蚀性环境意味着电极是由铂制成的。为了在玻璃上生产铂图案电极表面，我们将研究现代材料加工的使用。这包括Pt-ink丝网印刷和喷墨印刷，后者允许快速成型（这已经与Patrick Smith - MechEng讨论过）。激光蚀刻、微加工和焊接方面的进展也将被探索，因为这为精确和可复制的玻璃顶针几何形状和生产提供了途径，并有可能蚀刻电极的轨迹和通孔（如玻璃微流体装置）。#3 -人工烟囱/烟道气烟囱。为了验证传感器的性能和最终原型产品的调试，我们需要一个稳定的、可重复的、已知酸露点的人工烟囱。我们已经开发了一个基于热气枪、酸溶液和玻璃管的原油系统，该系统将在整个研究计划中开发、委托和使用。#4 -原型测试。由于该项目的重点是改进现有的传感器，因此完整原型测试的路线相对容易，并且整个项目中制造的最佳传感器可以集成到现有的探头组件和电子设备中进行实际测试。中国燃煤电厂的陆地常规测试探头。5 .组合传感器。新的制造路线允许在一个传感器中包含多个传感器。将多个传感器与温度梯度相结合将允许更快的测量和完全新颖和市场领先的传感器。6 .了解商业和环境影响。该产品属于陆地仪器的“动力，燃烧，环境”产品组，这些改进的传感器通过能源效率和立法和控制对环境和经济产生影响。为了更好地了解这种影响，将进行改进后的传感器可以帮助指导的全面环境和技术经济分析。这将由第二位主管领导。

The project will run in close collaboration between CBE, UoS and Land Instruments who want to realise the full market leading potential of an enhanced sensor. As such, this PhD project will span many TRL levels - approaching a final product at the end of project. Initial research will focus upon three concurrent themes:#1 - Electrode Geometry. Electrical conductivity is measured between a pair of platinum electrodes mounted on the end of glass thimble (25mm diameter). One is also a thermocouple. They are made via traditional glass blowing methods,which despite the glassblowers skills, produces electrodes of variable (and large - mm) separations. To improve sensitivity, we need to make the electrodes larger and more interdigitated, and closer together. Rather than using traditional glass blowing to position the platinum electrodes in molten glass we will use metal evaporation and shadow lithography to coat and make a range of electrode geometries onto a custom "base" electrode, thus modifying its electrode geometry. The student will quantify the sensitivity as a function of a separation distance between electrodes and their overlap distance.#2 - Modern Manufacturing Techniques. The corrosive environment means electrodes are made of platinum. To produce platinum patterned electrode surfaces on glass we will investigate the use of modern materials processing. This includes Pt-ink screen printing and inkjet printing, the latter allowing for rapid prototyping (this has been discussed with Patrick Smith - MechEng). Advances in laser etching, micromachining, and welding will also be explored asthis offers routes to precise and reproducible glass thimble geometries and production, with the possibility for etching of tracks and through-holes for electrodes (cf. glass microfluidic devices).#3 - Artificial Chimney/Flue Gas Stack. To validate the sensors performance and commissioning of final prototype products we need a stable and reproducible artificial chimney of known acid-dew-point. We have already developed a crudesystem based upon a hot-airgun, acid solution, and glass tubing which will be developed and commissioned and used throughout the research programme.#4 - Prototype Testing. As this project focusses on improving an existing sensor, the route to full prototype testing is relative easy and the best sensors fabricated throughout the project can be incorporated into existing probe assemblies and electronics for real world testing. Land routines tests probes in China in coal fired power stations. #5 - Combinatorial Sensors. New fabrication routes allow for more than one sensor to be included in a sensor. Combining multiple sensors with a temperature gradient will allow for quicker measurement and entirely novel and market leading sensors. #6 - Understanding the Commercial and Environmental Impact. This product falls under the product group of "Power, Combustion, Environmental" of Land Instruments and the impact these improved sensors have impact both on the environment and economically though energy efficiency and legislation and control. To better understand this impact full environmental and techno-economic analysis the improved sensors can help direct will be conducted. This will be led bythe second supervisor.