Advanced Personal Gas Detectors for Mining Applications

简介（由申请人提供）：摘要地下矿井由于存在可燃气体而发生爆炸的危险非常严重。拟议项目的总体长期目标是开发和商业化新一代价格合理、可靠和便携式的“智能卡”形式的有害气体探测器，作为个人安全工具使用。开发这样一种易于使用和佩戴的个人监测器来检测可燃气体（例如甲烷），将对工人的健康和安全有实质性的好处。第一阶段项目的具体目标是开发这种监测仪的关键元件，即用于探测采矿环境中可燃气体的低功率、高性能、可靠的气体微传感器。目前市场上可用的可燃气体传感器通常包括催化珠（pellistors），或者在永久安装的情况下，也包括红外（IR）传感器技术。由于体积和成本（IR）或高功耗（催化头），这些不适合个人监控。此外，现有可燃气体传感器的稳定性和可靠性需要改进，以实现故障安全操作。Synkera提出了一种基于新型微传感器平台技术的新型和改进的催化可燃气体微传感器，将具有高表面积的精密工程纳米结构传感元件集成到坚固的单片陶瓷平台中。为了实现项目目标，Synkera将在第一阶段(1)选择微传感器设计，以实现“智能卡”格式所需的低功耗；(2)生产具有不同纳米尺度形貌的传感器衬底；(2)开发催化剂配方；(3)评估和理解衬底形态、催化剂配方和操作模式对传感器性能和稳定性的影响；(5)生产低功耗传感器原型，并展示其在实现便携式气体监测仪所需性能方面的潜力。所提出的可燃气体微传感器具有高灵敏度和选择性、低功耗、化学和机械稳定性以及快速响应等优点。这一期项目将为开发价格低廉、用户友好、超便携和强大的个人气体监测仪奠定基础。采矿业是最具挑战性的职业部门之一，涉及恶劣的工人条件，包括存在危险和可燃气体。目前的气体监测是通过固定系统和便携式仪器来完成的；然而，目前便携式仪器的尺寸和成本一直是所有采矿员工使用它们的障碍。拟议的传感器将支持一种新型的大幅改进和廉价的便携式可燃气体监测器，供个人使用，从而使一种新的方法来减轻这一职业的内在危险。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Abstract The risk of explosions in underground mines due to the presence of combustible gases is severe. The overall long-term objective of the proposed project is to develop and commercialize a new generation of affordable, reliable and portable hazardous gas detector in a "smart card" format for use as a personal safety tool. The development of such an easy to use and wear personal monitor for the detection of combustible gases (e.g. methane) would be a substantial benefit to worker health and safety. Specific goal of the Phase I project is to develop a critical element of such monitor, namely low power, high performance reliable gas microsensor for detection of combustible gases in mining environments. Combustible gas sensors available on the market today typically involve catalytic beads (pellistors), or in the case of permanent installations, also infrared (IR) sensor technology. These are not suitable for personal monitoring due either bulk and cost (IR) or high power consumption (catalytic bead). Additionally, the stability and reliability of existing combustible gas sensors need to be improved in order to enable fail-safe operation. Synkera proposes the development of a new and improved catalytic combustible gas microsensors based on a new microsensor platform technology, integrating precision-engineered nanostructured sensing elements with high surface area into a robust monolithic ceramic platform. In order to achieve the project objectives, in Phase I Synkera will (1) select microsensor design to achieve low power required by "smart card" format; (2) produce sensor substrates with varied nanoscale morphology; (2) develop catalyst formulations; (3) evaluate and develop an understanding of the effect of substrate morphology, catalyst formulation and operating mode on the sensor performance and stability; and (5) produce prototype low power sensors and demonstrate their potential in achieving performance required for portable gas monitors. The proposed combustible gas microsensors will have strong benefits in high sensitivity and selectivity, low power consumption, chemical and mechanical stability, and fast response. This Phase I project will lay the foundation for the development of inexpensive, user friendly, ultra- portable and robust personal gas monitors. The mining industry is one of the more challenging occupational sectors that involve adverse workers conditions, including the presence of hazardous and combustible gases. Current gas monitoring is accomplished via both fixed systems and portable instruments; however, the size and cost of current portable instruments has been a barrier to their use by all mining employees. Proposed sensor will support a new type of dramatically improved and inexpensive portable combustible gas monitors for individual use, thus enabling a new approach to alleviating intrinsic hazards of this occupation.