Portable acoustic wave sensor systems for real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds
Portable acoustic wave sensor (PAWS) systems are being developed for real-time, on-line and in situ monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These systems are built around surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices coated with viscoelastic polymers. Two independent responses of the SAW sensor, wave velocity and attenuation, are measured to provide information about the chemical species sorbed by the coating. Sensing is rapid and reversible, and coatings can be optimized for particular chemical selectivity and sensitivity. The complete PAWS system consists of two SAW devices (a sensor and a reference), RF oscillator electronics to drive the devices, digital interface/communications electronics, gas handling hardware to sample the environment, and a notebook computer to control the hardware and display responses in real-time. These systems have been demonstrated for on-line monitoring of exhaust stack vapors in environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECM) applications, for real- time documentation of off-gas contaminants from vacuum extraction processes at DOE remediation sites, and for down-hole sensing of volatile organics in vadose zone (above the groundwater level) monitoring wells.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 10160325
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--93-0100C; CONF-930557--1; ON: DE93013753
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Portable acoustic wave sensors for volatile organic compounds
Portable acoustic wave sensors for volatile organic compounds