Portable microprocessor-controlled instrument for sensing, identifying, and monitoring gaseous chemicals
To protect US Coast Guard personnel from exposure to hazardous chemicals, we are developing a portable detector that responds promptly to many different compounds, identifies the detected compounds, and monitors their concentrations. One of the initial tasks was to select the detection method(s) most likely to meet the sponsor's objectives. Of the various methods considered, amperometric gas sensing offered the best prospects. One significant task was to extend the applicability of amperometric toxic-gas sensors to electrochemically inactive species. This was achieved by exposing the electrochemically inactive constituents to heated, noble-metal catalysts before introducing them to the amperometric sensor. This breakthrough laid the groundwork for development of a prototype instrument based on an array of four amperometric toxic gas sensors and two heated noble-metal filaments. The four sensors can be rapidly switched to one of several operating modes. In practice, four modes and four sensors yield 16 measured parameters (16 independent data channels).
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6873130
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-841058-3; ON: DE84013431
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Fall meeting of the Electrochemical Society, New Orleans, LA, US, 7 Oct 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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