Recipient Organization
SPECTRAL ENERGIES LLC
4065 EXECUTIVE DR
BEAVERCREEK,OH 45430
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The animal industry plays a crucial role in supplying essential protein products. Detecting ammonia levels is of paramount importance within animal production settings, as elevated ammonia concentrations can pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of animals (with limits set at 35 ppm for short-term exposure and 300 ppm for immediate life-threatening exposure). Unfortunately, existing commercial ammonia detectors are either prohibitively expensive (priced at approximately $75,000) or lack durability. Spectral Energies and the University of Tennessee are collaborating to develop a portable, durable, and cost-effective optical-based absorption sensor. These sensors will be engineered to accurately detect ammonia levels of less than 1 part per million (< 1 ppm) while maintaining a highly competitive hardware cost target of under $15,000 per sensor after the completion of Phase II. We strongly believe that the cost per sensor can be further reduced when the sales volume increases.To achieve this ambitious goal, our team will conduct rigorous testing of the diode laser absorption sensor during Phase I to attain the desired detection limit. In Phase II, we plan to explore even more cost-effective light sources such as LEDs or laser diodes.This proposed sensor holds immense potential within the global poultry healthcare market and the broader industry safety market.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
70%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
The major goal is to develop and commercialize aerospace-caliber, portable absorption spectroscopy sensors for continuous ammonia measurements with accuracy of <1 ppm. The final commercial product sale price will be 10x - 50x less than current commercial sensors for wide adoption into poultry farms worldwide.To achieve this goal, the combined team will:1. Understand the Operating Environment: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the sensor systems' operating environment in poultry settings (e.g., dust environment, fluctuating environmental conditions, accessibility etc.)2. Optimize Sensor Design: Design low-cost compact TDLAS ammonia sensor system for building and delivering during the Phase-II research effort.3. Demonstration Measurements: Perform preliminary measurements of ammonia using laser absorption spectroscopy and validate its sensitivity and accuracy.4. Complete Design of Sensor Architectures for Phase II: Design and develop the full sensor architecture to be built in Phase II. Develop the necessary software packages to quickly and automatically post-process the absorption spectroscopic data into ammonia concentrations.
Project Methods
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) stands as a potent analytical technique employed for quantifying the concentration of particular gas molecules within a sample. This method capitalizes on the principles of absorption spectroscopy, wherein molecules absorb light at distinct wavelengths aligning with their characteristic molecular vibrations. TDLAS employs a tunable diode laser as its light source, affording precise tuning to match the absorption lines of the gas molecules under scrutiny.The fundamental principle behind TDLAS entails directing a narrow-bandwidth, wavelength tunable laser beam through a gas sample. The laser's wavelength is precisely adjusted to align with the absorption lines specific to the target gas molecules. As the laser light traverses the sample, a portion of it is absorbed by the gas molecules, resulting in a decrease in the laser's intensity. By comparing the intensity of the incident laser light with that of the transmitted light, the concentration of the gas molecules can be accurately determined. This concentration measurement relies on the Beer-Lambert law, which establishes a relationship between the absorbance of light and the concentration of absorbing species present in the sample.For ammonia (NH3) sensing, a diode laser at 1512 nm is typically employed. Diode lasers operating at this specific wavelength are well-suited to the distinct absorption properties of ammonia molecules.The 1512 nm wavelength coincides with a robust absorption line within the near-infrared spectrum, directly linked to ammonia's vibrational mode. Therefore, the 1512 nm diode laser stands as an ideal choice for crafting a high-sensitivity ammonia TDLAS sensor.TDLAS offers several advantages over other gas sensing techniques:(1)High Sensitivity: TDLAS is sensitive to low gas concentrations, making it suitable for applications where trace amounts of gases need to be detected.(2)Low Cost:The components for ammonia TDLAS are commonly used for telecommunication and hence the overall sensor cost is expected to be >10 times less. The laser diode source can be replaced by LED to achieve the targeted cost.(3)Long Sensor Lifetime: The laser diode has very long lifetime, thus the estimated sensor lifetime is 10 yr.(4) Small Footprint, Light weight, and Low Power Consumption:The overall sensor size can be less than 1 ft3with weight less than 30 lbs. The power consumption is expected to be less than 50 W.