Grantee Research Project Results
Portable Emissions Testing System
EPA Contract Number: 68D00227Title: Portable Emissions Testing System
Investigators: May, David F.
Small Business: Analytical Engineering Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2000 through March 1, 2001
Project Amount: $69,987
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , SBIR - Air Pollution , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
A briefcase-packaged, portable raw gas emissions analysis system is proposed, which provides 1 second timeslice T-90 response and 1 ppm precision for low concentration gases (NO, NO2, CO, N2O, and total HC). The micro-rugged Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) based system incorporates a newly available interferometer kernel possessing 1.3 kg mass and exceptional optical stability. With an integral micro FID, total and speciated hydrocarbons are accurately determined. This, in conjunction with the FTIR hot gas analysis, provides wet accurate gaseous measurements for most regulated and nonregulated air pollutants. A novel microcapillary heated transfer system and low volume multipass optical gas cell provide best kinetic and thermodynamic equilibria of analyte compounds, preventing NO/NO2 oxidation. Engine speed is measured acoustically, and stack flow is measured with an integrated sample probe/flow anemometer. Instantaneous engine horsepower is determined computationally through CO2/CO/HC/speed/flow measurements. This development program will result in a portable instrument for mobile and stationary modeling and compliance work. An on-board pentium class computer provides instantaneous graphic results and sophisticated statistical treatment for factor analysis. The system also is optimized for in-use compliance evaluations.Analytical Engineering, Inc. (AEI), partnering with Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Boyer Machine Co., are working to successfully develop and commercialize the proposed technology. Both government and commercial markets exist for this technology stemming predominantly from mobile emissions testing but also to stationary emitter analysis. Because size and mass are optimized, applications also exist for CEMS, autonomous data collection, and atmospheric measurements.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, monitoring, air emissions, engineering, chemistry, EPA., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Toxics, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, air toxics, Chemistry, HAPS, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, tropospheric ozone, Environmental Engineering, Engineering, chromatography, ambient air quality, Nitrogen Oxides, Field Fourier Infrared (FT-IR), stratospheric ozone, environmental measurement, continuous measurement, real time, air pollutants, hydrocarbon, field portable monitoring, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ambient air, gas chromatography, ambient monitoring, air sampling, field monitoring, analytical chemistry, portable device, FTIR, portable detection system, measurement, continuous emissions monitoring, hydrocarbons, field detection, portable chemical analyzer, aerosol sampling, nitrogen oxides (Nox), field measurements, measurement methods , aerosol analyzers, atmospheric chemistryProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.