Industrial Sensors

Mission

The mission of the Industrial Sensors Area is to develop and apply technologies, principally electro-optic, to serve the sensing and measurement needs of industrial and government clients. We combine scientific and engineering skills with knowledge of industrial sensor requirements to design and engineer robust sensors for simple and reliable operation in demanding environments. We build one-of-a-kind custom sensor units and sensors intended for limited production, and we complete pilot production of sensors intended for volume manufacturing

Core Competencies

Core competencies include a broad, interdisciplinary combination of science and engineering skills with specific strengths in development and commercialization of photonics instrumentation. Areas of technical experience encompass: Physics; Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS); Optical (classical and fiber), Electrical and Mechanical Design; Optical Thermography; Photonic Component Packaging; Algorithm Development and Programming; Data Acquisition and Automatic Control.

Portable Standoff Hazardous Gas Detector

The current emphasis of the area is novel commercial applications of trace gas analyzers based on Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS). Having successfully designed and developed prototype handheld TDLAS stand-off sensors for natural gas pipeline leak surveying, we are now working with our manufacturing and marketing partner, Heath Consultants, to complete the product engineering and its transition to production. We are working with members of the petroleum exploration industry to develop novel TDLAS instruments for real-time off-gas analysis, with automobile manufacturers, specifically Nissan Motor Company, to develop test engine diagnostics, and with chemical manufacturers to develop fast non-contact hydrocarbon analyzers that will provide significant production cost savings. The area performs similar work for government applications that require engineering development of sensors intended for volume production. An example is a handheld optical device currently under development which automatically reads and interpret the response of specially prepared paper-like materials that change color in response to exposure to certain biological materials.

Current Research Thrusts Include:

• Mobile and Aerial Applications of Standoff TDLAS

- Sponsors: DoE, NYSEARCH

- Objective: Extend Remote Methane Leak Detector (RMLD) to Mobile and Aerial platforms.


• Aircraft Ullage O₂ Sensor

- Sponsor: ARFL

- Objectives: Develop a TDLAS sensor for continuous measurement of oxygen concentration in aircraft fuel tank ullage space.


• Automobile Manufacturing and Test Stand Diagnostics

- Sponsor: Commercial Client

- Objective: Develop optical sensors for measuring surface temperatures and exhaust gas flow velocities.


• Infrastructure Protection

- Sponsors: DOT, NYSEARCH

- Objectives: Develop acoustic sensor system for early warning of encroachment upon natural gas pipelines.



Area Leadership

Dr. Mickey Frish

Dr. Mickey Frish leads the Industrial Sensors Area. He has 30 years experience developing and commercializing electro-optical sensors, and is recognized as a pioneer in establishing TDLAS as an accepted industrial trace gas sensing and analysis technology





Mickey Frish Physical Sciences Inc. 20 New England Business Center Andover, MA 01810-1077 Telephone: (978) 689-0003 Fax: (978) 689-3232 frish@psicorp.com

 

 

Industrial Sensors Publications		Photonics Enterprise Portable Standoff Hazardous Gas Detector PSI and Nissan Motor Company Demonstrate Diode Laser-Based Sensing on Automobile Engines