TDLAS Trace Gas Analyzers
Diode laser technology, such as found in consumer electronics and modern telecommunications infrastructure, is at the core of many of PSI's sensor technologies. Since the early 1990's, PSI has pioneered the adaptation of these lasers to spectroscopic detection of trace gases (TDLAS or Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy), measurements of the properties of gas flows (temperature, velocity, and mass flux), and remote monitoring of chemicals. Our R&D contributions range from the fundamental database of molecular absorption parameters, through innovative diode and diode-based laser sources, to compact autonomous sensors. Recent activities have focused on advanced sources and applications in the mid-, long-, and far-infrared wavelength regions. We have developed sensors specifically for a variety of harsh environments as diverse as automobile engines and exhausts, research aircraft, and electric arc furnaces for applications from atmospheric and environmental monitoring, industrial process monitoring, military and homeland defense agent monitoring and human health monitoring via breath analysis. For routine natural gas leak surveying, a version of our unique hand-portable Standoff TDLAS sensors is licensed to Heath Consultants Inc. Heath has produced and sold hundreds of these R&D 100 Award winning Remote Methane Leak Detector (RMLD)™ units. PSI has a product supply agreement with IMA Edwards to provide Lyoflux™ sensor technology, which employs TDLAS to monitor moisture flux during pharmaceutical drying processes.
Our extensive background in tunable laser absorption spectroscopy has also led PSI to foster the development of new semiconductor lasers sources and incorporate these longer wavelength laser sources into sensors that exploit the unique spectral signatures of the longwave and far infrared regime.
TDL based CO2 sensor deployment in the field