Description:
TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials
OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate an integrated suite of miniaturized hand-held laboratory type sensors, including a Near Infrared (NIR) Spectrometer, that shall be able to provide detailed real-time chemical and physical property data, including NIR spectra, of a fuel or aerospace chemical (hydraulic fluid, oil, Stoddard fluid, or coolants) sample. The sensor suite shall be integrated with an Air Force network compatible smartphone/tablet. The integrated sensor suite shall be controlled by and use an Air Force approved software application to communicate that data to an off-site chemist for review/analysis. The application shall provide two-way data transmission via the information technology cloud. The system must be able to integrate future laboratory sensors as they are developed or become available.
DESCRIPTION: The Air Force requires fuel or aerospace chemical samples that have been or potentially been contaminated with foreign substances or chemicals, such as hydraulic fluids, coolants, oils, or other chemicals to be collected and sent to a regional laboratory where analysis will be performed to determine the presence of and if possible the concentration of the contaminant. This process can take 2-10 days depending on location, transportation, international customs, and lab technician availability. During this time fuel inventories, refueling equipment, maintenance equipment, maintenance actions, and potentially aircraft are placed on quality hold pending results. A suite of miniaturized hand held laboratory type sensors, including a NIR spectrometer, integrated with an Air Force network compatible smartphone/tablet and supporting software application that is able to provide detailed real time chemical/physical property data and NIR spectra, can provide fuels laboratory technicians or depot maintainers in the field a forensic or triage capability to assess a questionable fuel or aerospace chemical sample. A trained chemist, via the application data, can provide a decision to either submit the sample for further analysis or determine that the sample is suitable for use. The decision can be made in 20-30 minutes. The suite of sensors and the Air Force network compatible smartphone/tablet shall be capable of being stored and operated in conditions ranging from -25 degrees F to +135 degrees F and have the ability to operate on AC, rechargeable battery or a 12-DC volt sources with the use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) to the fullest extent possible. The sensor suite will not generate any hazardous waste and require minimum consumables. The integrated system must be able to operate in a hazardous environment meeting all National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or ATmosphere EXplosibles (ATEX) requirements for the operating environment. The system software application shall be able to control the sensor suite and send chemical/physical property, NIR spectra and metadata (e.g. spectrometer serial number, time, date, sample ID, GPS location) to a Cloud-based server. The sensor suite, Air Force network compatible smartphone/tablet, and application software must meet and be fully compatible with Department of Defense Information Technology certification requirements including operation in a cloud environment. System would be used as part of comprehensive base level investigative analysis capability to identify fuel contamination or determine suitability for use or if sample must be submitted to regional laboratory for further analysis.
PHASE I: Identify potential laboratory sensors including a NIR spectrometer for integration. Develop an approach for the integration of the suite of laboratory type sensors with an Air Force network compatible smartphone/tablet and supporting software application capable of collecting physical/chemical properties and a NIR spectrum scan of a fuel or aerospace chemicals sample in a deployed environment. Conduct proof of principle experiments supporting the concept and provide evidence of the feasibility of the approach. Sensors/Air Force network compatible smartphone or tablet/software application shall be able to control sensor suite, transmit and receive fuels and aerospace chemical physical/chemical property data, NIR spectrum, and supporting data.
PHASE II: Build, and evaluate three prototype integrated sensor suites/Air Force network compatible smartphone or tablet /software application able to assess fuel and aerospace chemical samples and collected data from the sample to an off-site location for analysis by third party technical expert and other requirements provided by the Air Force. The prototypes will be used to demonstrate and validate the technology under laboratory and field conditions. DoD Information Technology implementation and Certificate to Operate requirements shall be identified and execution plan documented, once the suite of sensors/Air Force network compatible smartphone or tablet /software application is demonstrated and validated. The Phase II final report will document the results and provide transition plans needed to implement into production capability.
PHASE III: The intended transition path being implementation initially at all Air Force operating locations storing and handling fuels to monitor and allow on-site preliminary fuel quality analysis in partnership with third party technical expert via Air Force network compatible smartphone or tablet/software application. Implementation would then be expanded to depot maintenance locations for use by depot maintenance technicians for analysis of aerospace chemicals. It also has potential expansion to other Services and Defense Logistics Agency Energy. The development of this technology will also have a 50% or greater emphasis on applications in the commercial fuel storage tanks or in commercial fuel or aerospace chemical analysis. Technology developed under this SBIR could have an impact on aviation or ground fuel and aerospace chemical quality surveillance.
REFERENCES:
1: Real-time Inline Predictions of Jet Fuel Properties by NIR Spectroscopy https://www.metrohm.com/nb-no/applikasjoner/%7BCF416CB5-7CAD-45F3-B2C6-951CED600156%7D
2: 2. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics Instrumentation and Methodology for Field Evaluation of Compression Fuels by the U.S. Army http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA596359
3: 3. The Application of the B&W Tek i-Spec Visible-NIR Spectrometer to Condition Monitoring of Oils and Lubricants: Example Hydraulic Fluids http://bwtek.com/appnotes/the-application-of-the-bw-tek-i-spec-visible-nir-spectrometer-to-condition-monitoring-of-
4: 4. Using NIR Spectroscopy for Real –Time Inline Predictions of Jet Fuel Properties https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=12539
KEYWORDS: Aviation Turbine Fuels, Ground Fuels, Hydraulic Fluid, Oil, Coolants, Aerospace Chemicals, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
