Ion Optics Scores DOT Funding for Optical Emissions Sensor

Ion Optics, Inc.rtment of Transportation (DOT) awarded <%=company%> (Waltham, MA) a $99,980 Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Award to develop protocols and instrumentation for internal combustion engine exhaust emissions measurement. Over the course of the six month program, the company will modify its will modify its MicroSpec handheld infrared spectrometer for the shipboard and dockside monitoring of marine vessels' exhaust emissions.

Originally developed to measure engine emission for the space shuttle, the MicroSpec is compact, light weight, and can withstand the vibration, shock, and temperature variations commonly found in an engine operating environment. Its active optical components are micro-machined directly onto the waveguide, which provides optical throughput for wavelength ranges of 3 to 5.5 um or 7 to 14 um. A 64-channel micro-thermopile detector provides the output signal.
During Phase I development, a laptop will perform real-time data acquisition, display, and data reduction. The algorithms involved generate absolute species concentration measurements for mixed-gas streams, including those with strong water interference. Using the MicroSpecTM, Ion Optics expects to measure the concentrations of nitrogen oxide (NOX), sulfur oxide (SOX), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrocarbons.

Internal combusion engine manufacturer Cooper Energy Services (Houston, TX) will monitor the development program.

Edited by Maeve McKenna