TAS::80 0123::TAS MAKEL ENGINEERING, INC. (MEI) AND PENN STATE UNIVERSITY (PSU) PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A HIGHLY…

Public award description

TAS::80 0123::TAS MAKEL ENGINEERING, INC. (MEI) AND PENN STATE UNIVERSITY (PSU) PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A HIGHLY SENSITIVE SPECTROMETER BASED ON GLOW DISCHARGE EMISSION FOR THE DETECTION/CLASSIFICATION OF GAS AND AEROSOL SPECIES IN POST-FIRE CLEANUP SCENARIOS. THIS DEVICE WOULD COMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY THAT IS ALREADY UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR INTELLIGENT FIRE DETECTION AND WOULD PROVIDE A ROBUST SYSTEM TO SIMULTANEOUSLY MONITOR THE REDUCTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND OTHER TOXIC SPECIES BY FIRE CLEANUP FILTRATION SYSTEMS. MEI AND DR. RANDY VANDER WAL OF PSU ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING A GLOW-DISCHARGE BASED DETECTION SYSTEM FOR DOD (NAVAIR) THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY COMPACT (<1 LB.) AND PROVIDE HIGHLY SENSITIVE DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES AND THE POTENTIAL TO DETECT A BROAD RANGE OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AGENTS. THIS SYSTEM IS A MICROHOLLOW GLOW DISCHARGE-BASED ELECTRONIC SNIFFER (MHGD SNIFFER) AND PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR THE PROPOSED NASA EFFORT.