IGF::OT::IGF - THE COMPOUND SPECIFIC ANALYZER COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, USED ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF - THE COMPOUND SPECIFIC ANALYZER COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, USED ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS A WARNING MONITOR OF SMOLDERING OR COMBUSTION EVENTS, IS BEING PHASED OUT OF SERVICE. SOUTHWEST SCIENCES INC. PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A REPLACEMENT LASER-BASED ANALYZER USING WAVELENGTH MODULATION SPECTROSCOPIC ABSORPTION. THIS DEVICE WOULD BE CAPABLE OF REAL-TIME MEASUREMENTS OF THE FOUR MOST IMPORTANT GASES OF INTEREST CARBON MONOXIDE, CARBON DIOXIDE, HYDROGEN CYANIDE, AND HYDROGEN FLUORIDE AT CONCENTRATION LEVELS RELEVANT TO PRE-COMBUSTION EVENTS AND WITH A 1 SECOND RESPONSE TIME. THIS BATTERY OPERATED DEVICE WOULD BE HAND HELD, USE VERY LITTLE ELECTRICAL POWER, AND HAVE A MULTI YEAR LIFETIME WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CONSUMABLES, RE CALIBRATION, OR MAINTENANCE, IN CONTRAST TO THE CURRENTLY USED ANALYZER. THE PHASE I RESEARCH FOCUSED ON WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE THE MOST CRITICAL RISKS TO USING OUR APPROACH. ALL OF THESE OBJECTIVES WERE SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED, LAYING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR CONTINUATION OF THE RESEARCH IN PHASE II. IN PHASE II, A FULLY FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE ANALYZER, MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, WILL BE BUILT AND TESTED. ISSUES RELATING TO SPACE-QUALIFICATION WILL BE IDENTIFIED SO AS TO EASE THE TRANSITION TO PHASE III AND SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT.