SBIR Phase I: Adaptive Radio Frequency Sensors for Catalyst Systems: Enabling Improved Efficiency and Advanced Diagnostics

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will address a currently unmet market need, namely the development of a platform RF-based sensing technology for direct measurement, control, and diagnosis of catalyst performance. If successful, the technology presents a paradigm shift in emissions measurements and catalyst control. Advanced sensors and controls are required to enable emissions catalysts to meet strict regulations limiting the emissions of pollutants from combustion engines to minimize their adverse environmental and health effects. The proposed FST technology provides a single solution to address both the requirements for on-board diagnostics and improved catalyst operation. Driven by these regulations, the market for emissions sensors is rapidly outpacing the markets for other types of engine and vehicle sensors. FST?s technology is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth, providing a robust and much lower-cost alternative to the use of multiple, expensive, and specialized sensors. This technology is not limited to emissions measurements, but is applicable to a wide range of industrial and process control applications. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will research, develop, and apply a novel radio frequency (RF) sensing method to provide direct, real-time measurements of chemical processes occurring on catalysts for vehicle applications. Strict emissions regulations have driven the development of complex emissions control systems to meet these mandates. Today's new diesel-powered vehicles contain several different types of catalysts and filters, all monitored by an extensive sensor network to achieve the required emissions reduction and diagnose system failures. The current approach utilizes multiple dedicated electrochemical sensors, each designed to measure a specific emissions component, which adds considerable cost and complexity to the system. In addition, these sensors provide only a local measurement of the exhaust gas composition, requiring the use of on-board predictive models to indirectly estimate the condition or performance of the catalyst. The proposed RF sensor overcomes these challenges by monitoring the chemical processes on the catalyst directly. This project will investigate the feasibility of applying RF sensing for control and diagnostic applications with a range of catalysts to identify the most promising applications which will be pursued in Phase II.