Drinking Water Quality Sensor System (Dr. Watsen)

Impact Technologies, together with Dr. Lynn Fuller of Rochester Institute of Technology and with cooperation from the OEM for the Army’s Tactical Water Purification System, (Global Group North America, Global Defense Engineering) is developing a sensor to measure multiple water quality parameters within a single MEMS-based platform. Measurements will include pH, residual chlorine, turbidity, temperature, total dissolved solids, and biological contaminants. In Phase II, other measurements to be identified by customer and purification industry stakeholders will be added (e.g. Total Organic Carbon). When integrated into a water purification system, this sensor will enable improvements in overall water purification efficiency and provide soldiers with real-time monitoring of their water supply . Key Phase II tasks are to: - Finalize specification - prioritize list of desired measured parameters and determine water-purification-specific application design issues. - Update design of Phase I chip to include new measurements - Fabricate updated prototypes and assess ‘dunk test’ results. - Package chip within ruggedized sensor housing with associated electronics, and test on flow rig simulating anticipated flow conditions to be encountered by sensor - Perform third party tests to validate sensor performance - Set up and test sensor within the Army’s water treatment test laboratory