Dissolved-air sensor for hydraulic fluid using robust inorganic luminescent material

TauTheta Instruments proposes to develop a Total Dissolved Air sensor for use in a hydraulic fluid test stands and purifiers. The proposed optical sensor uses an innovative combination of an inorganic luminophore and sol-gel matrix that will withstand high temperatures, harsh chemical and abrasive mechanical environments. The measurement of Total Dissolved Air (TDA) in hydraulic fluid will be accomplished using a measurement of dissolved oxygen as a proxy for TDA. Preliminary results show that TDA in Royco 782 Fluid can be measured by using dissolved oxygen measurement as a proxy. The commercial sensor proposed by TauTheta is solid state, with no mechanical parts or membranes that could fail under extreme pressures or temperatures. We anticipate that the commercial version of the sensor will consist of two main parts. The active portion of the sensor that mounts into the hydraulic fluid stream will consist of a probe about 4”long with smaller than ¾” diameter threaded interface. The interface and control electronics will fit on a business card size circuit board, and will be configured for easy integration into existing instrumentation through a variety of analog (4-20ma) or digital (Modbus, RS422) communications.