DEVELOPMENT OF AN AIR QUALITY SENSOR FOR SUBMARINE ATMOSPHERES

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPACT, LOW-COST INSTRUMENT FOR MONITORING THE CONCENTRATIONS OF CO, NO, AND NO(2) IN SUBMARINE ATMOSPHERES IS PROPOSED. THE INSTRUMENT WILL BE BASED ON SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE SENSOR CELLS AND A NOVEL POTENTIODYNAMIC METHOD FOR DETECTING LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF GASES. THE PROPOSED DETECTION RANGES ARE: 0-400 PPM CO, 0-50 PPM NO, AND O-20 PPM NO(2). SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE CELLS REQUIRE ONLY WATER FOR OPERATION. THERE ARE NO HARSH CHEMICALS OR ELECTROLYTES THAT COULD ENDANGER PERSONNEL OR LEAD TO CORROSION CONCERNS FOR THE CELL AND SUBMARINE MATERIALS. DUE TO THE COMBINED ADVANTAGES OF A SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE AND THE POTENTIODYNAMIC METHOD, THE INSTRUMENT WILL OFFER SIMPLICITY OF OPERATION, LONG LIFE, LOW MAINTENANCE, INFREQUENT CALIBRATION, AND HIGH SELECTIVITY, IN ADDITION TO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN COST AND SIZE OVER THE CURRENTLY USED MONITOR.