Leak Detectors in Aircraft Systems

Miniature, low power, lightweight, low cost, smart detectors such as those made by Cyrano Sciences, Inc. installed at critical fluidic system connections (e.g.; fuel pump, oil filter, hydraulic actuators), seal points, or interstitial spaces in theairframe can provide a timely warning to the pilot or maintenance crew that a critical fluid is leaking and allow them to service the system or take other appropriate actions to mitigate the problem until the aircraft can be landed safely and repaired.Sensor modules incorporating Cyrano's polymer composite sensor technology and proprietary chemical event detection and real time pattern recognition software will continuously monitor the aircraft's chemical environment and produce an alarm condition ifthe rate of change of chemical signal (i.e. a leak) exceeding a pre-set threshold is encountered. Static puddles would not display a significant rate of change over relatively short time frames (up to an hour) and hence would not produce an alarmcondition. Upon detecting a leak, the sensor response pattern will be compared to stored response patterns in real time and an indication of the identity of the leaking fluid and whether the leak rate is increasing or decreasing will be wirelesslycommunicated to the alarm notification console. Low cost, low power, miniature smart detectors such as those made by Cyrano Sciences, Inc. could be deployed in aircraft fluid leak detections systems, industrial equipment, motor vehicles, or other systems where the integrity of fluidic systems arecritical to the performance of the mission.The estimated market for aircraft leak detection systems in military and commercial aircraft is estimated to be about $22 MM in 2005 and growing to $51 MM in 2010. The market for commercial and industrial leak detection, primarily in the chemical industryis estimated to be around $500MM. The increase in equipment availability (military and industrial) and reduction of unscheduled maintenance costs due to fluidic system leak failures are difficult to quantify but could be economically significant.