Broadband Impedance Spectroscopy Sensor for Real-time In-situ Analysis of Fluid System Health

"Impact Technologies LLC, in collaboration with the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory, proposes to develop and demonstrate a fluid quality monitoring system based upon broadband impedance spectroscopy. The approach described herein includes prototypesensor design, signal processing, electrochemical property evaluation, and oil quality feature analysis combined with automated reasoning and prediction algorithms. Oil quality measurements are based on additive depletion, oxidation, thermal breakdown, orother physical/chemical properties changes. Research indicates that these changes are detectable through the analysis of the oil's bulk response to a broadband alternating current input. Preserving the phase and amplitude of the response and identifyingspecific features allows the classification of oil properties and relative changes. The automated reasoning will be designed to identify viscosity, water content, acid number, and additive package changes as well as predict the future values based upon arate of degradation. This proposed sensing system will significantly improve the state of on-line oil analysis by providing inexpensive, robust measurements of oil quality parameters. With the integration of this sensor-diagnostic package to monitor thecondition of fuels, lubricants, coolants, and hydraulic fluids into to condition monitoring systems there exists great potential to increase readiness, reliability, and mission assu