ENERGY-MODULATED TOXIC VAPOR DETECTOR

MODULATION OF THE CONCENTRATION OF A TOXIC VAPOR TO BE DETECTED CAUSES A TIME-DEPENDENT SIGNAL TO BE GENERATED IN THE DETECTION DEVICE. TYPICALLY, THIS TIME-DEPENDENT SIGNALIS IGNORED AND ONLY STEADY-STATE OR EQUILIBRIUM DETECTOR VALUES ARE USED. HOWEVER, THIS TIME-DEPENDENT SIGNAL CAN BEMADE TO CONTAIN VERY USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT THE IDENTITY AND CONCENTRATION OF THE TOXIC VAPOR. IN THIS PHASE I WORK, A PROTOTYPE DETECTOR THAT OPERATES USING TRANSIENT SIGNALS IS DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED, AND TESTED. THE DEVICE IS TESTED FOR MMH, H, AND HCL VAPOR ANALYSIS AND THE IMPROVEMENTS IN SENSITIVITY, SPECIFICITY, AND STABILITY WILL BE EVALUATED. SINCE THE PROPOSED TECHNIQUE IS SPECTROSCOPIC IN NATURE AND UTILIZES A DIFFERENTIAL MEASUREMENT, THE NEW DETECTOR IS EXPECTED TO BE MORE STABLE AND BOTH REDUCE AND SIMPLIFY THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR REQUIRED OF FIELD INSTRUMENTATION FOR TOXIC VAPOR DETECTION.