STTR Phase I: Multi-functional Oil Quality Sensor

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I research project is designed to develop and characterize a novel, multi-functional oil quality sensor for the automobile and diesel engine markets. The objective of the proposed research project is to develop an innovative, cost effective multi-functional oil quality sensor that can detect a variety of degradation mechanisms for engine oil. Current sensors for detection oil quality are highly specialized and usually work only with a specific type of oil or a specific type of degradation mechanism (e.g. metal fragments or water contamination), and no single, cost-effective sensor that will work to identify possible oil quality degradation due to a variety of mechanisms is available in the market. This poses a problem for engine manufacturers as the utilization of a variety of sensors, each of which can detect only one type of problem makes the adoption of oil-quality sensors cost-prohibitive. The new sensors will allow on-line monitoring to accurately detect various modes of degradation of engine oil, and will be designed to work with oil provided by different manufacturers. On-board sensors, that can continuously monitor the quality of engine oil and alert the operator/driver when an oil change is required, can have a significant beneficial economic impact. If engine oil is not changed when needed, the result may be increased wear or even catastrophic engine failure. On the other hand, if the changes are too frequent, the result is added cost. A reliable, cost-effective on-board oil condition sensor will be beneficial to the engine manufacturers as they can gain a competitive edge by reducing lifetime cost to their customers, and is clearly beneficial to the end users as their operation and maintenance costs are reduced.