TOF-MS LEAK DETECTORS

W PRESENT A NOVEL TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETER (TOF-MS) BASED SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF WORKING FLUID LEAKS ABOARD SPACE CRAFT IN FLIGHT. EXPECTED SENSITIVITY OF THE PROPOSEDDEVICES IS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THAT OF QUADRUPOLE RESIDUAL GAS ANALYZERS (RGA'S). EXTREMELY SIMPLE IN CONSTRUCTION, THESE TOF DEVICES WILL PROVIDE HIGH PERFORMANCE LEAK DETECTION WITH COMPACT, RELIABLE, AND LOW POWER HARDWARD. CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION WILL BE PERFORMED BY A SMALL ELECTRONICS PACKAGEUSING DESIGNS AND CUSTOM VLSI COMPONENTS DEVELOPED AT SCHMIDT INSTRUMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR TOF-MS APPLICATIONS. THIS COMBINATION OF ATTRIBUTES MAKES THE PROPOSED DEVICE RELIABLE ENOUGH FOR STAND ALONE PASSIVE LEAK DETECTION, YET PORTABLE ENOUGH FOR ACTIVELY "SNIFFING" OUT LEAK LOCATIONS.