Advanced Analyzers for Monitoring Submarine Atmosphere

The Central Atmospheric Monitoring System (CAMS) IIA used in U.S. Navy submarines has been a reliable and crucial component for the operational safety of submarine crew for 40 years. While the CAMS has been updated slightly, there are lingering unresolvable issues. The proposed sensor is based on two different methods that will be incorporated into a single instrument. The first uses an optical path length enhancement approach coupled with laser diodes. It allows the instrument to be rugged and compact without compromising sensitivity at ppm levels. A second method utilizes a photoacoustic cell coupled with laser diodes to detect those specific gases where much lower ppb levels are required. The proposed sensor has the ability to measure concentrations of multiple gases at high sensitivities and includes the ability to accommodate many additional gases as they are identified. The proposed sensor is compact, has a startup time of around 2 minutes and a display update time of one second. The sensor maintenance cost would be far less than that of a mass spectrometer, as the proposed sensor approach has demonstrated the capability to provide accurate measurements for many years without calibration or overhaul.