Sensor Development
Dr. Eliel Villa-Aleman conducts much of his research in the Laser Diagnostics, Optics and Spectroscopy Laboratory, an SRNL facility dedicated to the development of optical methods and sensors. His projects have included one of the world’s largest acousto-optic tunable filters for infrared imaging, open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer air monitoring programs, and the development of specialized sensors.
SRNL scientists have developed and applied variations of probes and sensors that can measure or detect chemicals and their physical properties in many different environments, such as industrial process streams, groundwater, and well water. Obtaining sensitive measurements in the hostile environments common to the nuclear industry requires considerable scientific and engineering talent. SRNL excels in modifying available instruments to particular situations and in building robust systems that will operate in harsh conditions or environments for years.
Fiber-Optic Sensors
Remote Chemical Analysis
Sol Gel Indicator Sensors
Remote Robotic Sensor Systems
Environmental Sensors
Custom Sensors
Fiber-Optic Sensors
Fiber-optic sensors are ideal for hazardous environments where electrical measurements are not feasible. SRNL’s versatile sensor systems have been used to measure various chemical concentrations and physical properties, including moisture, ammonia, hydrogen, pressure, and temperature. This technology tracks chemical concentrations over time and eliminates the need to gather samples manually for lab analysis, reducing analysis time, cost, and potential worker exposure.
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Remote Chemical Analysis
Some process chemical measurements require laboratory-grade instrumentation. SRNL scientists are experts at hardening equipment for use in these environments and developing calibrations suitable to the unique conditions found in nuclear facilities, like those at SRS. Personnel have developed or adapted, then deployed, instruments for optical absorption and Raman spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, and gas chromatography.
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Sol-Gel Indicator Sensors
SRNL scientists have developed and patented a new class of composite materials called Sol-Gel Indicators that involve encapsulation of chemical indicators into a sol-gel, silica-based glass matrix. Systems can be developed to monitor conditions such as groundwater pH, and detect species such as U or Cr. These sol-gel glass composites have been deposited onto lens and fiber optic systems, and interfaced with multiplexers and portable diode array spectrometers to conduct measurements in the field. Sensor systems based on additional sol-gel composites are being developed for measurements of radiation effects and for various types of medical probes.
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Thin film sensor development is an area of specialty for Dr. Scott McWhorter. The sensors are used in gas and aqueous phase sensing of ammonia, moisture, and hydrogen to support both tritium and environmental operations.
Remote Robotic Sensor Systems
SRNL has developed the capability to take measurements in remote environments by pairing the appropriate sensor with remotely-operated, self-propelled submersible vehicles, or underground boring and water monitoring equipment. These chemical and isotopic analytic capabilities can be combined with an SRNL weather information system to provide emergency response information, meteorological transport data, and dose assessments for radioactivity and hazardous waste releases. When greater sensitivity is required, high performance analytical instruments developed by SRNL can make chemical and isotopic analyses at the level of less than one-quadrillionth of a gram.
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Environmental Sensors
SRNL has a history of providing rugged, field-tested instrumentation for terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric sampling. These instruments are designed for emergency response, radionuclide and chemical contamination measurements, aerial radiation surveys, effluent characterization, and radioactive plume measurements.
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SRNL’s R&D 100 Award-winning optical temperature sensor system measures temperatures from -200° to 600°C safely and accurately even in extremely hazardous, corrosive, and high electromagnetic field environments.
Custom Sensors
SRNL produces world-class custom instruments for sensitive specialty measurements. SRNL custom-built calorimeters are unsurpassed for accurate measurement of heat-producing materials such as tritium and plutonium. SRNL’s coherent optical measurement laboratory uses non-destructive, laser-based methods to measure microscopic dimensions, pressures in sealed containers, and residual stress in materials.
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