GLADIS: Gas laser analysis by infra red spectroscopy

• Forschungsstelle: EU FRP
• Projektnummer: 02.0173
• Projekttitel Englisch: GLADIS: Gas laser analysis by infra red spectroscopy

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Information Processing; Information Systems; Innovation; Technology Transfer

Alternative Projektnummern (Englisch)

EU project number: IST-2001-35178

Forschungsprogramme (Englisch)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.2.4 Essential technologies and infrastructures

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

See abstract

Abstract (Englisch)

Natural gas billing for industrial customers varies between 6 and 8% throughout Europe according to gas chemical composition, which differs according to the supply source. The deregulation process on the gas segment creates a real revolution for the measurement and the billing of the 'true' energy distributed. The project aims at developing a totally new microsystem, e.g. a laser diode for multi components gas analysis. The project will validate after 2 years the very promising optical technology for the targeted application. The microsystem will measure gas composition and gas calorific power, and therefore be the strategic element of a new industrial device called Energy Meter, used for energy billing. The expected results of the project are energy meters prototypes validated by the end users.

Objectives:
The objective of the project is to develop a microsystem for infra red spectroscopy, that will be integrated in a cost effective optical device for the measurement of natural gas calorific power. This device targets the gas distribution network, where the quantities are large. The measurement will be based on gas composition analysis by infrared spectroscopy. The laser technology has been retained to achieve this component. Three different types of lasers will be studied within the project. The objectives of the project are to select one laser solution and to achieve the integration of the retained solution. Three European end users will test and validate the whole optical device.

Work description:
A 3-year R&D project undertaken by the Coordinator of the project on gas composition calculation and gas calorific measurement techniques has selected the laser technology to achieve an optical microsystem dedicated to multi components gas analysis (from C1 to C4). The option consists in using a tunable laser source based on GaSb technology in the near infrared range (emission wavelenght above 2.1µm). The technological challenge will be to design and develop a tunable laser with an accord ability range wide enough to characterise alcanes from C1 to C4.

In a first step, specifications of the sensing element and of the whole device will be consolidated by the industrial partners and the end users of the project.
In a second step, 3 different laser structures will be developed. Their main characteristics will be studied, e.g. tuning range, resolution and metrological performances on the measurement of gas calorific power during 24 months. In parallel, the signal processing will be developed.
After 2 years, the project coordinator will choose which of the 3 structures is the best suited to the energy application. The selected microsystem will be integrated in energy meter prototypes. These 2 tasks will be performed by the technology providers and the industrial partner.
The end users will then perform tests of the energy meter prototypes until T0+36.
An industrialisation decision will be taken at the end of the project (T0+36).

Milestones:
T0+24: 3 laser structures developed and integrated in laboratory prototypes of energy meters. Milestone after 2 years: one of the 3 structures selected for the energy application.
T0+36: first prototypes of energy meter tested and validated by the end user. The 3 laser structures will be reusable for other chemical sensing applications.

Datenbankreferenzen (Englisch)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0173