FREGMEGS: Functional resolution of industrially important gas mixtures using low cost multi-faceted gas sensors

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 98.0110

Key words (English)

Sensor array technology; process control

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: BRPR-CT98-0759

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 2.1 Industrial and materials technologies

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Capteur Sensors LTD, Imperial College, London (UK), University College, London (UK), Siemens Forschung AG (D), AlphaMOS Auergesellschaft AG, Moët & Chandon

Abstract (English)

FRAGRANCE RESEARCH OF GIVAUDAN DÜBENDORF AG HAS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROJECT AS A TECHNOLOGY USER. THUS WE WERE DEPENDING ON THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE RESEARCH LABS OF THE SENSOR MANUFACTURERS. WE PARTICIPATED IN THE ELABORATION OF SENSOR-SPECIFICATION (TASK1) WHICH WAS DONE WITH THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME. IT IS STILL A CHALLENGE TO PERFORM QUALITY CONTROL TASKS ON FRAGRANCE INGREDIENTS WITH SENSOR ARRAY TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE MOSTLY ANALYTICAL SPECIFICATIONS ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY DISCRIMINATING GOOD AND BAD (OR MARGINAL) OLFACTIVE QUALITIES. 4 LARGE VOLUME INGREDIENTS WERE SUBJECT OF A DETAILED STUDY USING THE FOX4000 AND THE CALIBRATION TOOLS DEVELOPED BY ALPHAMOS (ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY TO TEST THE TOOLS UNDER HARD PROCESS-CONTROL CONDITIONS). IN CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY WE RECOGNISED THAT LIMITATIONS OF THE STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY DID NOT ALLOW AN IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN PROCESS CONTROL. STABILITY PROBLEMS OF CURRENT MOS-SENSORS ARE KNOWN (DRIFT-PROBLEMS) AND HAD TO BE COMPENSATED WITH CALIBRATION 'EXERCISES'. ALSO OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE MEASURMENT TIME AND SELECTIVITY ISSUES WERE SUBJECT OF THE EXHAUSTIVE DEVELOPMENT WORK WITHIN FREGMEGS. IT BECAME A TECHNICAL PACKAGING TASK FOR OUR PARTNER ALPHA-MOS TO PROVIDE A COMPATIBLE ELECTRONIC MEASUREMENT SETUP WHICH WAS TO BE INSERTED IN THE STATE OF THE ART FOX4000 SYSTEM. AFTER THESE LABOUR INTENSE JOINT UPGRADING EFFORTS WE STARTED COMPARISON MEASUREMENTS ON KEY FRAGRANCE INGREDIENTS. THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, DATA COMPATIBILITY AND SOFTWARE UPDATING WERE DELAYING OUR MAIN TASK TO BE ACOMPLISHED. WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD AND USE AN OLFACTOMETER WHICH WAS SUITABLE FOR AN ONLINE CONCENTRATION CONTROL BUT WE COULD NOT REALIZE THE SECOND SUBPROJECT WHICH WAS A SENSOR-SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR ONLINE PROCESS CONTROL.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 98.0110