NASA SBIR 2002 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Monitor Instruments Company, LLC
290 East Union Road
Cheswick , PA   15024 - 2107
(724 ) 265 - 1212

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Dr. Guenter Voss
monitor1@nauticom.net
290 East Union Road
Cheswick , PA   15024 - 2107
(724 ) 265 - 1212

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In Phase I it was shown that a combination of a circular cycloidal mass spectrometer with a new type of a linear cycloidal for the light gases allows the simultaneous monitoring of the five constituents H2, He, N2, O2, and Ar. A laminar/molecular standard inlet is supported by a membrane inlet, which is particularly selective for helium and hydrogen. Thus the low ionization probability of these gases is compensated by enrichment to achieve the required detection limits without using an electron multiplier. The high vacuum is sustained by a small 2 l/s ion getter pump. To increase the time of operation for the ion pump a non-evaporable getter pump will capture most of the nitrogen and oxygen load from air by this getter material. The software developed provides spectra at the site (graphics display) and transmission of data via an RS 232/485 interface.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
-Leak detection during the fueling process and launching of the space shuttle
-Miniature mass spec for hazardous gas detection
-Gas chromatograph mass spec in harsh environments
-Miniaturized mass spec for N2, CO2, NH4, O2, and hydrazine
-Onboard gas monitor for the space shuttles

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)

-Helium and hydrogen leak detection
-Fast process control in petrochemical and chemical plants
-Portable instruments for onsite analysis
-Isotope ratio analyzer for medical and biological investigations
-Security control, portable detector for explosives and toxics
-Environmental monitor