From chemical agent alarm to fugitive vapor detection: development of a rugged commercial spectrometer

William E. Costello; Jo Ann Simonds; Suzanne Milchling

doi:10.1117/12.243278

17 June 1996 From chemical agent alarm to fugitive vapor detection: development of a rugged commercial spectrometer

William E. Costello, Jo Ann Simonds, Suzanne Milchling

Proceedings Volume 2763, Electro-Optical Technology for Remote Chemical Detection and Identification; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.243278
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing and Controls, 1996, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Intellitec, a division of Technical Products Group, Inc., is developing and testing a ruggedized commercial spectrometer for stable platform applications. This spectrometer design incorporates the key components utilized in the M21 remote sensing chemical agent alarm (RSCAAL). The spectrometer, which has a resolution of 4 wavenumbers (cm^-1), can be used to remotely sense fugitive vapors with spectral features in the 8 - 12 micrometer region. Intellitec has initiated a parallel effort to complete the development of personal computer (PC) based vapor identification software. The spectrometer's detection capability was tested by placing small amounts of anhydrous hydrazine vapor in a cell positioned in front of a black body reference. The data collected from the spectrometer clearly showed characteristic spectral features of hydrazine vapor. A developmental set of hydrazine coefficients was generated for use with the vapor identification software utilized in the M21. The coefficients were programmed into the M21. The effectiveness of the coefficients in the M21 was then tested by attempting to detect hydrazine vapor contained in a cell positioned in front of a black body. The developmental coefficient set successfully detected the hydrazine vapor. Further testing is required to improve detection sensitivity and confirm the spectrometer's ability to detect these vapors in an open path environment.

Citation Download Citation

William E. Costello, Jo Ann Simonds, and Suzanne Milchling "From chemical agent alarm to fugitive vapor detection: development of a rugged commercial spectrometer", Proc. SPIE 2763, Electro-Optical Technology for Remote Chemical Detection and Identification, (17 June 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.243278

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available