Hypergolic Chemical Leak Detector
DOD/MDA Phase I SBIR Contract W9113M-07-C-0082
Hydrazines, nitrogen oxides, and other highly reactive compounds are extensively used as missile propellants. The toxic nature of these substances requires careful monitoring over long periods to ensure safety of personnel, particularly when the propellants are moved after prolonged storage. Detecting chemical leaks can also prevent critical system failures within the missiles. Currently, there are no sensors available that can monitor a range of common propellants with the necessary sensitivity and operating characteristics for military use. To address this situation, Eltron Research & Development is developing a sensor based on an advanced optical sensing technology that enables simultaneous detection of hypergolic rocket fuel and oxidizer leaks. The approach involves preconcentration of analytes from the rocket canister’s internal atmosphere into a colorimetric polymer film. Spectroscopic changes will indicate propellant leak events. The Eltron team has 10 years of experience in hypergolic sensor research and development with a significant focus on spectroscopic detection methods. By partnering with a local technology company, we will integrate advanced controls and wireless communication features into the sensor platform and provide the Armed Forces with a powerful, cost-effective solution for propellant leak detection.
Immediate civilian application would be as a diagnostic tool that could be used in explosives and commercial rocket propellant production processes. In addition to those markets, our sensor could also be used to protect workers in industrial settings, since several of the fuels it can monitor are used in boiler feedwater deoxygenation, electroless plating baths, and large-scale chemical synthesis. The integrated sensing and communication systems that will be developed have extended application in a variety of industrial, safety, and homeland defense environments.