Systems and methods for oxygen sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9800328-B2
Application number	US-201514982275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

An oxygen sensing system comprises a substrate structured to communicate optical signals. An oxygen sensing layer is disposed on the substrate and comprises an oxygen sensing molecule in a matrix in a first unexcited state and formulated to: (a) be excited by a first optical signal to move to a second state; (b) be quenched in the second state by oxygen; and (c) emit a second optical signal corresponding to an amount of oxygen. A protective layer, disposed on the oxygen sensing layer, includes at least one of i) an oleophobic layer and ii) an anti-fouling layer. A controller is optically coupled to the substrate and structured to generate the first optical signal, receive the second optical signal and determine oxygen concentration from the second optical signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oxygen sensing system, comprising:
an oxygen sensor comprising:
a substrate structured to communicate optical signals;
an oxygen sensing layer disposed on the substrate, the oxygen sensing layer comprising an oxygen sensing molecule disposed in a matrix, the oxygen sensing molecule formulated to be in a first unexcited state, the oxygen sensing molecule further formulated to:
(a) be excited in response to a first optical signal so as to move into a second state,
(b) be quenched in the second state by oxygen present in a sample in contact with the oxygen sensor, and
(c) emit a second optical signal different from the first optical signal, an optical parameter of the second optical signal corresponding to an amount of the oxygen present in the sample;

a protective layer disposed on the oxygen sensing layer, the protective layer including at least one of i) an oleophobic layer configured to protect the oxygen sensing layer from hydrocarbons and organic solvents, and ii) an anti-fouling layer configured to protect the oxygen sensing layer from fouling;

a housing defining an internal volume, at least one opening defined on the sidewalls of the housing, the opening configured to allow the sample to infiltrate the housing therethrough;
a plurality of fouling-resistant particles positioned within the internal volume of the housing, the plurality of fouling-resistant particles including an anti-fouling agent, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen sensor including the oxygen sensing layer is positioned within the internal volume defined by the housing, the portion of the oxygen sensor surrounded by the plurality of fouling-resistant particles so as to protect at least the portion of the oxygen sensor from fouling; and
a controller optically coupled to the substrate, the controller structured to generate the first optical signal and communicate the first optical signal to the oxygen sensing layer via the substrate, the controller further configured to receive the second optical signal via the substrate and analyze the optical parameter of the second optical signal to determine a concentration of the oxygen in the sample.

2. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the sample.

3. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a fiber optic cable.

4. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen sensing molecule comprises an oxygen sensitive dye and the matrix includes a sol-gel.

5. The oxygen sensing system of claim 4 , wherein the oxygen sensitive dye includes at least one of platinum meso-tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porphine, palladium meso-tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porphine, gadolinium meso-tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porphine, platinum octaethylporphine, palladium octaethylporphine, gadolinium octaethylporphine, platinum meso-tetraphenylporphine, platinum tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porpholactone, palladium meso-tetraphenylporphine, gadolinium meso-tetraphenylporphine, ruthenium tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,1.phenanthroline)Cl 2 , osmium tris(bathophenanthroline)dichloride, iridium(III) bis(4-phenylthieno[3,2-c] pyridinato-N,C2′)acetylacetonate.

6. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen sensing layer further comprises:
a photo stabilizer formulated to scavenge oxygen from the oxygen sensing layer.

7. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the oleophobic layer includes a cross-linked amorphous fluoropolymer.

8. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the oleophobic layer includes a cross-linked sol-gel mixture.

9. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fouling layer comprises at least one of N-alkylated poly (4-vinyl-pyridine), N-halomine or an anti-fouling paint.

10. The oxygen sensing layer of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is hydrophobic.

11. The oxygen sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a calibration device positioned proximate to the oxygen sensor, the calibration device including:
a second substrate structured to communicate a calibrant optical signal; and
a calibrant layer positioned on at least a portion of the second substrate, the calibrant layer responsive to the calibrant optical signal so as to at least one of release a predetermined amount of heat, release a predetermined amount of oxygen, or scavenge oxygen in a proximity of the oxygen sensor.

12. The oxygen sensing system of claim 11 , wherein the calibrant layer is formulated to release a predetermined amount of heat in response to the calibrant optical signal, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
generate the calibrant optical signal so as to urge the calibrant layer to release the predetermined amount of heat so as to raise a temperature of the oxygen sensing layer to a predetermined temperature;
determine a temperature dependency value of the optical parameter based on the predetermined temperature;
compare the temperature dependency value to a known optical parameter value at the predetermined temperature so as to determine a temperature calibration value; and
calibrate the oxygen sensor based on the temperature calibration value.

13. The oxygen sensing system of claim 11 , wherein the calibrant layer is formulated to release a predetermined amount of oxygen in response to the calibrant optical signal, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
generate the calibrant optical signal so as to urge the calibrant layer to release the predetermined amount of oxygen so as to raise an oxygen concentration in proximity of the oxygen sensor to a predetermined higher oxygen concentration;
determine a higher calibration parameter of the oxygen sensor corresponding to the predetermined higher oxygen concentration; and
calibrate the oxygen sensor based on the higher calibration parameter.

14. The oxygen sensing system of claim 11 , wherein the calibrant layer is formulated to scavenge oxygen in response to the calibrant optical signal, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
generate the calibrant optical signal so as to urge the calibrant layer to scavenge oxygen in the proximity of the oxygen sensor and lower an oxygen concentration in proximity of the oxygen sensor to a predetermined lower oxygen concentration;
determine a lower calibration parameter of the oxygen sensor corresponding to the predetermined lower oxygen concentration; and
calibrate the oxygen sensor based on the lower calibration parameter.

15. An oxygen sensor, comprising:
a substrate structured to communicate optical signals;
an oxygen sensing layer disposed on the substrate, the oxygen sensing layer comprising an oxygen sensing molecule disposed in a matrix, the oxygen sensing molecule formulated to be in a first unexcited state, the oxygen sensing molecule further formulated to:
(a) be excited in response to a first optical signal to move into a second state,
(b) be quenched in the second state by oxygen present in a sample in contact with the oxygen sensor, and
(c) emit a second optical signal different from the first optical signal, an optical parameter of the second optical signal corresponding to an amount of the oxygen present in the sample; and

a protective layer disposed on the oxygen sensing layer, the protective layer including an oleophobic layer, which includes a cross-linked sol-gel mixture, configured to protect the oxygen sensing layer from hydrocarbons and organic solvents.

16. The oxygen sensor of claim 15 , wherein the substrate includes a fiber optic cable.

17. The oxyge

Assignees

• Univ New York

Inventors

• Mlekicki Filip
• Sidelev Alexey
• Khalil Gamal
• Ghandehari Masoud
• Hossein Mohsen

Classifications

• G01N2021/772

  Tip coated light guide · CPC title

• G01N21/6408

  with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence · CPC title

• H04B10/07 Primary

  Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems · CPC title

• G01N2021/7759

  Dipstick; Test strip · CPC title

• G01N2021/7786

  Fluorescence · CPC title