A Compact Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor for Subsurface Detection of Organic Vapors

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A Compact Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor for
Subsurface Detection of Organic Vapors

• Robert Walters, Kevin Ryan, Molly Gribb, Herb
  Hill Jr., Abu Kanu

Presented at the 15th Meeting of the
International Society of Ion Mobility
Spectrometry July 24, 2006 Honolulu, HI
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Project Drivers

• Reduce cost and time for site remediation
• Over 3,300 incidents at 903 active sites with a
  1.1billion remediation burden (EPA CERCLIS
  database)
• Improve remediation effectiveness by improving
  the reliability and timeliness of subsurface
  vapor data

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Current Method

• Collection
• Transportation
• Preservation
• Preparation/Extraction
• Analysis
• Each step takes time and introduces error

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Project Objectives

• Compact sensor to identify and quantify gaseous
  volatile organic compounds in the vadose zone
• Unattended, in-situ, real-time measurements with
  wireless transmission of data to the user
• Used individually for characterization or in
  arrays for long-term monitoring of contaminated
  sites

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Project Requirements

• Robust and autonomous
• Low build and deployment cost
• Renewable-scale energy budget
• Small footprint
• Ability to separate mixtures
• Why not IMS?

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IMS is Used for Rapid Analysis of

• Chemical warfare agents
• Narcotics
• Explosives
• Amino acids, peptides, etc.
• Pesticides
• Volatile Organic Compounds

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IMS Analyzers
IONSCAN
ITEMISER
GE Ion Track Wilmington, MA
Smiths Detection Mississauga, Ont. Canada
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Possible subsurface IMS deployment ?
http//www.tecon.co.uk/images/piling_rig.jpg
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Hand-Held Ion Mobility Spectrometers Products in
Development or Off-the-Shelf
Lightweight Chemical Detector
ChemPro-100
microDMx
?-IMS
Gated-Grid IMS G.A.S. Gesellschaft fur
Analytische Sensorsysteme Dortmund, Germany
AC-DC IMS Sionex Corp. Waltham, MA
Open-Loop IMS Environics, Oy Mikkeli, Finland
Gated-Grid IMS Smiths Detection Watford, UK
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Subsurface Probe Deployment
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Subsurface Ion Mobility Spectrometer In
Development
Boise State University Washington State
University
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• Functional Diagram

Down Hole Up Hole
Working Gas
Power Manager
Solar Panel Battery
IMS
Com
Communication
User Interface
Data Acquisition and Control
Flow Controller
Key
Low Voltage High Voltage Digital Signals Analog
Signal Gas Sample Working Gas Probe Housing
Sampling Module
Ancillary Sensors
Sample
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• Subsurface IMS System

• All components fit within 4.8 cm I.D. and 122 cm
  long cone penetrometer housing
• Probe is capable of being deployed 30m below the
  surface
• Three surface connections Gas, Power and Data
• Down-hole, real-time processing of spectra

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Subsurface IMS System
Key components include
Cone IMS sensorSampling moduleHeaterPreampli
fierGate controllerHigh voltage supply
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Subsurface Cone IMS (SC-IMS)

• Plug-n-Play ionisation source
• Au sputtered Faraday plate
• N2 drift carrier gas
• External 1 M-O resistors
• Macor insulators
• eNi/Al guard rings
• BN ion gate

Units in mm
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CFD Modeling

• Drift Region

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CFD Modeling

• Reaction Region

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SC-IMS Nominal Operating Conditions
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Sampling Module Design
Venturi Pump
Sample Loop
Probe Tip w/screen
Solenoid Valves
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Sampling Module Operation
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SC-IMS Sampling Module
RIP
PCE
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Soil Matrix Test Setup
Sand
Clayey Sand
Lean Clay
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Soil Matrix Test Results
Blank
5 uL PCE
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Subsurface Ion Mobility Spectrometers In
Development
SuVA Subsurface Vapor Analyzer Boise State
University Washington State University
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Subsurface Vapor Analyzer in the Field
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SuVA Field Results
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Summary

• The first IMS-based subsurface vapor analyzer
  system has been demonstrated
• More to follow
• Continued lab characterization
• In-Ground testing off campus Q3 2006
• Field-testing of probe system (invitation to demo
  at Savannah River)
• Other opportunities

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Partners
Funded by the United States EPA under contracts
X97031101-0 and X97031102-0
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Thank you for your attention.

• Any questions?

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Subsurface Ion Mobility Spectrometers In
Development
SuVA Subsurface Vapor Analyzer Boise State
University Washington State University
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Chemical Warfare Agent Detection
MCAD UK Forces
ACADA or M-22 U.S. Forces
RAID-1 German Forces, et al.
CAM I-CAM U.S. Forces, et al.
Smiths Detection - Watford, UK General Dynamics
- Deland, FL
Smiths Detection Watford, UK
Smiths Detection Watford, UK
Bruker Daltronics Leipzig, Germany
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End-to-End Macor Test Results
PCE and TCE
Our system components Lab components
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Macor IMS Sampling Module Test Results
RIP
PCE
TCE
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Summary of IMS Accomplishments

• Component Design and Test
• ü Macor IMS
• ü Sampling Module
• High Voltage Power Supply
• Preamplifier
• System
• ü End-to-End (sample to spectra)