Year 3 DoE Funding Received by UNM and SensorComm for Integrated IoT Methane Sensor System

Provides identification, quantification and fingerprinting of methane emissions for natural gas leak detection

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA, April 11, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — SensorComm Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”, “SensorComm” or “SCT”) with offices in New Mexico and California (USA), together with the University of New Mexico Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (“UNM”), is pleased to announce that year three funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DoE”) has been approved and received for a joint UNM/SCT project to develop an innovative Internet-of-Things (IoT) methane sensor system (during a supply chain constrained design cycle) that provides identification, quantification and fingerprinting of methane emissions as part of an early-warning system for natural gas leak detection. In 2020 DoE awarded UNM, through its Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (Award DE-FE0031864), a three year program to develop the system. Progress for year one and year two was reviewed by DoE resulting in funding approval for year three.

System Integration: The system integrates an IoT capability with a robust multi-element sensor technology that allows for unattended field measurements and provides data consistent with expensive, fragile and high maintenance laboratory instrumentation. The system further identifies simulated emissions from wetlands, bovines and natural gas with >99% accuracy and quantifies emissions with >97% accuracy. Material systems for additive manufacturing fabrication and rapid prototyping are carefully selected for sensitivity to CH4, heavier hydrocarbons and other subcomponents, which allow the fingerprinting of methane emissions.

“Our core technology has its origins in automotive sensing,” stated Fernando Garzon, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, University of New Mexico, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Director, Center for Micro-Engineered Materials. “Lessons learned have allowed for efficient development of the current application to methane. Our vision includes transition to zero and near-zero emission capabilities as we explore next-generation applications of our technology.”

Testing and Commercialization: Field testing, safety certification and sensor production objectives have been established and are underway. Customer discovery has provided an accelerated path to commercialization for key early-warning applications including: 1) pipeline leaks (safety); 2) mobile monitoring of real-time vehicle emissions (GHG); and 3) utility-deployable rapid response systems (gas smell).

Lok-kun Tsui, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, University of New Mexico, Center for Micro‐Engineered Materials, added: “Advances made the past two years have enabled a clear path to commercialization. We are developing processes for a transition to sensor mass production, aligning with commercial partners and continuing efforts to improve sensitivity and selectivity of our devices.”

Kamil Agi, Ph.D., President and CEO, SensorComm Technologies, Inc., concluded: “The rapid evolution and capability of the methane sensing technology has accelerated customer discovery and commercialization strategies. SensorComm’s increase in scope and resources for this budget period (to include intrinsic safety) will provide access to a larger portion of the market. Our team has already identified specific opportunities for pilot programs that can lead to scaled deployments.”

Additional information will be made available in future news releases.

Contact: SensorComm Technologies, Inc. (USA) | [email protected]

+1.415.273.9188 | https://sensorcommtech.com | @sensorcommtech

Contact: Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (USA) | https://cmem.unm.edu/

About SensorComm Technologies: SensorComm is building a better, more sustainable world with smart (IoT-based) early-warning solutions for transportation, energy and health. We provide Wi-NOx pollution monitoring systems for vehicles, emission sensing for natural gas infrastructure and EvexiaBand for COVID-19 and beyond. Our systems provide information and intelligence leading to efficiencies that enable individuals to make smarter choices for themselves, and the world around them.

About UNM’s Center for Micro-Engineered Materials: The Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM) is a university wide collaboration bringing world class capabilities in micro and nano science and engineering. Our focus is on “bottom up” additive approaches towards building materials and devices for energy conversion and efficiency, nanomedicine, earth & planetary sciences & environmental geochemistry. The center couples solution and colloid chemistry and physics with advanced manufacturing engineering to provide innovation. We provide multi-disciplinary theoretical, computational and experimental capabilities to solve complex problems. CMEM maintains campus wide high value characterization tools available for the use of the entire UNM research community..

SensorComm is an Intel^® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance partner, and a Cisco^® Solution Partner Program member. SensorComm’s work is partially supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Energy. Cisco^® is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. Intel^® is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. EvexiaBand device/system is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and should not be relied upon for any medical purpose. SensorComm Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Disclaimer available at: https://sensorcommtech.com/policies/


Robert Ian
SensorComm Technologies, Inc.
+1 415-273-9188
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Twitter
LinkedIn