Laser-Based In-Exhaust Gas Sensor for On-Road Vehicles
2022-01-0646
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- Indrio Technologies has developed a novel on-board sensor, named Ignis, for detecting oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and ammonia (NH3) in diesel exhaust streams with sensitivities and molecular specificity unmet by existing technologies. This is a key technological need for diesel engine manufacturers, who face difficulty in precisely controlling their exhaust aftertreatment systems due to the lack of widely deployable sensors capable of differentiating between NOx, NH3 and other species in the exhaust stream. The successful incorporation of the proposed sensor can result in greater fuel efficiency improvements while matching new stringent 2027 California and 2030 EPA NOx emissions standards. Once the product has reached deep market penetration, the fleet-wide fuel economy improvements and NOx emissions reductions enabled by this product will lead to reduced carbon emissions and healthier air with lower amounts of NOx-induced smog, ground-level ozone, and acid rain. This sensor is based on a novel application of laser-absorption spectroscopy, which probes the unique spectral absorption fingerprint of NOx/NH3 species to avoid cross-species interference. This sensor is projected to achieve tenfold lower detection thresholds than current widely deployed electrochemical sensors in the harsh high-temperature particulate-laden diesel exhaust environments, all while maintaining a form factor similar to those used in existing diesel aftertreatment systems. The results presented in this paper demonstrates feasibility of laser-based sensors for on-board diagnostics (OBD) applications. Comparisons are shown between Indrio’s laser-based sensor, traditional electrochemical Zirconia-based NOx sensor and other laboratory-grade sensors, such as FTIRs placed downstream. Several measurements were demonstrated under various test cycles at engine and chassis dynamometer facilities under varying load cycles, compositions, temperatures, and particle loading.
- Citation
- Sur, R., Peng, W., and Kempema, N., "Laser-Based In-Exhaust Gas Sensor for On-Road Vehicles," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0646, 2022, .