Reference #: 00872
Background:
Combined use of electromechanical impedance spectroscopy (EMIS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (ECIS) with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) for degradation detection in active carbon filters offers a revolutionary new approach to detect electrical and mechanical changes in active carbon filters. PWAS are the enabling technology for active structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. The motivation for this development is to give a non-intrusive in-situ evaluation method to improve the safety of active carbon filter systems.
Invention Description:
Dr. Giurgiutiu’s novel approach is to use embedded PWAS transducers to take EMIS and ECIS measurements and evaluate chemical and mechanical degradations in active carbon filters. Such an approach enables determination of factors such as impregnation, degradation, water condensation, contamination detection, carbon bed packing, settling, and flow channeling. With the combination of EMIS and ECIS methods, these chemical and mechanical degradations can be differentiated.
Potential Applications:
Degradation detection and characterization is important because it identifies the cause of such degradation, and to provides the filter user an early warning to take preventative measures. The major potential industrial application of this invention is in active carbon air filtration devices. With the inexpensive and non-intrusive PWAS transducers, this novel method provides a simple solution for monitoring active carbon filters by detecting degradations during operation.
Advantages and Benefits: