Public Funding for Optosci Limited

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) builds up daily in coal mines from oxidation of coal, human respiration, rock blasting, fires, rotting timbers, etc. Without adequate air ventilation in all areas of the mine to dilute excess CO2, a ”blackdamp” atmosphere can build up where the oxygen level is depleted and CO2 levels can increase up to 20%, creating an immediate human asphyxiant risk due to displacement of oxygen. Current electrical gas sensors cannot be used as fixed sensors in this potentially explosive mine gas environment because of the spark risk. Under this Development of Prototype project OptoSci proposes to produce a practical, intrinsically safe, laser and fibre optic based multipoint CO2 detection system using the gas sensor designs & novel signal processing schemes devised under a previous Proof of Concept project and then field trial the system's performance in a working coal mine.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) builds up daily in coal mines from oxidation of coal, human respiration, rock blasting, fires, rotting timbers, etc. Without adequate air ventilation in all areas of the mine to dilute excess CO2, a ”blackdamp” atmosphere can build up where the oxygen level is depleted and CO2 levels can increase up to 20%, creating an immediate human asphyxiant risk due to displacement of oxygen. Under this project OptoSci proposes to examine the feasibility of using various novel laser, optical fibre and gas sensor designs in addition to signal processing schemes to allow intrinsically, safe, low maintenance monitoring of CO2 over hundreds of points to the sensitivity levels required by mine regulations.

A potentially significant application has emerged for a sensing system which would rapidly pinpoint the location of natural gas (largely methane) leaking from mains gas pipes into commercial service cable ducting (e.g. for telephone & TV cables) under town and city streets. Repairing these leaks is a time consuming and expensive process for the gas distributor and the industry has failed to successfully deliver a technical solution to this issue. OptoSci believes that an all optical Tuneable Diode Laser Spectroscopy (TDLS) based methane sensing system could provide an elegant and cost effective solution to this problem which would substantially reduce the gas leak identification and repair time and ultimately the cost for the gas distributor. In addition this solution would offer other public benefits like increased safety, minimised transport disruption and reduced fugitive methane (a potent greenhouse gas) emissions to the atmosphere. OptoSci is a micro SME with limited personnel and financial resources, so the purpose of this project is to establish the product proof of market and hence its commercial viability prior to any substantial investment in the full development of a prototype system.

Awaiting Public Summary

Awaiting Public Summary