The firm is developing a process-control, water-quality monitor (PCWQM) for the Space Station Freedom, which measures the potable water supply's temperature, conductivity, pH, iodine, and total organic carbon content. The baseline design contains conventional technology pH probes as limited life items. Newly developed ion-selective, field effect transistor (ISFET) pH probes could improve pH sensor life, reliability, maintainability, and accuracy and enhance performance during long duration missions. The baseline PCWQM design does not require turbidity measurement. Turbidity, however, measures process water total dissolved solids and is useful in detecting breakdown of water processor ion-exchange bed or filter. This proposal has two objectives: 1) determine the feasibility of using ISFET technology to improve pH measurement, and 2) determine the feasibility of using compact, low-power, nephelometer-based, solid-state, electro-optical technology to measure turbidity.
Potential Commercial Applications:The process-control, water- quality monitor can be used for aqueous cleaning solvents and ultrapure water, agricultural sensors, real-time blood monitoring, and oceanographic monitoring.
