Home

viaspace viasensor hs-1000 real-time fuel cell humidity sensor

1. VIASPACE VIASENSOR HS 1000 REAL TIME FUEL CELL HUMIDITY SENSOR USER MANUAL 2007 VIASPACE 171 Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA 1 626 768 3360 VIASPACE VIASENSOR HS 1000 REAL TIME FUEL CELL HUMIDITY SENSOR User Manual version 1 1 June 2007 Table of Contents 22 no v es 3 SENSOR HARDWARE SE UWP 5 SOFTWARE SETUP R 6 SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION ss 6 SERIAL COMMUNICATION WITH THE 5 220 11 ANALOG OUTPUT OPTION A 11 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 11 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS oerien E 14 APPENDIX A Sample Log sese 15 APPENDIX B Sample Log File with Diagnostic 2 15 APPENDIX Sample Diagnostic Data download 16 APPENDIX Sample Serial Output 4 17 APPENDIX E Eror Codes TTT 18 APPENDIX Sample Main Screen Displaying Partial 19 VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 2 of 19 VIASPACE VIASENSOR HS 1000 REAL TIME FUEL CELL HUMIDITY SENSOR INTRODUCTION Critical to the proper design and performance characterization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells PEMFCs i
2. 40 1 m e Data logging software requirements o Minimum display resolution 1024 x 768 o Serial input or Serial USB adapter Optional analog input 0 5 VDC VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 14 of 19 APPENDIX Sample Log File A sample log file from the VIASENSOR Monitoring Software on the PC DewPoint C Vapor Pressure mbar Temperature C ErrorCode 67 4 279 1 107 9 0 67 2 277 1 107 8 0 66 9 273 4 108 0 0 66 8 272 6 108 2 0 67 5 281 1 105 1 0 DewPoint C is the dew point in C of the gas passing through the sample chamber in the VIASENSOR It has been calculated from the Vapor Pressure Vapor Pressure mbar is the vapor pressure partial pressure in millibar of the water vapor in the gas stream passing through the sample chamber in the VIASENSOR Temperature C is the temperature in C of the gas as it passes through the sample chamber in the VIASENSOR ErrorCode is defined in Appendix E A value of 0 is the normal output when there is no error condition Note This data is saved as a text file and is readily imported into most programs that you may use for data analysis such as Microsoft Excel APPENDIX B Sample Log File with Diagnostic Info A sample log file from the VIASENSOR Monitoring Software on the PC DewPoint C Vapor Pressure mbar Temperature C ErrorCode Index Transmission Area HalfWidth L Interp R Interp 66 4 267 7 1 0 0 911 17 90 61 44 0 48 0 37 66 4 267 7 103 9 0 26
3. Log Data Switch Start Stop The Log Data tab allows the data to be logged Enter a file name in the text box and include the txt extension with the file name Click on the Log Data Switch to start or stop logging of the data The saved file is in text format and may be imported readily into any analysis program such as Microsoft Excel Sample data is shown in Appendix A Check the box next to Save diagnostic info to log file to save columns of diagnostic data along with the standard data being saved Sample data with diagnostic info is shown in Appendix B Click on the white red X in the upper right corner of this screen to save and close this screen VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 9 of 19 setup cog Com Port Graph Options Log Data System Info ser Average 2 orina Average 2 File Name diogin Data saved C HS 1000_Data The System Info tab allows selection of VIASENSOR internal parameters Spectrum Average and Moving Average The factory default is Spectrum Average 8 Moving Average 2 these are typically the largest values used per each The minimum value for each is 1 and they must be integers The response time of the VIASENSOR depends on two factors the measurement rate and the gas flow rate The slowest of those rates will determine the response time The measurement rate is calculated fro
4. 20C dew point A special range instrument would have to be configured Please consult your sales rep with a complete set of requirements How is the gas temperature measured An epoxy coated thermistor bead measures the temperature Is there a specific orientation for the sensor No The sensor can be placed in any orientation without affecting the accuracy of the reading Why is the sample chamber heated The sample chamber must be hotter than the dew point of the incoming gas or the moisture will condense into water in the sample chamber An indicator on the software display will show when the chamber is less than five degrees above the dew point temperature In what units does the sensor read The serial output data from the sensor is in partial pressure of water in millibars However the display software will also convert the partial pressure reading into kPa or into dew point in C Is the sensor reading dependent on gas pressure No The partial pressure reading for water vapor is not dependent on gas pressure However if the partial pressure of water is higher than the gas pressure then condensation will take place Will the sensor respond to entrained water droplets No the sensor can only measure the absorption of individual water molecules not liquid droplets VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 13 of 19 In what background gases the sensor measure water vapor The sensor reading w
5. THE VIASENSOR See Appendix D for communication parameters and sample data ANALOG OUTPUT OPTION An optional feature that may be included with the VIASENSOR in addition to the serial output is an analog output Two standard banana jacks spaced for a dual connector would be located on the front panel of the Control Box The red jack has the positive leg of the signal The analog signal is floating and should not be tied to ground The analog output signal is 0 to 5VDC It is linear between 0 5 and 4 5VDC 0 5VDC 0 millibars partial pressure of water vapor 4 5VDC 1000 millibars partial pressure of water vapor 4 6VDC or greater indicates an error condition in the VASENSOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FAQs What is the expected lifetime of the laser diode The laser used in the sensor is a telecommunications type laser diode that has an expected lifetime of greater than 20 years Does the sensor drift over time The sensor is designed to be insensitive to variations in most of its components The laser wavelength is scanned continuously across the water absorption line Drift in the laser detectors or sample chamber are balanced out during each scan In addition since none of the sensitive components are in contact with the gas stream they will not become damaged by contaminants in the gas Therefore the sensor calibration should be stable for at least several years VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Pag
6. 5 0 912 17 79 61 82 0 01 0 35 66 2 264 9 105 1 0 262 0 913 17 53 60 95 0 21 0 31 66 1 264 0 105 9 0 263 0 912 17 67 61 04 0 02 0 11 66 1 264 1 106 6 0 261 0 913 17 54 61 26 0 37 0 16 65 9 261 9 106 7 0 262 0 914 17 37 61 41 0 45 0 37 65 9 262 2 106 7 0 261 0 913 17 58 61 79 0 45 0 13 The information in the columns Index Transmission Area HalfWidth L Interp and Interp are characteristics of the laser absorption peak This information may assist in troubleshooting the VIASENSOR with VIASPACE technical support personnel Note This data is saved as a text file and is readily imported into most programs that you may use for data analysis such as Microsoft Excel VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 15 of 19 APPENDIX Sample Diagnostic Data download file A sample diagnostic data download file from the VIASENSOR Monitoring Software Hygrometer Diagnostics 070430 A Idx DC1 2 InT 0 36821 32495 0 000000 1 21014 17931 0 000000 2 11445 9770 0 000000 3 6237 5345 0 000000 4 3404 2944 0 000000 270 26632 29195 0 087473 271 26685 29244 0 087162 272 26743 29293 0 086665 273 26803 29342 0 086095 509 38407 38758 0 000000 510 38437 38779 0 000000 511 38476 38805 0 000000 Computational Statistics dc counts Line center found at 263 Minimum Transmission 0 915 Maximum of In T 0 089 Sample cell zero level 53 Reference leg zero level 137 Calculated valu
7. 9 Connect the serial cable to the Control Box and to your computer Note there are no user serviceable parts inside the sensor head Should the VIASENSOR appear to malfunction i e give no measurement readings on the computer contact the factory for a Return Material Authorization number and return the unit to the factory for service SOFTWARE SETUP To install the VIASENSOR monitoring software onto a computer insert the CDROM in the computer s CDROM drive The installation utility should run automatically Follow the prompts until completion SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION The VIASENSOR control box has a serial port for communication with a computer Connect the serial cable between this serial port and a serial port on your computer In case your computer has no available serial port a serial to USB adapter will work To run the VIASENSOR monitoring software double click on the program icon on your computers desktop The following screen shot is the main screen of the program VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 6 of 19 IE _ Dew Point Deg C Tmn secomds Stolus OF Sensor P Ready Gas Temp 95 2 deg C The horizontal axis is time in seconds and the vertical axis is user selectable for dew point in degrees Celsius partial pressure of water vapor in millibars mB or partial pressure in kilopascals kPa data progresses across th
8. ASENSOR Control Box Vapor Chamber Peak Pressure Gas Temp Error Peak Trans Peak Half L R millibar 9 Code Index mission Area Width Interp 688 24 89 1 0 252 0 721 89 07 86 64 0 03 0 32 677 25 89 0 0 251 0 721 88 77 86 26 0 26 0 23 676 76 88 8 0 252 0 721 88 42 86 03 0411 0 05 598 92 88 5 0 251 0 735 74 04 76 64 0 39 0 32 271 19 88 3 0 252 0 914 10 99 38 76 049 0 03 56 57 88 3 0 252 0 954 4 74 3177 0 10 0 37 Your communications software should be set for 9600 baud 8 N 1 Note The column headings are added for clarification in this appendix and do not appear in the serial output of the VIASENSOR The Error Codes are defined in Appendix A value of 0 is the normal output when there is no error condition VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 17 of 19 The information in the columns Index Transmission Area HalfWidth L Interp and Interp are characteristics of the laser absorption peak This information may assist in troubleshooting the VIASENSOR with VIASPACE technical support personnel APPENDIX E Error Codes 00 Status Okay 01 Sample power fail 02 Reference power fail 04 Spectrum fail 08 Null fail These errors may appear on the computer display during the first 15 seconds after the VIASENSOR is powered up Once the VIASENSOR completes its internal self test the errors should clear Should any of these erro
9. ENSOR uses patent pending tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy technology to provide direct real time fast response measurements of the water vapor content in fuel cell gas streams The laser beam tuned to a specific absorption wavelength of water vapor is aimed across the inlet gas stream and the sensor essentially counts the number of water vapor molecules passing the laser VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 3 of 19 The tunable diode laser absorption technology is a proven technique as it has been widely used for over 40 years in many other applications The current approach was originally developed at the NASA Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory As the humidified gas passes in front of the laser located in a small heated chamber to prevent condensation some of the laser light is absorbed by the water vapor in the gas stream A detector then measures how much laser light was absorbed by the water vapor which corresponds directly to how many water vapor molecules are in the laser s path For a given temperature the area under the spectral line of H2O provides a direct and quantitative measure of the amount of water vapor in the gas stream This water vapor number density molecules per cm value can be converted to any other desired unit such as dew point absolute humidity and relative humidity with knowledge of pressure and temperature at the measurement point Since the laser wavelength is tuned rapidl
10. are that can read this serial data can interface with the sensor Can I get an analog 4 20mA current loop output from the analyzer An analog output option is now available Consult your sales rep What is the maximum dew point range for the sensor The standard measurement range is dew point between 30 C and 100 C Dew point ranges up to 120 C and beyond are also available Contact your sales representative for specific applications Can this sensor be used for applications other than fuel cells Yes almost any application that requires a humidity measurement with dew point in the range of 30 C to 100 C can use this sensor VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 12 of 19 What is the response time of the sensor The response time depends on two factors the measurement rate and the gas flow rate The slowest of those rates will determine the response time The measurement rate is calculated from the spectrum average and moving average values as follows Tresp 1 05 53 spectrum averages moving averages The internal volume of the sample chamber is 4 cm The response time due to purging the chamber volume is Tresp 4 cm flow rate How is operating status indicated with analog output The analog output can be configured to go to full scale or zero in the event of a status not OK condition Or as another option a status relay contact can be provided Can the instrument measure below
11. e 11 of 19 How often does the sensor need to be calibrated Even though the sensor calibration should be stable for several years we recommend for critical applications that the calibration be verified each year What is the accuracy of the sensor The uncertainty of the sensor reading is 2 of the reading 1 mB of partial pressure What range of gas flow rate can be measured with the sensor The sensor reading is not flow rate dependent The flow can be in either direction At low flow rates less than 0 3 L min there will be some increase in the response time of the sensor because of the time required to move the gas mixture through the sample chamber At high flow rates above 5 L min the pressure drop across the sensor may become significant How do you measure very high flow rate gas streams For very high flow rates it is best to divert only a portion of the gas stream through the sensor Very little pressure drop is required to flow gas through the sensor Therefore a Pitot tube or slight restriction in the main gas flow tube is all that is required Contact your sales representative for advice in specific applications How is data output from the sensor The sensor outputs a line of RS 232 serial tab delimited text after each measurement The measurement interval can be chosen by the customer from 1 5 seconds per point with no averaging to over 10 seconds per point when averaging 15 scans for each measurement Any softw
12. e screen much like a strip chart The latest dew point or partial pressure data point is displayed at the bottom of the screen in blue numerals Sensor Ready indicator is green when the gas temperature in the VIASENSOR sample chamber is at least 5 C greater than the measured dew point of the gas in the chamber At initial power up of the unit and while it warms up the Sensor light typically is red and states Not Ready This is to reduce the risk of condensation in a cold sample chamber if high humidity is run through prior to sufficient warm up Gas Temp is the measured gas temperature within the heated sample chamber in the VIASENSOR Status will display any system error Typically errors will display during the initial 15 seconds after power up while the internal self test is under way and then clear Descriptions of the error codes are in Appendix Several options may be set by going to the pull down menu under File at the top left of the main screen VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 7 of 19 Z Setup mmx Com Port Graph Options Log Data System Info The Com Port tab allows selection of the com port in use by your computer to communicate with the VIASENSOR The default value is 1 Make your selection and click the Com Port switch to Open If an incorrect com port is selected an error message will appear alerting you to that fac
13. es H20 vapor pressure 260 59 mbar Temperature 107 4 C Temperature 107 4 C EEPROM Settings Phase 315 Midpoint 60 Ramp amplitude 30 Imod 0 Null Point 6 Spectrum Average 8 Realb 1500 Xleftvmr 180 Xrightvmr 385 SpanFct x 1000 1000 PA 1 0 000E 00 PA 2 1 000E 00 3 0 000 00 PA 4 0 000E 00 TA 1 1 000E 00 VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 16 of 19 2 0 000E 00 3 0 000E 00 4 0 000E 00 pr1 0 000 pr2 1 000 Thermistor A 9 4630E 04 Thermistor B 2 6650E 04 Thermistor C 5 0700E 08 Span x 100 2000 Zero Offset ppmv Moving Average 2 The laser scan is divided among 512 channels Plotting DC1 and DC2 as functions of Idx Index will display the sample spectrum and reference spectrum InT is the negative natural logarithm of the laser transmission at each channel Only Spectrum Average and Moving Average may be user set within the software program running on the PC The balance of these parameters is settable only at the factory or by an authorized service representative This information may assist in troubleshooting the VIASENSOR with VIASPACE technical support personnel Note This data is saved as a text file and is readily imported into most programs that you may use for data analysis such as Microsoft Excel APPENDIX D Sample Serial Output Data Sample serial output data direct from the RS 232 Serial Port on the VI
14. ill be accurate in backgrounds of mono or di atomic molecules 2 2 2 He Ar It will also work in typical products of combustion backgrounds CO 2 NOx SOx Please consult your sales representative for specific backgrounds What are the advantages of the TDLAS sensor over a chilled mirror e Fast response e No need for regular cleaning or maintenance Any sensor problem is detected by the software and indicated in the output Can the sensor measure lower levels of moisture Not at this time However the technology can be applied to measure very low levels of moisture Please consult your sales representative with your requirements PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS e Measurement Range 40 mB to 1000 mB water vapor partial pressure 30 C to 100 C dew point e Response time As quickly as 1 6 seconds for gas flows greater than 0 4 L min e Max pressure 30 psig 200 kPa e Flow rate range flow rate independent Note response time increases below 400 mL min High flow rates above 5 L min may be accommodated using slipstream bypass flow line Ambient temperature range 10 C to 30 C Max sample cell temperature 105 C Wetted materials Nickel plated aluminum sapphire epoxy AC power 90 to 240 VAC 1 A 50 to 60 Hz Dimensions and weight o Sample cell 6 x 6 x 2 15 cm x 15 cm x 5 cm 1 7 lb 0 8 kg o Electronics 8 75 x 10 x 3 5 22 2 cm x 25 4 cm x 8 9 cm 3 75 16 1 7 kg e Cable length
15. ly a portion of the gas stream through the sensor SENSOR HARDWARE SETUP The VIASENSOR Sensor Head has 4 compression fittings on 4 tubing at the two gas ports Either port may used for the inlet Typically the humidified gas stream from the user s fuel cell test station connects directly to an inlet of the Sensor Head Subsequently the outlet of the Sensor Head connects to the user s fuel cell stack Note the VIASENSOR has a heated sample chamber within the main sensor box that is heated to 105 C to prevent condensation All lines from the users humidification source to the fuel cell stack should be heated above the dew point temperature to avoid condensation in the line Connect the Sensor Control Cable supplied with the VIASENSOR to the Control Box port 1 Connect the cable ends labeled 2 3 and 4 to the Sensor Head at the connectors labeled the same NEVER connect or disconnect this cable at either end when power is on Connect the power cord to the Control Box The ON OFF switch is right above the power cord inlet on the Control Box The red LED will light up on the front of the Control Box when power is on DANGER Invisible Laser Radiation When Open AVOID DIRECT EXPOSURE TO BEAM VIASPACE Inc 171 Altadena Dr Pasadena CA 91107 USA Class Laser Product Complies with 21CFR1040 10 Model HS 1000 S N Manufactured February 2007 VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 5 of 1
16. m the spectrum average and moving average values as follows tresp 1 05 53 spectrum averages moving averages The internal volume of the sample chamber is 4 cm The response time due to purging the chamber volume is 4 cm flow rate The time between each data point is calculated as follows hata 1 05 53 Spectrum averages For Spectrum Average of 8 the time between data points is approximately 5 3 seconds for Spectrum Average of 1 the time is 1 6 seconds The trade off is that a smaller Spectrum Average will provide less smoothing and slightly more noise in the signal than a larger Spectrum Average will The Get Current Settings button retrieves and displays the current values of the Spectrum Average and Moving Average parameters The Set buttons are used VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 10 of 19 to save any changes of these values These parameters saved the VIASENSOR unit and do not need to be reset each time the PC software is run Diagnostic Data may be saved Enter a file name in the text box and include the txt extension with the file name Click on the Diag Data button to save Note that it may take up to 10 seconds to download and save this data See Appendix C for a sample file and descriptions The saved file is in text format and may be imported readily into any analysis program such as Microsoft Excel SERIAL COMMUNICATION WITH
17. rs appear during normal use of the VIASENSOR power the unit off wait 5 seconds and power the unit back on If this does not clear the error condition please contact the factory or your authorized service representative VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 18 of 19 APPENDIX F Sample Main Screen Displaying Partial Pressure E S YIASPALE HS iii Teme lt Partial Pressure 306 1 mBar oa 1 5 Gas Temp 96 5 deg C VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 19 of 19
18. s the accurate measurement of its operating conditions including temperature pressure and moisture content of the hydrogen and air inlet gases Proper reactant gas humidification ensures good fuel cell membrane hydration which is instrumental in maintaining high ionic conductivity Low ionic conductivity leads to decreased fuel cell performance and potentially physical damage as well The VIASPACE VIASENSOR HS 1000 Real Time Humidity Sensor uses patent pending miniature laser technology to enable real time accurate and reliable measurement of the humidity of the inlet gases in PEMFC testing and operation The VIASENSOR provides researchers and fuel cell developers with a solution for in situ real time humidity measurements The VIASENSOR solves the key challenges of accurately measuring the fuel cell humidity levels in high temperature and high humidity environments Specifically the VIASENSOR solution has the following features e Continuous fast response real time operation data taken as quickly as every 1 6 seconds Able to detect transients in humidification Non invasive humidity measurement of the inlet gas stream Designed for high humidity and high temperature environments Does not condense the water vapor no long cycle times between measurements Sensor does not get flooded and have to dry out Low cost of operation Modest package size and weight Output interfaces to any PC How does the VIASENSOR HS 1000 work The VIAS
19. t Check which com ports are available on your computer by viewing the Hardware Device Manager under System Properties Click on the white red X in the upper right corner of this screen to save and close this screen Z Setup anx Com Port Graph Options Log Data System Info 3130 00 3 100 00 X Points 4 300 seconds Dew Point v Dew Point Partial Pressure mBar Partial Pressure kPa VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 8 of 19 The Graph Options tab allows selection of the minimum and maximum values on the Y axis vertical axis of the display X Points selects the scale of the horizontal axis It selects the quantity of data points that will be shown across the full width of the display in seconds Additional data will cause the existing data to scroll to the left off of the screen with the visual effect of a strip chart The Y Axis pull down menu allows the data to be displayed on the main screen as dew point partial pressure in millibars or partial pressure in kPa Note that this selection does not affect the data that is saved in any log file it only changes the display on the PC Click on the white red X in the upper right corner of this screen to save and close this screen Setup Jog Com Port Graph Options Log Data System Info test Data saved C HS 1000_Data Save diagnostic info to log file
20. y and continuously this measurement approach is both simple to implement and robust There is virtually zero drift over time and no calibration needed The VIASENSOR is an excellent and unmatched long term humidity measurement solution for fuel cell testing PACKING LIST The VIASENSOR 5 1000 includes Sensor head Control box Sensor Control Cable Power cord Serial cable User manual CD ROM with monitoring software for a PC Please check that all items are present before discarding or storing any packaging or shipping boxes WHAT THE VIASENSOR MEASURES The VIASENSOR HS 1000 will measure and display humidity as Dew Point in degrees Celsius or as Partial Pressure in millibar for all typical gasses used with PEM fuel cells These include e Hydrogen e Air Oxygen Nitrogen mixes VIASPACE 171 N Altadena Drive Pasadena CA 91107 USA Page 4 of 19 The range of Dew Point that is measurable is between 30 C 100 C Pressure range for the VIASENSOR is from zero gauge pressure up to 2 atmospheres of back pressure The sensor reading is not flow rate dependent The flow can be in either direction At low flow rates less than 0 3 L min there will be some increase in the response time of the sensor because of the time required to move the gas mixture through the sample chamber At high flow rates above 5 L min the pressure drop across the sensor may become significant For very high flow rates it is best to divert on

viaspace viasensor hs-1000 real-time fuel cell humidity sensor

Contents

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents