This project aims to develop a wireless integrated gas/temperature microwave acoustic sensor capable of passive operation (no batteries) over the range 350 – 1000 °C in harsh environments relevant to fossil energy technology, with specific applications to coal gasifiers, combustion turbines, solid oxide fuel cells, and advanced boiler systems. The proposed wireless sensor system is based on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor platform that could be used to detect H₂, O₂, and NO_X gases and monitor the gas temperature in the harsh environment. Fully packaged prototype sensors will be designed, fabricated, and tested under gas flows of H₂ (< 5%), O₂, and NO_X in laboratory furnaces, and the sensor response characterized for sensitivity, reproducibility, response time, and reversibility over a range of gas temperatures.

The SAW sensors have the advantage of being potentially readily scalable for rapid manufacturing using photo-lithography/metallization fabrication steps, followed by integration of each sensor into a stand-alone wireless harsh environment sensor package. The SAW gas sensor technology will be targeted for demonstration and implementation in a power plant environment.