Battelle Memorial Institute

Michael J Swickrath

Michael J Murphy

A dual quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor is disclosed for use in a hand-held detection device () for detecting the presence of an odorant in hydrocarbon gaseous fuels. The odorant is a thiol-based compound, such as ethanethiol. One QCM () is coated with a coating typically containing a reagent that specifically reacts with the thiol of the odorant and alters its oscillation frequency as a result of mass gained in the reaction. A second QCM (') serves as a control and the two frequency signals may be heterodyned () to produce a delta-frequency representative of the mass change. Circuitry and signal processing () are used to produce a final result correlated to the level of thiol in the hydrocarbon gas.

Growing community of inventors

Delaware, OH, United States of America

Michael J Swickrath