Optical chemical sensors for environmental control and system management.

Several fiber optic based chemical sensors have been developed for use in plant growth systems and enclosed life support systems. Optical chemical sensors offer several distinct advantages in terms of sensitivity, calibration stability, immunity to biofouling and electrical interference, and ease of multiplexing sensors for multipoint/multiparameter analysis. Also, the ability to locate fiber optic sensors in close proximity to plant roots or leaves should improve the measurement reliability by obviating the need for handling and transport which can compromise sample integrity. Polestar Technologies and GEO-CENTERS have developed and tested many types of optical chemical sensors which utilize novel glass and polymeric materials as the sensor substrate. Analytes are detected using immobilized colorimetric indication systems or molecular recognition elements. Typically transduction is via wavelength specific absorption changes with multiwavelength detection for drift compensation. Sensors have been developed for solution pH, NH3, ethylene, CO2, and dissolved metal ions. In addition, unique PC-compatible optoelectronic interfaces, as well as distributed measurement systems, so that integrated detection systems are now available. In this paper recent efforts to develop sensors for critical nutrient ions are presented.     

传感器安装对平板气动热测量精度的影响

对高超声速飞行器来说,气动热的准确预测是其合理选择防热材料及热结构设计的重要依据,但目前在激波风洞试验中气动热的高精度测量仍较为困难,热流的测量精度受到诸多非理想因素的影响,但传感器安装对热流测量精度的影响却鲜见研究。选取平板模型来研究传感器非理想安装对气动热测量精度的影响,针对不同的传感器安装偏差(凸出或凹入模型表面0.1~0.5 mm),分析不同雷诺数下传感器安装对气动热测量精度的影响规律及机理。研究结果表明:传感器安装对气动热测量精度有较大影响,凸出安装会导致热流测量结果偏大,而凹入安装则会导致测量结果偏小,热流偏差会随着安装偏差的增大而增大,且高来流雷诺数下传感器非理想安装所引起的热流误差更大;以边界层当地厚度对凹凸程度无量纲化,非理想安装带来的测量偏差只与该无量纲参数相关。研究结果能够为气动热测量的实验方案设计及测量误差分析提供一定的理论指导。      

三层月壤模型的多通道微波辐射模拟与月壤厚度的反演

由月球表面数字高程试验性地构造了整个月球表面月壤厚度的分布.根据Clementine探月卫星的紫外-可见光光学数据,计算了整个月球表面月壤中FeO+TiO2含量分布,给出了整个月球表面月壤介电常数分布.由月球表层温度的观测结果以及月壤的导热特性,给出了月尘层与月壤层温度随纬度分布的经验公式.在这些条件的基础上,建立了月尘、月壤、月岩三层微波热辐射模型.由起伏逸散定理,模拟计算了该月球模型多通道辐射亮度温度.然后,以此辐射亮度温度模拟加随机噪声为理论观测值,按三层模型提出了月壤层厚度反演方法.由于高频通道穿透深度小,由高频通道的辐射亮度温度按照两层月尘-月壤微波热辐射模型反演月尘层与月壤层的物理温度,再由穿透深度较大的低频通道辐射亮度温度反演月壤层厚度.对于反演的相对误差也进行了讨论.      

Coriolis质量流量传感器内部耦合振动

谐振式科里奥利质量流量计(CMF),依靠测量管路工作在谐振状态产生的科氏力效应实现流体流量的测量.实际的谐振式科里奥利质量流量计工作过程中,普遍存在传感器的外部和内部耦合振动现象,直接影响流量计的稳定性和测量精度.对传感器的外部耦合振动问题,通过增加测量管路直管段、增强传感器固定刚度等措施已得到较好解决;传感器内部耦合振动问题目前尚无完善的理论指导和技术解决方案.结合CMF传感器的工作机理,利用激光测振仪对存在内部耦合振动问题和无内部耦合振动问题的CMF对比测试,进一步证实了传感器内部耦合振动对测量精度的影响,揭示了内部耦合振动对测量管振动的影响相当于在测量管的主振动上叠加了一个附加分量,导致测量管上的2个拾振点产生附加的振动相位差,并且对于一个特定的传感器,该附加分量的量值基本固定,而科氏力对测量管振动的作用随被测流量的增加而增强,故随着被测流量的增加,耦合振动的影响相对减小,引起的流量测量误差随之减小.      

Increased BLSS closure using mineralized human waste in plant cultivation on a neutral substrate

The purpose of this work was to study the full-scale potential use of human mineralized waste (feces and urine) as a source of mineral elements for plant cultivation in a biological life support system (BLSS). Plants that are potential candidates for a photosynthesizing link were grown on a neutral solution containing human mineralized waste. Spring wheat Triticum aestivum L., peas Pisum sativum L. Ambrosia cultivar and leaf lettuce Lactuca sativa L., Vitaminny variety, were used. The plants were grown hydroponically on expanded clay aggregates in a vegetation chamber in constant environmental conditions. During plant growth, a determined amount of human mineralized waste was added daily to the nutrient solution. The nutrient solution remained unchanged throughout the vegetation period. Estimated plant requirements for macro-elements were based on a total biological productivity of 0.04 kg day⁻¹ m⁻². As the plant requirements for potassium exceeded the potassium content of human waste, a water extract of wheat straw containing the required amount of potassium was added to the nutrient solution. The Knop’s solution was used in the control experiments.     

Evaluation and modification of commercial infra-red transducers for leaf temperature measurement.

Accurate measurement of the leaf to air temperature gradient is crucial for the determination of stomatal conductance and other plant responses in both single leaves and in plant canopies. This gradient is often less than 1 degree C, which means that leaf temperature must be known to within about +/- 0.1 degree C. This is a challenging task, but new, miniature infra-red transducers from Exergen Corporation (Newton, MA) and Everest Interscience (Tucson, AZ) can be modified and calibrated to achieve this accuracy. The sensors must be modified to add thermal mass and the Exergen sensor requires a measurement of sensor body temperature. Significant error is caused by the discharge of a capacitor in the standard Exergen sensor, but we tested it without the capacitor. The sensors respond rapidly to changes in target temperature, but require 2 to 10 minutes to respond to changes in sensor body temperature, which is often the largest source of error. A new, sensitive method for measuring field of view indicates substantial peripheral vision for both sensors and a wider field of view than specified by the manufacturers. Here we describe sensor output as a function of target and sensor body temperatures, and provide a generic (sensor independent) equation that can be used to achieve +/- 0.2 C accuracy with Exergen sensors. The equation was developed and verified using two black body calibrators.     

A root moisture sensor for plants in microgravity.

Development of components for bioregenerative life-support systems is a vital step toward long-term space exploration. The culturing of plants in a microgravity environment may be optimized by the use of appropriate sensors and controllers. This paper describes a sensor developed for determining the amount of fluid (nutrient solution) available on the surface of a porous ceramic nutrient delivery substrate to the roots of conventional crop plants. The sensor is based on the change in thermal capacitance and thermal conductance near the surface as the moisture content changes. The sensor could be employed as a data acquisition and control sensor to support the automated monitoring of plants grown in a microgravity environment.     

原子层沉积纳米钝化层薄膜厚度测量技术研究

原子层沉积无机纳米薄膜技术广泛应用于军民领域。本文通过在原子层沉积系统加装原位石英晶体微天平测量系统，通过原位石英晶体微天平研究原子层沉积无机薄膜生长过程并进行薄膜厚度的在线测量。通过研究原子层沉积反应条件，实现原子层沉积无机薄膜厚度的石英晶体微天平在线测量结果替代薄膜厚度线下光学测量结果，解决各类复杂腔体内壁原子层沉积薄膜厚度无法精确测量的问题。     

长河二号授时监测接收机设计与实现

长波授时系统是目前国际上授时精度较高的大型地基无线电授时服务系统，其授时信号采用罗兰C信号发播体制，具有作用距离远、稳定性好、可靠性高、抗干扰能力强等优点。针对GNSS信号在某些特定区域易被干扰、易失锁的问题，设计并实现了一种长河二号授时监测接收机，采用信号完好性检测、ASF（附加二次相位因子）时延修正等技术，实现了高精度、高可靠长波授时与时差监测，可作为GNSS授时的重要补充手段。     

锂离子电池极片涂层厚度在线测量系统

锂离子电池极片涂层厚度的实时高精度测量是实现对锂电涂层厚度控制的前提。针对在生产过程中的锂离子电池极片涂层厚度动态、非接触、高精度的测量要求,设计了一种基于非接触式电容传感器进行微位移测量的在线式测量系统。介绍了传感器结构及测量电路基本原理,搭建了适用于锂离子电池极片涂层厚度测量的硬件系统,开发了可用于数据采集、线性校正、数据记录的基于虚拟仪器技术的测试系统。经测试,该传感器的分辨力为0.1μm,现场长期运行证明该系统满足生产的测量要求。     

Impaired growth of plants cultivated in a closed system: possible reasons.

Plants in experiments on "man-higher plants" closed ecosystem (CES) have been demonstrated to have inhibited growth and reduced productivity due to three basic factors: prolonged usage of a permanent nutrient solution introduction into the nutrient medium of intra-system gray water, and closure of the system. Gray water was detrimental to plants the longer the nutrient solution was used. However, higher plant growth was mostly affected by the gaseous composition of the CES atmosphere, through accumulation of volatile substances.     

差动式光纤Bragg光栅加速度计传感头设计与仿真

针对传统悬臂梁-质量块结构加速度计存在的灵敏度与固有频率不能兼顾的问题,设计一种差动式光纤Bragg光栅加速度计,建立系统模型,对测量精度等进行理论计算与分析.传感头设计采用主梁与微梁结合的结构,是悬臂梁-质量块结构的一种改进形式,并运用有限元方法对其静态特性和动态性能进行仿真分析.结果表明:该设计系统精度可以达到10.5×10-3g,固有频率为270Hz,固有频率是同等精度的传统悬臂梁结构光纤光栅加速度计的2.7倍;此结构的加速度计在不降低灵敏度的同时可以有效提高系统的固有频率.      

Analysis of nitrogen flow in rice cultivation in CEEF.

In order to control the material circulation in the Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF), it is necessary to clarify material flow in the Closed Plant Experiment Facility (CPEF) of CEEF. We tried to grow rice plants and measure the nitrogen contents in rice plant and nutrient solution in plant cultivation bed to trace the material balance in CPEF. The measurements were carried out under the condition of 750 ppm (v/v) CO2 at 26/19 degrees C in the plant cultivation room. The measurements showed the absorbed nitrogen amount in plant was less than the outflow nitrogen amount from nutrient solution. This difference between absorbed and outflow quantity reached to 17%.     

Optical sensors for monitoring and control of plant growth systems.

Optical chemical sensors have been developed for monitoring several parameters relevant to plant growth systems. These sensors utilize porous polymer and porous glass as the sensing element, and optical fiber input/output lines connected to a custom optoelectronic interface. Present in the sensing element are immobilized colorimetric indicators, which react with the analyte to be sensed. This reaction results in a change in the optical properties of the sensor. These sensors are particularly suited to in-situ monitoring of nutrient solution parameters and atmospheric trace contaminants in life support and plant growth systems. Sensors for monitoring pH, ammonia, and ethylene will be discussed.     

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass.

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estunate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.     

Instrumentation for plant health and growth in space.

The present-day plant growth facilities ("greenhouses") for space should be equipped with monitors and controllers of ambient parameters within the chamber because spacecraft environmental variations can be unfavorable to plants. Moreover, little is known about the effects of spaceflight on the greenhouse and rooting media. Lack of information about spaceflight effects on plants necessitates supplying space greenhouses with automatic, non-invasive monitors of, e.g., gas exchange rate, water and nutrient ion uptake, plant mass, temperature and water content of leaves. However, introduction of an environmental or plant sensor into the monitoring system may be reasonable only if it is justified by quantitative evaluation of the influence of a measured parameter on productivity, efficacy of illumination, or some other index of greenhouse efficiency. The multivariate adaptive optimization in terrestrial phytotrons appears to be one of the best methods to assess environmental impacts on crops. Two modifications of greenhouses with the three-dimensional adaptive optimization of crop photosynthetic characteristics include: (1) irradiation, air temperature and carbon dioxide using a modified simplex algorithm; and (2) using irradiation, air temperature, and humidity with sensitivity algorithms with varying frequency of test exposures that have been experimentally developed. As a result, during some stages of plant ontogensis, the photosynthetic productivity of wheat, tomatoes, and Chinese cabbage in these systems was found to increase by a factor of 2-3.     

Use of biologically reclaimed minerals for continuous hydroponic potato production in a CELSS.

Plant-derived nutrients were successfully recycled in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) using biological methods. The majority of the essential nutrients were recovered by microbiologically treating the plant biomass in an aerobic bioreactor. Liquid effluent containing the nutrients was then returned to the biomass production component via a recirculating hydroponic system. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Norland plants were grown on those nutrients in either a batch production mode (same age plants on a nutrient solution) or a staggered production mode (4 different ages of plants on a nutrient solution). The study continued over a period of 418 days, within NASA Breadboard Project's Biomass Production Chamber at the Kennedy Space Center. During this period, four consecutive batch cycles (104-day harvests) and 13 consecutive staggered cycles (26-day harvests) were completed using reclaimed minerals and compared to plants grown with standard nutrient solutions. All nutrient solutions were continually recirculated during the entire 418 day study. In general, tuber yields with reclaimed minerals were within 10% of control solutions. Contaminants, such as sodium and recalcitrant organics tended to increase over time in solutions containing reclaimed minerals, however tuber composition was comparable to tubers grown in the control solutions.     

基于EFPI-FBG结构的光纤复合传感器研究

研究了一种基于非本征型Fabry-Perot干涉仪(EFPI)和光纤Bragg光栅(FBG)串联结构构成的EFPI-FBG光纤复合传感器,用于实现对压力和温度信号的同步测量。传感器选用熔融石英作为压力敏感材料,利用飞秒激光焊接技术实现传感器探头结构的封装。对传感器的工作原理进行了分析,制作并封装传感器工程样机,搭建测试系统,对传感器的性能进行了灵敏度及交叉敏感性分析。结果表明,该传感器在0.8 MPa范围内的灵敏度约为-0.729μm/MPa,在50℃~200℃范围的温度灵敏度为0.009 nm/℃,传感器压力测量最大允许误差为±4.12%FS。该EFPI-FBG复合传感器有望应用于压力—温度双参数测量需求的技术领域。     

Recycling of inorganic nutrients for hydroponic crop production following incineration of inedible biomass.

The goal of resource recovery in a regenerative life support system is maintenance of product quality to sure support of reliable and predictable levels of life support function performance by the crop plant component. Further, these systems must be maintained over extended periods of time, requiring maintenance of nutrient solutions to avoid toxicity and deficiencies. The focus of this study was to determine the suitability of the ash product following incineration of inedible biomass as a source of inorganic nutrients for hydroponic crop production. Inedible wheat biomass was incinerated and ash quality characterized. The incinerator ash was dissolved in adequate nitric acid to establish a consistent nitrogen concentration is all nutrient solution treatments. Four experimental nutrient treatments were included: control, ash only, ash supplemented to match the control treatment, and ash only quality formulated with reagent grade chemicals. When nutrient solutions were formulated using only ash following incineration of inedible biomass, a balance in solution is established representing elemental retention following incineration and nutrient proportions present in the original biomass. The resulting solution is not identical to the control. This imbalance resulted in a suppression of crop growth. When the ash is supplemented with reagent grade chemicals to establish the same balance as in the control--growth is identical to the control. The ash appears to carry no phytotoxic materials. Growth in solution formulated with reagent grade chemicals but matching the quality of the ash only treatment resulted in similar growth to that of the ash only treatment. The ash product resulting from incineration of inedible biomass appears to be a suitable form for recycle of inorganic nutrients to crop production.     

卫星介质深层充电中的主要物理问题

卫星介质深层充电效应是诱发地球同步轨道卫星运行故障和异常的重要因素之一，通过计算机模拟对介质深层充电的时间常数、电场特征、以及屏蔽、介质厚度和接地方式对充电所致最大电场的影响等主要物理问题进行了详细的分析，并给出了初步的防护措施．