A team of engineers from the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering are partnering with Johnson Matthey, a leader in sustainable technology solutions, to develop sensors that monitor particulates and powders during the manufacturing process.
This Knowledge Transfer Partnership will combine Johnson Matthey’s current technology examining ceramic slurries needed to produce catalytic converters, manufactured by their Clean Air business, with the expertise of researchers at Sheffield who will help design new ultrasonic sensors, based on scientific principles whilst developing algorithms to process the data.
Currently, there isn’t a system in place that measures or monitors particulates in-line during the manufacturing process. The commercial tools available are only suitable for very small batches that require significant manipulation such as dilution, filtering, or separation before they can be measured off-line.
Inline ultrasonic particulate measurement technology uses high-frequency sound waves to monitor the concentration and size of particles within a moving fluid in real-time. By analysing how sound pulses scatter or weaken as they pass through a pipe, the system provides immediate data without the need for manual sampling or lab delays.
Collaborating on this project could mean that this non-invasive "online" approach will allow industries to instantly detect process shifts, ensuring high efficiency and a more responsible, waste-free operation.
Dr Artur Gower, Senior Lecturer in Dynamics, said: “We are developing a groundbreaking sensor that could have a significant impact in chemical and processing industries in the world. The end result should be a device to measure particles in slurry and powders during processing. It will allow for automation, big savings on energy, time, and higher quality products, specifically for the clean air industry of Johnson Mathey.”
Dr Carl Tipton, Principal Measurement Engineer at Johnson Matthey, said: “Partnering with academics at Sheffield will enable us to have the right algorithms in place to design this first ever inline dense particle sizer. By the end of this KTP we expect to have a prototype, as well as the scientific and engineering knowledge to make reliable measurements of a range of particulates. This will significantly increase efficiency for the slurry manufacturing process for catalysts, as well as open up markets in food and pharma.”