A Miniature, High Precision Conductivity and Temperature Sensor System for Ocean Monitoring

Author

Huang, Xi ; Pascal, Robin W. ; Chamberlain, Katie ; Banks, Christopher J. ; Mowlem, Matthew ; Morgan, Hywel

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electron. & Comput. Sci., Univ. of Southampton, Southampton, UK

Volume

11

Issue

12

fYear

2011

Firstpage

3246

Lastpage

3252

Abstract

A miniature high precision conductivity and temperature (CT) sensor system has been developed for ocean salinity monitoring. The CT sensor is manufactured using micro fabrication technology. A novel seven-electrode conductivity cell has been developed which has no field leakage. This is combined with a platinum resistor temperature bridge to produce an integrated CT sensor. A generic impedance measurement circuit has been developed, with three-parameter sine fitting algorithm. It has a 1 month battery life at 10 s sampling interval. Calibration results show that the initial CT accuracies are ±0.03 mS/cm and ±0.01°C, respectively. Testing of the CT sensor has been performed in the north Atlantic and revealed drift in sensor readings after five weeks of operation.

Keywords

bridge instruments; electric impedance measurement; electrochemical analysis; microfabrication; microsensors; oceanographic equipment; oceanographic techniques; temperature sensors; Pt; generic impedance measurement circuit; high precision conductivity sensor system; integrated CT sensor; microfabrication technology; ocean monitoring; ocean salinity monitoring; platinum resistor temperature bridge; seven electrode conductivity cell; temperature sensor system; Calibration; Conductivity; Electrodes; Resistors; Temperature measurement; Temperature sensors; Voltage measurement; Conductivity sensor; low-power electronics; measurement system; ocean salinity; temperature sensor;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Sensors Journal, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1530-437X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSEN.2011.2149516

Filename

5762312