Mixed-Phase Fluidic Devices
BubbleSpoof
FTL has extensive experience developing payload systems for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) including extensive fluid modeling of the flow and mixed-phase environment surrounding a moving submarine. This has included unique calculations, models, and experimental testing of large bubble plumes in pipes, pools, and open ocean. In particular, FTL has investigated the existence and use of pressure effects from bubble plumes and moving vessels detected by custom undersea pressure sensor arrays, and verified through computational fluid dynamics calculations.
OilEye Fuel Monitor
FTL personnel have a long history of fluid monitoring both for DoD and industrial clients, with expertise in flow system design, fluid-dynamic analysis, optical access, and data acquisition. Working for the Navy, Army, and Air Force, FTL has shown in-flow detection and discrimination of sediment, water, and wear particles.
For the OilEye project, FTL designed isokinetic flow cells and custom AI classifier software capable of combining thousands of frames of imagery to extract particle size distribution and other parameters necessary for process monitoring.
FTL uses parallel processing to enable classification of thousands of particles against training sets from tens to hundreds of thousands of test cases in seconds. This allows discrimination of water and sediment particles, as well as identification of biological organisms in fluid flows.
SpOilEye
Flow and Fluid Contamination Diagnostics
The “SpOilEye” system extends FTL Labs Corporation fluid analysis capabilities and establishes the most efficient, cuvette based fluid screening approach, powered by advanced machine learning algorithms. The Fluid Monitor system enables rapid video imaging of contamination droplet and particulate matter in any non-opaque fluid such as fuels, oils, lubes and aqueous solutions, providing consistent and repeatable detection and classification.
The Fluid Monitor uses machine vision and AI learning algorithms with microscope video imagery to determine size, shape, classification, and number of droplets and particles. Automatically generated test reports show actual captured particle and droplet imagery. Unlike particle counters, the Fluid Monitor uses high resolution images for much greater diagnostic accuracy enabling differentiation between droplet and solid contaminants.
The benefits of the Fluid Monitor system include:
- Rapid fluid analysis and reporting of sediment and droplet contaminant levels for system failure prevention.
- Low cost: Comparable to mid-range particle counters.
- Analyzes fuel, oil, or other fluid directly using a standard glass cuvette.
- Provides discrete particle and droplet images for further system diagnostic purposes.
- Uses machine vision and AI learning algorithms to detect droplets and particles in microscope video imagery.
- The Fluid Monitor is the ideal analyzer for a wide range of contamination or process monitoring applications from large hydrant systems to small lab-based quality control testing.
ElectroSeptic
FTL has developed a forward-deployable wastewater solution for the Air Force. FTL’s “ElectroSeptic” technology is aimed at reducing both energy use and footprint for rapid-setup, air-drop water treatment systems.
The core of the ElectroSeptic technology is a novel microbial fuel cell that could break down organic carbon molecules in wastewater using microbial thin films grown on a semi-permeable aerated membrane. Waste particulates in the effluent are digested by “electrogen” microbes with severely reduced O2 input need, thus saving significant air pumping related costs.
Challenges have included optimizing aeration bubble size and delivery and minimization of particulate biomatter build-up. The pilot project was a collaboration with municipal and academic wastewater treatment facilities and included optimization of accurate and automated water monitoring.