DEVELOPMENT OF A DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGE, ROSS TECHNOLOGY BASED DISSOLVED OXYGEN SENSOR

A dissolved oxygen sensor based upon Ross technology in a disposable cartridge format has been developed. This sensor was expected to exhibit advantages over a traditional Clark technology based sensor in responding to low flow environments, response to changing oxygen levels, responding with a coated membrane and having a longer lifetime. These advantages have been realized to some extent. The Ross technology based sensor does provide better response in low flow situations than the Clark technology based sensors. The response time of the Ross technology based sensor to a step change in the dissolved oxygen concentration is comparable to that of a Clark technology based sensor. Field tests in a large volume and a small volume wastewater treatment plants indicate that the Ross technology based sensor performs as well or better than a Clark technology based sensor in actual response. It is expected that the Ross technology based sensor will show a lifetime advantage over the Clark technology based sensor but results are not yet available.