Hydrocarbon Resistant (HCR) Series Products
Hydrocarbon Resistant Oxygen Sensors (HCR Series)
FMI has developed a proprietary chemical coating, based on organically-modified sol-gel technology (ORMOSIL) that is used as an oxygen optical transducer in combination with optical fiber waveguides.
The new oxygen sensor from FMI is designed to monitor oxygen gas as well as dissolved oxygen (DO) in organic hydrocarbons, fuels, pure solvents such as acetone, BTX, etc… The HCR series oxygen sensor comes in a range of probe and patches.
Our HCR probes and patches have been tested successfully in different environments such as
- Kerosene
- Toluene
- Acetone
- BTX
- UV Curable Ink
- Divinylbenzene (DVB)
- Methyl methacrylate (MMA)
Why monitor dissolved oxygen in fuels?
• Chemicals, and in particular, hydrocarbon mixtures, that are stored for extended periods of time, in the presence of contaminants, accumulate deposits that are detrimental to the equipment through which the chemicals flow. In particular, fuels that often sit in storage containment units, such as tanks or shipping vessels, are usually hydrocarbon mixtures. Contaminants in the fuels can bring about some polymerization or the creation of gums, which can impair engine performance due to contaminant deposits that diminish flow or heat transfer characteristics.
• An important contaminant is oxygen. Oxygen contaminants lead to undesirable chemical products by a variety of reaction processes. These reactions include autocatalytic mechanisms that include free radical chain reactions. Olefins in the presence of oxygenate contaminants can lead to polymerization of the olefin monomers and can lead to deposits of large polymeric molecules. Fouling causes increased maintenance of equipment and reduce operation times, and a loss of production.
• Monitoring and removal of oxygen and residual oxygen contaminants from hydrocarbon feedstocks can reduce the down times and protect equipment from excessive fouling due to deposits created from reactions by the presence of oxygen in the hydrocarbon feedstocks.
Highlights

- Sensor Principle: Proprietary sol-gel ceramic thin film coating
- Compatible with hydrocarbon products
- Works in
– Aviation fuels
– Oil products such as gasoline and diesel fuels
- Oil industry, refineries, fuel processing
- Works up to 200 C
- Extremely stable
AP (Zero Drift) | HCR Hydrocarbon Grade) | MR (Sol Gel) |
---|---|---|
Zero Drift, No moisture interference, highly stable | Hydrocarbon compatible (fuels, organic solvent, alcohols) | Sol gel matrix, moisture resistant, high temperature performance, medical applications |
Optical Sensors | Commercial Electrodes |
---|---|
Low maintenance | High maintenance |
Life span of at least 1 year | The general electrodes life span is around 3 months |
O2 sensors do not consume oxygen, which makes continuous contact with samples possible | O2 electrodes consume oxygen at rates of ~0.1 micrograms/hour |
Immune to salinity, pH and ionic strength changes of environment | Salinity, pH change, and ionic strength all have the ability to affect the electrode |
Simpler and less frequent calibration | Hourly recalibrations can be required for electrodes |
Sensor coating formulations are offered for a wide range of environments | Electrodes are generally not compatible with various chemicals |
Optical sensors are highly specific and are not affected by chemicals imposed by environment such as CO2, organics, moisture, etc.. | Interference from various chemicals and sampling conditions is commonly experienced |
Ease of production enables manufacturing flexible sensors form factors such as probes, patches, cuvettes, etc.. | Generally, electrodes are solely offered in probe or cell membrane format |
Sensor transducers can be applied on flexible patches and placed inside biological reactors for non-invasive optical measurements | Electrodes normally do not lend themselves to non-invasive measurements |
AP formulation (polymer) | HCR formulation (sol gel) | MR formulation (sol gel) | |
---|---|---|---|
Response rate of probes | T90 = 3 seconds | T90 = 1 second | T90 = 1 second |
Response rate of patches | T90 = 0.1-0.3 seconds | T90 = 0.1-0.2 seconds | T90 = 0.1-0.2 seconds |
Dynamic range in gas | 0-100% O2/0-760 mmHg O2 | 0-100% O2/0-760 mmHg O2 | 0-100% O2/0-760 mmHg O2 |
Dynamic range in water (DO) | 0-40 ppm (wt) | 0-40 ppm (wt) | 0-40 ppm (wt) |
Dynamic range in other liquids | 0-oxygen saturation level | 0-oxygen saturation level | 0-oxygen saturation level |
Resolution in gas | 0.005% O2 / 0.04 mmHg | 0.05% O2 / 0.4 mmHg | 0.05% O2 / 0.4 mmHg |
Resolution in water (DO) | 0.002 ppm (wt) / 2.0 ppb (wt) | 0.02 ppm (wt) / 20 ppb (wt) | 0.02 ppm (wt) / 20 ppb (wt) |
Resolution in other liquids | 0.005% of oxygen saturation level | 0.05% of oxygen saturation level | 0.05% of oxygen saturation level |
Accuracy | 5% of reading | 5% of reading | 5% of reading |
Lowest detectable level (gas) | 0.005% O2 / 0.04 mmHg | 0.05 % O2 / 0.4 mmHg | 0.05 % O2 / 0.4 mmHg |
Lowest detectable level (water) | 0.002 ppm (wt) / 2.0 ppb (wt) | 0.02 ppm (wt) / 20 ppb (wt) | 0.02 ppm (wt) / 20 ppb (wt) |
Lowest detectable level in other liquids | 0.005% of oxygen saturation level | 0.05% of oxygen saturation level | 0.05% of oxygen saturation level |
Sensor drift | Zero drift long term continuous operation | 0.0001 O2% per hour | 0.0001 O2% per hour |
Operating temperature | -50 to + 100 C | -50 to + 120 | -50 to + 120 |
Probe lifetime | 1 year before refurbishing | 1 year before refurbishing | 1 year before refurbishing |
AP Formulation | HCR Formulation |
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Designed for monitoring oxygen gas and dissolved oxygen in biological environments. | Designed for monitoring oxygen in environments with aggressive chemicals such as pure acetone, toluene, benzene, alcohols, gasoline, diesel, jet fuels, etc.. |
H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide at 30%) |
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Isopropanol |
Ethanol |
Methanol |