| NEWS 21 Dec, 2018: Optrand Introduces a Combustion Analyzer for Its Cylinder Pressure Sensors  PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN ---- The new CA3004A Combustion Analyzer is now available for purchase from Optrand Incorporated. The device is optimized for use with Optrand Cylinder Pressure sensors but can also accommodate piezoelectric sensors. CA3004A series combustion analyzer has standard 4, 8, 16 channels and it can be extended to a larger number of channels. It enables crank angle-based data acquisition and real-time analysis of cylinder pressure, intake and exhaust pressure, fuel injection pressure, needle lift, and others. Engine states and thermodynamic parameters can be recalculated in off-line analysis. The device targets engine calibration, design, optimization, tuning, and simulation as well as vehicular road testing. The Analyzer enables connection of eight Optrand Cylinder Pressure Sensor sensors requiring no separate sensor power supply. In addition, up to eight piezoelectric sensors can be connected as well benefitting from Analyzer’s built-in charge amplifiers. Maximum supporting speed up to 64000 rpm. Support 2 stroke, 4 stroke, rotor engine and other types of engines. The combustion analysis software has the standard windows graphical interface, can directly control the data acquisition and processing, can carry on the on-line analysis and saves data without restriction. In addition, the parameters of the data file can be modified for offline analysis. “Cylinder pressure measurements using the CA3004A provide analysis results for display and logging while the engine is operating. Instantaneous availability of combustion results facilitates the implementation of automated calibration and optimization” says Dr. Marek T. Wlodarczyk, Optrand’s President & CEO. 12 May, 2017: Optrand Extends Maximum Temperature Rating of Its Pressure Sensors to 450°C PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN ---- Optrand pressure sensors are now rated for operation at temperatures up to 450°C (840°F) without cooling. Benefitting from a metal coated optical fiber and ultra-high temperature glass seal, the sensor head (process connection) of Optrand’s pressure sensor can be exposed for thousands of hours to temperatures as high as 450°C without cooling. Such capability is available even for sub-miniature devices 1.8mm in diameter. Furthermore, the 450°C-rated sensors can measure very small or very large pressures, ranging from 0-1 bar up to 0-3000 bar. Unlike alternative high temperature piezoelectric or piezo-resistive pressure sensors which can be exposed to maximum temperatures only at their front surfaces, the entire sensor head and even a part of the cable of the Optrand sensor can be exposed to 450°C. These sensors can continuously measure dynamic pressure or both static and dynamic pressure components intermittently. The ultra-high temperature capability is not associated with an increased signal noise observed in the alternative pressure sensors. Finally, Optrand’s 450°C-rated sensors cost a fraction of the competing piezoelectric dynamic or piezoresistive static-dynamic transducers. “The new enhanced capability to measure pressure without cooling at temperatures up to 450°C for thousands of hours enables a wide range of applications previously not available to our sensors” says Dr. Marek T. Wlodarczyk, Optrand’s President & CEO. “A few examples include pressure measurement of plastic melts requiring sub-miniature sensors, monitoring and control of stationary and aviation turbines, measurement of engine exhaust pressure, and tuning of Formula One and other racing engines”. 20 Februrary, 2017: AutoPSI-M Industrial Pressure Sensor PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN ---- The newly designed AutoPSI-M Cylinder Pressure Sensor is now available for purchase from Optrand Incorporated. The device is optimized for long-term monitoring and control of marine and industrial engines. The AutoPSI-M sensor offers drift-free, continuous detection of dynamic pressure or intermittent measurement of static and dynamic pressure. The robust sensor diaphragm resists prolonged engine knocking or detonation and is designed for cylinder pressure up to 350 bar (5000 PSI) or fuel pressure up to 2800 bar (40,000 PSI). Through the use of a metalized optical fiber and a high temperature glass seal, the core sensing element can operate at continuous temperatures as high as 450°C. The sensor head is available in a variety of thread sizes which connect via a rugged metal hose to a microcontroller-based signal conditioner with available voltage or current output and frequency response up to 20 kHz. The low cost AutoPSI-M sensors target long-term monitoring and control of marine, industrial diesel, natural gas, or dual fuel engines and have a service life up to 30 thousand hours or 5 billion pressure cycles. The AutoPSI-M is presently undergoing ATAX directive compliance verification and certification by leading marine certification organizations and industrial Underwriter Laboratory (UL) listings are planned.
4 April, 2014: DOD SBIR Phase I Award Optrand is proud to announce the award of a Phase I SBIR to investigate ““Miniature Static/Dynamic Cylinder Pressure Sensor”. This SBIR Phase I aims at a proof of concept demonstration of a fiber optic-based 2.2mm diameter sensor that measures both static and dynamic components of the cylinder pressure up to 350 bar over the frequency range of 0Hz to 20 kHz, operates at tip temperatures up to 450°C, and has a service life up to 20 thousand hours or 5 billion cycles. A miniature sensing head and signal conditioner enable sensor integration with a diesel fuel injector or a stand-alone package. The proposed sensor has a flush mounted diaphragm resisting soot fouling while minimizing thermal shock error. In addition to pressure, the sensor measures head and signal conditioner temperatures enabling compensation for the diaphragm deflection and signal conditioner temperature dependences with an ultimate goal of +/-1% accuracy over the sensor head temperature range of -50°C to 450°C and signal conditioner temperature range of -50°C to 140°C. A microcontroller performs real time temperature compensation and provides high speed and high resolution analog and digital outputs enabling real time in-cycle control of fuel injection. 15 May, 2012: Optrand's president, Dr. Marek T. Wlodarczyk will be on the panel of a free webinar ""Choosing the Right Sensor for Measuring High Pressure" presented by Design World's Webinar Series 7 Jan, 2011: A presentation titled "Cylinder Head Gasket with Integrated Combustion Pressure Sensors" was jointly given by Federal Mogul and Optrand during the 2010 DEER Conference in Detroit, MI September 2010. The poster slides from this presentation are now available for download. 20 April, 2009: Optrand introduces a new miniature combustion pressure sensor with a M3x0.5 thread at (SAE) International Congress and Exhibition at Cobo Center in Detroit, April 20 through April 23, 2009. The sensor is designed for direct mounting into the engine or for integration into the PSIplug pressure sensing spark plug. Optrand's president, Dr. Marek Wlodarczyk, hosted a presentation titled "Measuring Cylinder Pressure for Controlling Diesel Engines" during the Sensors Expo Pre-Conference Program #3 4 January, 2007:Optrand introduced its new Pressure Measuring Glow Plug, the PSIglow, at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International Congress and Exhibition at Cobo Center in Detroit, April 16 through April 19, 2007. This newest generation device integrates Optrand's 1.7mm-diameter fiber optic-based pressure sensor with a fully functional ceramic heater-based glow plug allowing cylinder pressure monitoring of diesel engines without head modification or loss of glow plug functionality Product Flier
18 April, 2005: Optrand sensors are now rated to 350 Deg C (662 Deg F) continuous housing operating temperature!
1 Nov, 2003: Optrand's miniature pressure sensor integrated in a glow plug adapter is featured in a PhD dissertation: "Conception and test of a cylinder pressure based engine management for passenger car diesel engines" presented by Jens Jeschke at the University of Magdeburg. The sensor is integral to the cylinder pressure based management system that claims across the board improvements in emissions, particulate matter, and "increases robustness of emissions with respect to engine part tolerances and environmental conditions" in passenger diesel engines. A link to the thesis and English abstract is available HERE
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OPTRAND,
Inc. Optrand specializes in the development and manufacturing of static and dynamic Pressure Sensors for continuous monitoring and control, as well as testing and diagnostic applications. The sealed-gauge sensors utilize one or multiple optical fibers positioned in front of a flexing metal diaphragm. The intensity of the reflected light is proportional to the pressure induced deflections of the diaphragm. The patented sensor head, diaphragm and the auto-referencing technique guarantee long-term reliability required in OEM monitoring and control systems. The long-life (up to 1 billion cycles or 3 years), low-cost sensors are offered in various packages as small as 1.7 mm in diameter and pressure ranges from 0-100 psi (7 bar) to 0-30,000 psi (2000 bar). These sensors are designed for continuous operation in harsh conditions of high temperature up to 450°C (e.g., combustion), high Electro-Magnetic and Radio Frequency Interference fields (EMI/RFI), and chemically volatile and explosive environments. Sensors require neither water nor air-cooling. Miniature size, dielectric nature and resistance to high temperature make Optrand sensors ideal for integration with Spark Plugs, Direct Fuel-Injectors or Glow Plugs for non-intrusive real-time cylinder pressure measurements. Optrand products
are suitable for a wide range of applications such as: TECHNICAL
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OPTRAND INC. 46155 Five Mile Road, Plymouth, Michigan 48170,USA Phone: (734) 451-3480 Fax: (734) 451-2945
SAE Paper 2011-01-0938 given at SAE 2011 Detroit, Mi April 2011: