Chinook Engineering is IML's research and development division, located in Sheridan, Wyoming. Chinook Engineering focuses on applied research and the development of innovative measurement technologies, especially related to environmental measurements. Chinook collaborates with universities, national labs, and experts in their respective fields to complement the in-house staff. The Mission of Chinook Engineering is to develop innovative technologies. Such innovations will be developed through a partnering model, bringing talented people and their ideas together, to create new and useful products and opportunities.
Traceable Calibration Systems
Chinook manufactures the patented Streamline™ Flow Transfer Standard and Streamline Pro™ MultiCal™ System. These high performance fluid flow meters are used extensively in air quality measurements. Due to its superior and consistent performance, the Streamline™ FTS has become the "standard" flow meter in the ambient air quality measurements industry. The Streamline Pro™ MultiCal™ System simplifies measurements while also providing traceable temperature and barometric pressure measurements.
Streamline™ FTS and Streamline Pro™ Systems
The Streamline FTS is available in standard flow ranges of 0.5 – 6 and 5 – 20 lpm. It can be manufactured or modified for other flow rates up to 55 lpm.
The Streamline Pro™ MultiCal™ System provides an integrated approach for assuring the quality of data generated by ambient air monitors and samplers. It is a battery-operated, handheld device with internal data storage that displays audit/calibration data directly on its display screen. The unit provides a direct readout of NIST-traceable flow rate, temperature and barometric (ambient) pressure data. A Remote (external) Temperature Probe (RT Probe) allows for NIST-traceable temperature measurements.
The Streamline Pro™ is the first portable integrated system that allows use of temperature measurements from the rugged RT Probe in the flow calculation for efficiency and convenience of operators.
The Streamline Pro™ is designed and calibrated for full interchangeability of all components. Each component’s calibration constants and certification data are retained in the on-board memory of the component. The calibration data is automatically uploaded to the Control Unit (CU), where it is displayable and recordable for QA tracking. Any Measurement Unit (MU) can be used with any CU and any Remote Temperature (RT) Probe can also be used with any CU. This adds user flexibility because another MU calibrated over a different flow range can be added to the kit in the future as additional needs arise.
When the Streamline Pro™ is calibrated at laboratory conditions, the patented orifice element in the MU provides a calibration relationship based on the specific geometry it had at those laboratory conditions. Because of the durable, patented materials of which it is constructed, its geometry, performance and calibration do not change with changes in air temperature, humidity or pressure. Other flow rate measurement devices can expand, contract or distort when used at conditions other than those at which they were calibrated, providing unreliable flow rate measurements away from the lab. This situation is at its worst when the flow rate measurement device relies on polymeric, metallic, or combined materials, which have high and/or variable thermal expansion properties.
The Streamline Pro™ is a durable and accurate orifice-type Flow Transfer Standard with no moving parts or pistons to introduce shock waves or pulses in the air stream. It can be operated in any position because it doesn’t utilize soap bubbles or other gravity or position-dependent components. There is no vacuum tubing to twist or tangle between the MU and CU.
The Streamline Pro™ is very portable and intuitively easy to use. The entire kit fits in the padded 14” x 11” x 4” carrying case and weighs only 4 pounds. The menus are easy to maneuver through and its features are designed for quick and easy access by users, even while wearing gloves!
The Streamline Pro™ is now available lead-free and RoHS-compliant for world-wide use.
The Model M was the original Streamline Pro™. It was targeted for the TEOM in all configurations, with a flow range of 0.9 - 19 lpm.
The Model S was developed as a low pressure drop unit for the Beta Attenuation monitor. This lower pressure drop was achieved by changing the orifice size. However, the larger orifice limited the lower end of the flow range and extended the upper end, so it is calibrated for 2 - 20 lpm.
The Model SX is Model S components calibrated over the 2 - 25 lpm flow range to include the 22 lpm target in the U.S. carbon sampling networks.
The Model H was originally designed to meet the European market needs with the flow range of 4.5 - 55 lpm. It also covers the target of 22 lpm in the U.S. carbon sampling networks.
Software Development
| Environmental Data Display |
IML Air Science has developed a web-based reporting solution that makes meteorological and air pollutant concentration data available to authorized users inside and outside an organization. Current conditions and historical data are made available through an intuitive interface accessed by a user's web browser.
- Displays current and recentconditions in graphical and numerical form
- Historical, one hour data easily accessed and exported to Excel
- Configured for either facility-wide or company-wide use
- Allows access to operator specified parameters to outside Interests (National Weather Service), with proper Authorization
- Configurable alarm options; user specified conditions (e.g. NEAP wind speed, cold weather shut down, drag line wind load limits, elevated particulate concentration, precipitation event) activate notification options:
- Graphical alarm such as color change and flashing indicators
- Email alerts to all appropriate parties, specific to alarm conditions
- Accommodates data access and download by air quality contractor
 Visit the following IML Air Science website for an interactive demonstration with live data: www.imlairscience.com/demoedd/
[ click image for screenshot view]
Sales:
Kevin Chartier
kchartier@imlinc.com
Technical Support:
Michael Butler
mbutler@imlinc.com |
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Metrology - NIST Traceable Calibrations
Chinook operates an NIST – traceable calibration/certification facility to provide quality assurance (QA) support for the fundamental measurements related to obtaining air quality concentrations. Parameters which can be certified are:
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Air flow rate: |
20 cc/min – 50 lpm, and 8 – 85 cfm
(approx. 250 –2500 lpm) |
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Manometry: |
0.01 – 60 “ H2O, other by special setup |
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Barometry: |
fractions – 1.2 atmospheres |
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Thermometry: |
-40 – +80 °C |
Infrasonic Measurement Systems
IML's model ST infrasound sensor is a re-design of the model SS infrasound sensor that was intended for snow avalanche monitoring, which requires robust operation in winter environments that often exhibit extreme ambient winds. The model ST infrasound sensor was pursued in an effort to provide a sensor that is still adequate for snow avalanche monitoring, while also being more appropriate for general scientific infrasound monitoring.
- Low Power 12 Volt Direct Current Operation
- 2 - 30 Hz Nominal Range
- Extended Low Frequency (< 2 Hz) Range
- ± 5 Volt Balanced Differential Output Signal with Single Ended Output Signal Option
- ~30 Hz Acoustic Low Pass Filter
- Integral 4 Port Acoustic Manifold
- Low Self Noise
- Reverse Polarity Power Supply Protection
- Low Cost
Avalanche Detection System
Inter-Mountain Labs, Inc. is concluding development of automated infrasound sensor array monitoring technology, which detects and identifies sub audible acoustic energy emanating from targeted signal sources. Current operational applications of the technology target snow avalanches in the Teton Pass, WY and Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT regions. These continuous near real-time monitoring systems provide avalanche detection in situations where visual observations are not possible, which offers department of transportation personnel valuable information regarding the state of highway threatening avalanche hazard. False positive avalanche identifications are minimized through the use of movement based pattern recognition techniques that exploit estimated source location of detected signals. Project funding through the summer of 2008 is being provided by Wyoming Department of Transportation, Utah Department of Transportation, and National Science Foundation Small Business Innovative Research program. Conclusion of project efforts are focused on porting technology prototypes into polished commercially viable forms that can be easily maintained and utilized by end users.
Turn key systems composed of the following integrated components:
| [ click images for larger view ] |
| CUSTOM MODEL SS INFRASOUND SENSOR: |
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 View Model SS Infrasound Sensor Datasheet |
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| SENSOR ARRAY MONITORING NODE HARDWARE: |
| Sensor |
Data Acquisition,
and Telecommunications |
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| SENSOR ARRAY PROCESSING (WYDOT Glory Bowl Results): |
Beamforming Geographic
Detection Image |
Beamforming
Feature Set |
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Glory Bowl Avalanche Event
Geographic Identification Image |
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CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
(UDOT White Pine Chutes Results showing and
Positive Avalanche Event Identification): |
| Interactive Graphical User Interface with Raw Data, Beamforming Feature Set, and Alarms |
White Pine Chute 1 Avalanche Event Geographic Identification Image |
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"This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0449731."
"Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF)."
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