PICOGC · Project

Cheaper, Faster Portable Gas Analyzer That Cuts Natural Gas Testing Costs in Half

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Imagine shrinking a full chemistry lab down to a tiny chip the size of your fingernail — that's basically what this project did for gas analysis. Right now, companies that transport and distribute natural gas need bulky, expensive equipment to check gas quality and safety. The PICOGC team built a miniaturized gas chromatograph on a microchip that runs tests twice as fast at 30-50% lower cost, while actually being more accurate than what's currently on the market. They've already produced a batch of 15 ready-to-use devices — 10 fixed installations and 5 portable units — and set up an industrial manufacturing line to scale production.

By the numbers

Sensitivity improvement over current MicroGC

3.5x

Linearity improvement over current MicroGC

50%

Reduction in analysis time

30-50%

Lower price compared to current MicroGC

Complete picoGC pre-series units produced (10 fixed + 5 portable)

100

Injection/TDC MEMS chips produced

100

GC Column MEMS chips produced

Commercial applications targeted (odorant control, gas composition, heating value)

The business problem

What needed solving

Natural gas operators across the supply chain need to constantly test gas quality, composition, and odorant levels to meet safety regulations — but current analytical equipment is expensive, slow, and bulky. Field technicians waste time running lengthy tests, and companies overpay for instruments that deliver limited accuracy. The industry needs a faster, cheaper, more portable solution that still meets regulatory standards.

The solution

What was built

A complete MEMS-based Micro-Gas-Chromatograph (picoGC) in both fixed and portable configurations. The project delivered 15 pre-series units (10 fixed + 5 portable), a validated prototype integrated into a regulator system, and 100 sets of manufactured MEMS chips with industrial production process documentation ready for mass manufacturing.

Audience

Who needs this

Natural gas transmission and distribution system operatorsGas odorant monitoring and safety compliance companiesAnalytical instrument manufacturers and OEMsGas metering and calibration service providersLNG terminal and storage facility operators

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Natural Gas Distribution

enterprise

Target: Gas distribution network operators

If you are a gas distribution company dealing with expensive, slow quality testing at metering stations — this project developed a miniaturized gas chromatograph that performs standardized measurements in half the time and at 30-50% lower cost. The device offers 2x better sensitivity and 3.5x better linearity than current MicroGC systems, meaning fewer retests and more reliable compliance data. Pre-series of 10 fixed models have been built for permanent installation at pipeline nodes.

Industrial Gas Supply

mid-size

Target: Gas odorant monitoring companies and suppliers

If you are a gas supplier responsible for odorant control and safety compliance — this project built a portable gas analyzer specifically designed for odorant measurement in the field. The picoGC portable units reduce analysis time by half compared to conventional equipment, letting field technicians run more inspections per shift. Five portable models were produced and validated as part of the project pre-series.

Energy Metering & Instrumentation

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of gas metering and analytical equipment

If you are an instrumentation company looking to integrate advanced gas analysis into your product line — this project produced 100 injection and 100 column MEMS chips with a documented industrial production process. The MEMS-based technology is compatible with current semiconductor processing, which means you can integrate it into existing manufacturing without retooling. The 30-50% cost reduction at component level creates a strong margin advantage.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much cheaper is the picoGC compared to existing gas chromatographs?

According to project data, the picoGC delivers analysis at 30-50% lower cost than current MicroGC solutions. This cost reduction comes from the MEMS-based manufacturing process, which is more automated and compatible with existing semiconductor production technologies.

Can this technology scale to industrial production volumes?

Yes. The project produced 100 injection/TDC MEMS chips and 100 GC Column MEMS chips, complete with industrial production process flow-charts. The manufacturing partner Micronit GmbH (Germany) was specifically brought in for future mass production of the microchips.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can I license this technology?

The IP is held by Pollution SRL (Italy), the project coordinator and the company commercializing the devices. Micronit GmbH handles chip manufacturing. Licensing or purchasing arrangements would need to go through Pollution SRL as the technology owner and commercial lead.

What specific gas measurements can the picoGC perform?

The project targeted three commercial applications: control of odorants in gas networks, analysis of gas composition, and measurement of the heating value of natural gas. These cover the main analytical needs across the natural gas supply chain.

How fast does it run compared to current equipment?

The picoGC performs standardized measurements in half the time of current MicroGC devices. Combined with 2x higher sensitivity and 3.5x better linearity, this means faster results with fewer repeat tests needed.

Is the technology validated and ready to deploy?

The project produced 15 complete picoGC units (10 fixed installation models and 5 portable models) as a validated pre-series. The first prototype was fully validated in a sandwich configuration integrated into the regulator system. This is pre-commercial stage equipment.

Does it meet regulatory standards for natural gas analysis?

The picoGC was designed to perform standardized measurements for the natural gas industry, addressing the strict safety and quality standards enforced by regulators. Based on available project data, the device was validated against these standards during the pre-series phase.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a lean, industry-only consortium of 2 SME partners across Italy and Germany — no universities or research institutes in the funded team (though CNR-IMM contributed to development). Pollution SRL (Italy) is the technology owner and commercial lead, while Micronit GmbH (Germany) handles MEMS chip mass production. The 100% industry ratio and 100% SME composition signals this is a market-driven project, not academic research. The small consortium size keeps decision-making fast but means the technology's reach depends on Pollution's commercial capacity and distribution network. Having the manufacturing partner already integrated is a strong sign of production readiness.

MICRONIT GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Pollution SRL is an Italian SME specializing in gas analysis instruments. Contact their commercial department for product availability and pricing.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore picoGC technology for your gas analysis operations? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the Pollution SRL team and help evaluate fit for your specific application. Contact us for a one-page technical brief.

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