Developing low-cost methane gas concentration measuring device

2021 ◽  
pp. 54-59
Author(s):  
Md. Mahidy Hossain ◽  
Nadim Khandaker
Keyword(s):  
Promising Result ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Methane Content ◽  
Measuring Device ◽  
Methane Generation ◽  
Methane Gas ◽  
Wide Range

In every aspect of Engineering more advanced, efficient and progressive solutions are required. The modern age of science requires innovative minds. The field of environmental engineering is also advancing with modern science and technology innovations. Measuring of methane concentration and flow rate is nothing new, yet a complicated process. The need for more accurate measurement is a necessity in proper operation of bio digesters for methane generation. The traditional process of the measuring methane content in biogas is time consuming yet complicated. The need for development and application of methane measurement techniques is not only limited to biogas but has other monitoring value as well in other health and safety applications in built environments. Winsen Electronics and Hanwei Electronics are two of the leading sensor-manufactures of China who are providing a wide range of gas detecting sensors that are locally available in Bangladesh and yet has not been applied to methane content measurement in biogas operations. In This paper we are reporting on the application of a purpose-built propane, butane detector for methane gas detection within the range of accuracy for it to be applied in methane detection in a biogas stream. This paper, reports on application and calibration of the methane detecting sensor MQ-4 with promising result. Based on the study we postulate that the sensor can be used to detect methane for an on-line monitoring of many environmental, industrial purposes such as bio digesters, integrated waste management facility. The cost of fabrication of the sensor system is only $18 making it a viable sensor with respect to cost for application in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Sensors for Priority Pollutants

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2406
Author(s):  
Mashaalah Zarejousheghani ◽  
Parvaneh Rahimi ◽  
Helko Borsdorf ◽  
Stefan Zimmermann ◽  
Yvonne Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Selective Adsorption ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Priority Pollutants ◽  
Molecularly Imprinted ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Wide Range

Globally, there is growing concern about the health risks of water and air pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a list of priority pollutants containing 129 different chemical compounds. All of these chemicals are of significant interest due to their serious health and safety issues. Permanent exposure to some concentrations of these chemicals can cause severe and irrecoverable health effects, which can be easily prevented by their early identification. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer great potential for selective adsorption of chemicals from water and air samples. These selective artificial bio(mimetic) receptors are promising candidates for modification of sensors, especially disposable sensors, due to their low-cost, long-term stability, ease of engineering, simplicity of production and their applicability for a wide range of targets. Herein, innovative strategies used to develop MIP-based sensors for EPA priority pollutants will be reviewed.

scholarly journals Novel Cost-Effective Microfluidic Chip Based on Hybrid Fabrication and Its Comprehensive Characterization

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanja P. Kojic ◽  
Goran M. Stojanovic ◽  
Vasa Radonic
Keyword(s):  
High Reliability ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Middle Layer ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
Fabrication Technology ◽  
Rapid Fabrication ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Good Potential

Microfluidics, one of the most attractive and fastest developed areas of modern science and technology, has found a number of applications in medicine, biology and chemistry. To address advanced designing challenges of the microfluidic devices, the research is mainly focused on development of efficient, low-cost and rapid fabrication technology with the wide range of applications. For the first time, this paper presents fabrication of microfluidic chips using hybrid fabrication technology—a grouping of the PVC (polyvinyl chloride) foils and the LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) Ceram Tape using a combination of a cost-effective xurography technique and a laser micromachining process. Optical and dielectric properties were determined for the fabricated microfluidic chips. A mechanical characterization of the Ceram Tape, as a middle layer in its non-baked condition, has been performed and Young’s modulus and hardness were determined. The obtained results confirm a good potential of the proposed technology for rapid fabrication of low-cost microfluidic chips with high reliability and reproducibility. The conducted microfluidic tests demonstrated that presented microfluidic chips can resist 3000 times higher flow rates than the chips manufactured using standard xurography technique.

scholarly journals Towards Safer Primers: A Review

Technologies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Stefan Lundgaard ◽  
Soon Ng ◽  
Damien Cahill ◽  
Johan Dahlberg ◽  
Dong Ruan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Metal Oxide ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Secondary Explosive

Primers are used to reliably initiate a secondary explosive in a wide range of industrial and defence applications. However, established primer technologies pose both direct and indirect risks to health and safety. This review analyses a new generation of primer materials and ignition control mechanisms that have been developed to address these risks in firearms. Electrically or optically initiated metal, oxide and semiconductor-based devices show promise as alternatives for heavy metal percussive primers. The prospects for wider use of low-cost, safe, reliable and non-toxic primers are discussed in view of these developments.

scholarly journals Low-Cost Open-Source Device to Measure Maximal Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressures

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Aymerich ◽  
Miguel Rodríguez-Lázaro ◽  
Gorka Solana ◽  
Ramon Farré ◽  
Jorge Otero
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Measuring Device ◽  
Wide Range

The measurement of maximal inspiratory (MIP) and maximal expiratory (MEP) pressures is a widely used technique to non-invasively evaluate respiratory muscle strength in clinical practice. The commercial devices that perform this test range from whole body plethysmographs to portable spirometers, both expensive and include a wide range of other respiratory tests. Given that a portable, low-cost, and specific option for MIP and MEP measuring device is not currently available in the market. A high-performance and easy-to-build prototype has been developed and the detailed technical information to easily reproduce it is freely released. A novel device is based on an Arduino microcontroller with a digital display, an integrated pressure transducer, and three-dimensional (3D) printed enclosure (total retail cost €80). The validation of the device was performed by comparison with a laboratory reference setting, and results showed accuracy within ±1%. As the device design is available according to the open-source hardware approach, measuring MIP/MEP can greatly facilitate easily available point-of-care devices for the monitoring of patients and, most important, for making this lung function measurement tool affordable to users in low- and middle-income countries.

Occupational and Environmental Health

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Environmental Sciences ◽  
Wide Range

This thoroughly updated seventh edition is a comprehensive, clearly written, and practical textbook that includes information on both occupational health and environmental health, providing the necessary foundation for recognizing and preventing work-related and environmentally induced diseases and injuries. National and international experts share their knowledge and practical experience in addressing a wide range of issues and evolving challenges in their fields. A multidisciplinary approach makes this an ideal textbook for students and practitioners in public health, occupational and environmental medicine, occupational health nursing, epidemiology, toxicology, occupational and environmental hygiene, safety, ergonomics, environmental sciences, and other fields. Comprehensive coverage provides a clear understanding of occupational and environmental health and its relationships to public health, environmental sciences, and government policy. Practical case studies demonstrate how to apply the basic principles of occupational and environmental health to real-world challenges. Numerous tables, graphs, and photographs reinforce key concepts. Annotated Further Reading sections at the end of chapters provide avenues for obtaining further infomation. This new edition of the book is thoroughly updated and also contains new chapters on climate change, children’s environmental health, liver disorders, kidney disorders, and a global perspective on occupational health and safety.

scholarly journals Information and information resources in COVID-19: Awareness, control, and prevention

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110165
Author(s):  
Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda ◽  
Fatemeh Ranjbaran ◽  
Asghar Sattari
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Collection Instrument ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Control

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the role of information and information resources in the awareness, control, and prevention of COVID-19. This study was a descriptive-analytical survey in which 450 participants were selected for the study. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data through SPSS. The findings show that a wide range of mass media has become well known as information resources for COVID-19. Other findings indicate a significant statistical difference in the rate of using information resources during COVID-19 based on age and gender; however, this difference is not significant regarding the reliability of information resources with regard to age and gender. Health information has an undisputable role in the prevention and control of pandemic diseases such as COVID-19. Providing accurate, reliable, and evidence-based information in a timely manner for the use of resources and information channels related to COVID-19 can be a fast and low-cost strategic approach in confronting this disease.

scholarly journals Advanced mycelium materials as potential self-growing biomedical scaffolds

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Elena Antinori ◽  
Marco Contardi ◽  
Giulia Suarato ◽  
Andrea Armirotti ◽  
Rosalia Bertorelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Dermal Fibroblasts ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Edible Fungi ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
Fibrous Network ◽  
Body Tissues ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractMycelia, the vegetative part of fungi, are emerging as the avant-garde generation of natural, sustainable, and biodegradable materials for a wide range of applications. They are constituted of a self-growing and interconnected fibrous network of elongated cells, and their chemical and physical properties can be adjusted depending on the conditions of growth and the substrate they are fed upon. So far, only extracts and derivatives from mycelia have been evaluated and tested for biomedical applications. In this study, the entire fibrous structures of mycelia of the edible fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum are presented as self-growing bio-composites that mimic the extracellular matrix of human body tissues, ideal as tissue engineering bio-scaffolds. To this purpose, the two mycelial strains are inactivated by autoclaving after growth, and their morphology, cell wall chemical composition, and hydrodynamical and mechanical features are studied. Finally, their biocompatibility and direct interaction with primary human dermal fibroblasts are investigated. The findings demonstrate the potentiality of mycelia as all-natural and low-cost bio-scaffolds, alternative to the tissue engineering systems currently in place.

scholarly journals Rheology and Water Absorption Properties of Alginate–Soy Protein Composites

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1807
Author(s):  
Estefanía Álvarez-Castillo ◽  
José Manuel Aguilar ◽  
Carlos Bengoechea ◽  
María Luisa López-Castejón ◽  
Antonio Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Soy Protein ◽  
Water Solubility ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Soy Protein Isolate ◽  
Protein Isolate ◽  
Guluronic Acid ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Anionic Polysaccharides ◽  
Porous Matrices

Composite materials based on proteins and carbohydrates normally offer improved water solubility, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, which make them attractive for a wide range of applications. Soy protein isolate (SPI) has shown superabsorbent properties that are useful in fields such as agriculture. Alginate salts (ALG) are linear anionic polysaccharides obtained at a low cost from brown algae, displaying a good enough biocompatibility to be considered for medical applications. As alginates are quite hydrophilic, the exchange of ions from guluronic acid present in its molecular structure with divalent cations, particularly Ca2+, may induce its gelation, which would inhibit its solubilization in water. Both biopolymers SPI and ALG were used to produce composites through injection moulding using glycerol (Gly) as a plasticizer. Different biopolymer/plasticizer ratios were employed, and the SPI/ALG ratio within the biopolymer fraction was also varied. Furthermore, composites were immersed in different CaCl2 solutions to inhibit the amount of soluble matter loss and to enhance the mechanical properties of the resulting porous matrices. The main goal of the present work was the development and characterization of green porous matrices with inhibited solubility thanks to the gelation of alginate.

scholarly journals Optically transparent and very thin structure against electromagnetic pulse (EMP) using metal mesh and saltwater for shielding windows

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Tung Phan ◽  
Chang Won Jung
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Pulse ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Metal Plate ◽  
Optical Transparency ◽  
Shielding Effectiveness ◽  
Concrete Wall ◽  
Metal Mesh ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Optically Transparent

AbstractAn electromagnetic pulse (EMP) with high energy can damage electronic equipment instantly within a wide range of thousands of kilometers. Generally, a metal plate placed inside a thick concrete wall is used against an EMP, but it is not suitable for an EMP shielding window, which requires not only strong shielding effectiveness (SE) but also optical transparency (OT). In this paper, we propose a very thin and optically transparent structure with excellent SE for EMP shielding window application. The proposed structure consists of a saltwater layer held between two glass substrates and two metal mesh layers on the outside of the glass, with a total thickness of less than 1.5 cm. The SE and OT of the structure are above 80 dB and 45%, respectively, which not only meet the requirement of EMP shielding for military purposes but also retain the procedure of good observation. Moreover, the OT of the structure can be significantly improved using only one metal mesh film (MMF) layer, while the SE is still maintained high to satisfy the required SE for home applicants. With the major advantages of low cost, optical transparency, strong SE, and flexible performance, the proposed structure can be considered a good solution for transparent EMP shielding windows.

scholarly journals A Modelling and Validation Approach for Predicting Particle Concentrations of Airborne Dust during the Filling Process of Cylindrical Silos

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1794
Author(s):  
Luke Stone ◽  
Stefan Zigan ◽  
Lahiru L. Lulbadda Waduge ◽  
David B. Hastie
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Feasibility Studies ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Discrete Element Modelling ◽  
Significant Finding ◽  
Filling Process ◽  
Airborne Dust ◽  
Process Simulations ◽  
Quality Of Products

Traditionally, when undertaking feasibility studies for designing new storage facilities such as storage silos, engineers will extract design information from experiments and evaluate potential risks associated with health and safety, suitability design for reliable material flow, and quality of products. The simulation approach applied incorporates Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) approaches and experimental tests will be used for validating these simulation results. One important aspect related to handling fine and dusty materials (particles smaller than 100 microns) is the associated risk of dust explosions, which needs to be evaluated before the commissioning of storage silos; to evaluate the accumulation of fines during the silo filling process, simulations and experiments were conducted. Alumina and salt were used here as reference materials for calibration and the validation purposes. The validation efforts are significant due to the fact that the data that is accessible in simulations is vastly different to the accessible data in experiments, which is restricted by measurement techniques and equipment. Such restrictions are observed in the evaluation of particle concentrations in a large confined volume. A new methodology has been developed to evaluate concentrations in both simulations and experiments by employing a non-dimensional factor [k], here called “Concentration Rank Factor” (CRF). A significant finding of this research is that experiments and simulations can be compared using CRF. It has been found to be within 2% of the experiment averaged value of 0.64.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document