Evaluation of low-cost air quality sensors for monitoring biomass burning-induced air pollution | |
| Author | Sathita Fakprapai |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-17-22 |
| Subject(s) | Sensor networks. Air quality management. Air--Pollution. Climatic changes--Thailand. Biomass--Thailand. |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. EV-17-22 |
| Abstract | Low cost air quality (LCAQ) sensors are the emerging technology with their abilities to break through the limitations of conventional air quality monitoring techniques. The air quality sensors grow rapidly in terms of the market availability, but most of them have not yet been thoroughly evaluated for the accuracy of their measurements. This study evaluated the performance of selected LCAQ sensors and applied the sensors for smoke haze monitoring in the haze-prone areas in northern part of Thailand. Seven types of commercial available sensors were selected including three types of PM sensors (SharpGP2Y1010, PMS3003 and PMS7003), two CO₂ sensors (MH-Z14 and MH-Z16), one NO₂ (WSP1110), one VOCs (MS1100-P11), and one CO sensor (MQ9). Three wireless sensor nodes were built, each of them consisted of five sensors which were used for monitoring the six target pollutants of PM2.5, PM10, CO, CO₂, NO₂ and VOCs. These wireless sensor nodes are also useful to monitor the haze monitoring and to publicize the data in real-time via Wi-Fi or 3G network to internet of thing (IOT) media. The sensors were evaluated both in the laboratory and in field for finding the relationships between the sensor’s responses and measurements produced by reference instruments. For laboratory experiments, the PM sensors (PMS7003) and CO₂ sensors gave a good linear relationship with the output from portable reference monitoring devices, i.e. Met One AEROCET 531S, Quest AQ-5000 while VOCs sensors have a good non-linear with the monitoring data form MultiRAE, respectively. Other sensors have a moderate linear regression. For the field experiments, the sensor nodes were evaluated at two PCD air quality monitoring stations for PM, NO₂ and CO, and in one residential area in BMR for VOCs, and one site in Chiangrai for BC. The linear regression between BC and PM sensors responses (PMS3003 and PMS7003) had good linear relationship, and NO₂ sensors also have good performance when applied in field monitoring. The humidity were found that they has effect on the performance of PM sensor and warm-up time has effect on NO₂ and CO sensors. Moreover, the abilities of low-cost sensors for out-door air quality monitoring have to be concern because the results of this study show that higher instability of sensor’s response occurred when they were test at field-experiment, and the same sensors types have different response, for example those for CO used in this study hence the sensors have to be recalibrated in the field conditions to ensure the data quality. The calibrated wireless sensors were placed in Chiangrai for haze monitoring. The selected wireless sensors were easy to setup and to operate for field monitoring. The solar panel is a good power source for monitoring in rural area, and the real-time data publicizing system were set and tested in field monitoring. These is the cost-effectively of using the wireless sensor network technology for air quality monitoring. |
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Nguyen, Thi Kim Oanh; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Visvanathan, C.;Kanchana Kanchanasut; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Thailand (HM Queen); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2017 |