System and method for measuring airborne glycols

Abstract

An example system is configured to estimate a concentration of airborne glycols in an environment. The system comprises a processor; a display device; a first sensor configured to generate first sensor data representative of a concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in the environment; a second sensor configured to generate second sensor data representative of a temperature of the environment; and a third sensor configured to generate third sensor data representative of the humidity of the environment. The processor is configured to: receive first sensor data, second sensor data, and third sensor data; estimating a concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; and presenting a visual indication representative of airborne glycol concentration in the environment using a display device.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 365,729, filed on June 2, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting airborne glycols, such as airborne triethylene glycol (TEG) and / or airborne propylene glycol (PG), among others. Background Art

[0004] The environment may contain airborne pathogens or surface-borne pathogens that can cause illness or harm to people in the environment. As an example, the environment may contain microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, etc.) and / or viruses that, if inhaled or otherwise come into contact with people in the environment, can cause illness, allergies, or other adverse reactions in the person. Summary of the invention

[0005] The detection system is configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in an environment. As an example, the detection system can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne triethylene glycol (TEG), airborne propylene glycol (PG), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the detection system can be configured to detect different forms of airborne glycols, such as vaporized glycols (e.g., vaporized TEG, vaporized PG, etc.) and atomized glycols (e.g., atomized TEG, atomized PG, etc.), etc.

[0006] In some embodiments, the detection system can be configured to detect active ingredients of a disinfectant formulation that has been vaporized and / or atomized in an environment. As an example, the disinfectant formulation can include an aqueous solution having TEG, PG, or a combination thereof. The disinfectant formulation can be vaporized and / or atomized in an environment to neutralize airborne microorganisms, fungi, and / or viruses in the environment. In addition, the detection system can be configured to monitor the concentration of airborne TEG and / or airborne PG in the environment so that the airborne TEG and / or airborne PG can be maintained at a safe and effective concentration in the environment.

[0007] In some embodiments, the detection system can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in an environment based at least in part on sensor measurements representing (i) the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than a particular threshold diameter (e.g., 2.5 μm, 10 μm, or some other threshold diameter), (ii) the temperature of the environment, and (iii) the humidity of the environment. For example, the detection system can obtain sensor measurements representing the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than 2.5 μm, calibrate or adjust the sensor measurements based on the temperature and / or humidity of the environment, and output the calibrated and / or adjusted sensor measurements as an estimate of the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment. In addition, in some embodiments, the detection system can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in an environment without using a sensor that measures the presence and / or concentration of glycols through a chemical process (e.g., an electrochemical sensor, a photoionization sensor, or a spectrometer, etc.).

[0008] One or more embodiments described herein can provide various technical benefits. For example, embodiments of the detection system described herein can enable a user to determine the concentration of airborne diols in an environment in a quick and efficient manner. This can be particularly useful, for example, in determining whether the concentration of airborne diols in an environment is high enough to neutralize airborne microorganisms, fungi, and / or viruses within the environment, while being low enough to avoid adversely affecting people in the environment. In addition, embodiments of the detection system described herein can be used to detect airborne diols without the use of chemical processes (e.g., without the use of electrochemical sensors or photoionization sensors), which can increase the complexity and / or cost of the detection system.

[0009] In one aspect, a system is configured to estimate the concentration of airborne glycols in an environment. The system includes: a first sensor configured to generate first sensor data representing the concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in the environment; a second sensor configured to generate second sensor data representing the temperature of the environment; a third sensor configured to generate third sensor data representing the humidity of the environment; a display device; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the display device. The one or more processors are configured to: receive the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; estimate the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; and present a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment using the display device.

[0010] Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.

[0011] In some embodiments, the airborne glycols may include triethylene glycol (TEG) and propylene glycol (PG).

[0012] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include vaporized TEG, atomized TEG, vaporized PG, and atomized PG.

[0013] In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 10 μm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 2.5 μm.

[0015] In some embodiments, presenting a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment can include at least one of: presenting a first visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is less than a first threshold concentration, presenting a second visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration, and presenting a third visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to a third threshold concentration.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first threshold concentration may be 0.4 mg / m 3 And the second threshold concentration can be 9.0 mg / m 3 .

[0017] In some implementations, estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may include multiplying the first sensor data by one or more calibration factors to obtain first calibrated sensor data, and estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on the first calibrated sensor data.

[0018] In some embodiments, the one or more calibration factors can represent a difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of a reference sensor configured to detect a concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in a reference environment.

[0019] In some embodiments, the one or more calibration factors may include a first calibration factor having a value of 0.23 or 0.4, and a second calibration factor having a value of 0.00075.

[0020] In some embodiments, estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment may include determining an adjustment value based on the second sensor data and the third sensor data, multiplying the adjustment value by an additional calibration factor to obtain a calibration adjustment value, determining a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value, and estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment based on the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value.

[0021] In some implementations, estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may include determining that the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value is the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

[0022] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include an aerosolized portion of the glycol and a vaporized portion of the glycol. The first calibration sensor data may represent a concentration of the aerosolized portion of the glycol in the environment, and the calibration adjustment value may represent a concentration of the vaporized portion of the glycol in the environment.

[0023] In some embodiments, the additional calibration factor may be 0.50 mg / m 3 .

[0024] In some embodiments, an additional calibration factor may be added at 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0025] In some embodiments, an additional calibration factor may be added at 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0026] In some embodiments, the adjustment value may increase as the temperature of the environment increases.

[0027] In some embodiments, the adjustment value may decrease as the humidity of the environment increases.

[0028] In some embodiments, one or more processors can be configured to: receive user input, wherein the user input includes an instruction to peel at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; and in response to receiving the user input, peel at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data.

[0029] In some embodiments, the system may further include a transmitter configured to transmit at least one of the following data: the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing a concentration of airborne glycol in the environment to the communication network.

[0030] In some embodiments, the transmitter may include a wireless transmitter.

[0031] In some embodiments, the transmitter may be configured to transmit at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment to the glycol dispersion system via the communication network. In addition, the glycol dispersion system may be configured to adjust the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment based on at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment.

[0032] In some embodiments, the system may further include a housing. The housing may at least partially surround the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the one or more processors.

[0033] In some embodiments, the system may further include a power source at least partially enclosed by the housing.

[0034] In some embodiments, the system may further include a connector configured to electrically couple the system to an external power source.

[0035] In some embodiments, the display device may include at least one of the following: one or more indicator lights, and a display panel.

[0036] On the other hand, the method includes: receiving first sensor data indicating the concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in an environment; receiving second sensor data indicating the temperature of the environment; receiving third sensor data indicating the humidity of the environment; estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; and presenting, using a display device, a visual indication indicating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment.

[0037] Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.

[0038] In some embodiments, the airborne glycols may include triethylene glycol (TEG) and propylene glycol (PG).

[0039] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include: vaporized TEG, atomized TEG, vaporized PG, and atomized PG.

[0040] In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 10 μm.

[0041] In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 2.5 μm.

[0042] In some embodiments, presenting a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment can include at least one of: presenting a first visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is less than a first threshold concentration, presenting a second visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration, and presenting a third visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to a third threshold concentration.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first threshold concentration may be 0.4 mg / m 3 And the second threshold concentration can be 9.0 mg / m 3 .

[0044] In some implementations, estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may include multiplying the first sensor data by one or more calibration factors to obtain first calibrated sensor data, and estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on the first calibrated sensor data.

[0045] In some embodiments, the one or more calibration factors can represent a difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of a reference sensor configured to detect a concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in a reference environment.

[0046] In some embodiments, the one or more calibration factors may include a first calibration factor having a value of 0.23 or 0.4, and a second calibration factor having a value of 0.00075.

[0047] In some embodiments, estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may include determining an adjustment value based on the second sensor data and the third sensor data, multiplying the adjustment value by an additional calibration factor to obtain a calibration adjustment value, determining a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value, and estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value.

[0048] In some implementations, estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may include determining that the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value is the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

[0049] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include an atomized portion of the glycol and a vaporized portion of the glycol. The first calibration sensor data may represent the concentration of the atomized portion of the glycol in the environment. The calibration adjustment value may represent the concentration of the vaporized portion of the glycol in the environment.

[0050] In some embodiments, the additional calibration factor may be 0.50 mg / m 3 .

[0051] In some embodiments, the additional calibration factor can be 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0052] In some embodiments, the additional calibration factor can be 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0053] In some embodiments, the adjustment value may increase as the temperature of the environment increases.

[0054] In some embodiments, the adjustment value may decrease as the humidity of the environment increases.

[0055] In some embodiments, the method may further include: receiving user input, the user input including an instruction to peel at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; and in response to receiving the user input, peeling at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data.

[0056] In some embodiments, the method may further include sending at least one of the following data to a communication network: the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing a concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

[0057] In some embodiments, at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment may be wirelessly transmitted to a communication network using a wireless transmitter.

[0058] In some embodiments, at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment can be sent to the glycol dispersion system via the communication network. In addition, the method can include: using the glycol dispersion system, adjusting the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment based on at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment.

[0059] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol is not visible to the human eye.

[0060] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] Figure 1 is a diagram of an example system for disinfecting an environment using airborne glycol.

[0062] Figure 2 is a diagram of an example diol detection system.

[0063] Figures 3A-3D is a diagram illustrating the exterior of a glycol detection system.

[0064] Figures 4A-4D is a diagram illustrating the interior of a glycol detection system.

[0065] Figures 5A-5C Shown are results of a study conducted to identify example calibration factors and / or adjustment values ​​for estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in an environment from aerosolized particle readings.

[0066] Figure 6 A graph showing the saturation of triethylene glycol vapor at various relative humidities and temperatures.

[0067] Figure 7 is a flow chart of an example process for detecting the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in an environment.

[0068] Figure 8 is a diagram of an example computer system.

[0069] Like reference numbers in the various drawings represent like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] General Overview

[0071] Figure 1 An example system 100 for disinfecting an environment 150 using airborne glycol is shown. The system 100 includes a glycol dispensing system 110 for dispensing airborne glycol into the environment 150 and a glycol detection system 120 for detecting the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycol 112 in the environment 150. In some embodiments, the system 100 can be configured to neutralize airborne microorganisms and / or viruses in the environment 150 using the airborne glycol, and to measure and adjust the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment 150 to maintain the concentration at a safe and effective level.

[0072] In some implementations, environment 150 may be an indoor area, such as an area within a permanent or temporary structure, etc. Example indoor areas include a room, a hallway, a stairwell, an auditorium, a passenger cabin of a vehicle, the interior of a tent, etc.

[0073] The glycol dispensing system 110 is configured to disperse the airborne glycol 112 into the environment 150. Figure 1 As shown, the glycol dispensing system 110 includes a reservoir 114 (e.g., a liquid storage container) storing a disinfectant formulation containing glycol as an active ingredient. In addition, the glycol dispensing system 110 may include a mechanism 116 for atomizing and / or vaporizing the disinfectant formulation into an environment 150. As an example, the mechanism 116 may receive the disinfectant formulation from the reservoir 114, vaporize and / or atomize the disinfectant formulation, and direct the atomized and / or vaporized disinfectant formulation into the environment 150. In some embodiments, the mechanism 116 may include one or more humidifiers, fog / haze machines, smoke generators, impellers, diffusers, ultrasonic agitators, ionizers, nebulizers, atomizers, electrosprayers, and / or any other components configured to generate vapor and / or aerosols from liquids.

[0074] In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulation may include an aqueous solution having triethylene glycol (TEG), propylene glycol (PG), or a combination thereof as an active ingredient.

[0075] TEG is miscible with water, has a boiling point of 286.5°C at a pressure of 101.325 kPa, and has a relatively low vapor pressure compared to water. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that TEG is highly hygroscopic and can inactivate microorganisms, such as SARS-CoV-2, fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, among others, by condensing on particles, droplets, or surfaces containing microorganisms until the concentration of TEG becomes high enough to dehydrate the pathogens. In addition, without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that TEG has very low acute or chronic toxicity when inhaled or ingested (especially at levels used in air for disinfecting indoor spaces), and is therefore safe for use in indoor spaces.

[0076] Generally, the amount of TEG in the disinfecting formulations described herein is not particularly limited and can be varied as desired. For example, a disinfecting formulation containing a relatively low amount of TEG can achieve the same disinfecting effect as a disinfecting formulation containing a relatively high amount of TEG by dispersing the former disinfecting formulation in an indoor space at a higher frequency or in a higher amount. In some embodiments, the disinfection formulations described herein can include TEG in an amount of at least about 1% by weight (e.g., at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, at least about 52%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, or at least about 80%) of the disinfection formulation to at most about 99.5% by weight (e.g., at most about 99%, at most about 95%, at most about 90%, at most about 85%, at most about 80%, at most about 75%, at most about 70%, at most about 65%, at most about 60%, or at most about 50%) of the disinfection formulation. In some embodiments, TEG can be 100% by weight of the disinfection formulation described herein (i.e., without any other ingredients). It is believed that spraying a disinfecting formulation containing a relatively high amount (eg, at least about 50 wt %) of TEG can increase disinfection efficiency and reduce the frequency of application of the disinfecting formulation.

[0077] In some embodiments, the water in the disinfection formulations described herein can be deionized water. For example, the deionized water can include ions in an amount of at most about 50 ppm (e.g., at most about 40 ppm, at most about 30 ppm, at most about 20 ppm, at most about 10 ppm, at most about 5 ppm, or at most about 1 ppm) to at least about 1 ppb (e.g., at least about 10 ppb) of the total amount of deionized water. In some embodiments, the water in the disinfection formulations described herein can be non-deionized water.

[0078] In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein can include water (e.g., deionized water) in an amount of at least about 1% by weight (e.g., at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at least about 30%, at least about 35%, at least about 40%, at least about 45%, at least about 48%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, or at least about 70%) to at most about 99% by weight (e.g., at most about 95%, at most about 90%, at most about 85%, at most about 80%, at most about 75%, at most about 70%, at most about 65%, at most about 60%, at most about 50%, or at most about 48%) of the disinfecting formulation. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that deionized water can minimize nozzle clogging (e.g., caused by the deposition of minerals in the water) of a system used to dispense a disinfecting formulation described herein, thereby keeping the system operational for an extended period of time. However, in some embodiments, the disinfecting formulation can include non-deionized water.

[0079] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that including water in the disinfectant formulation can make the disinfectant formulation easily atomized (e.g., by a humidifier, fogger, or smoke generator) and form an aerosol in the atmosphere. The aerosol includes fine droplets containing TEG and / or water, which have a disinfecting effect and can kill airborne pathogens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2). In addition, water in the disinfectant formulation can make the formulation non-flammable, thereby producing a safer product than TEG alone (a flammable liquid with a flash point of 157°C).

[0080] In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein may further include optional ingredients, such as glycols other than TEG, etc. In some embodiments, the additional glycol may be propylene glycol (PG). Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the additional glycol may increase the disinfecting effect of the disinfecting formulation or increase the whiteness of the disinfecting formulation (e.g., to indicate that the disinfecting formulation is present in the air). In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein do not include any additional glycols or any components other than TEG and water.

[0081] In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein may include an additional glycol (e.g., PG) in an amount of at least about 0.5% by weight (e.g., at least about 1%, at least about 1.5%, at least about 2%, at least about 2.5%, at least about 3%, at least about 3.5%, at least about 4%, at least about 4.5%) to at most about 99% by weight (e.g., at most about 95%, at most about 90% by weight) of the formulation. %, up to about 80 wt %, up to about 70 wt %, up to about 60 wt %, up to about 50 wt %, up to about 40 wt %, up to about 30 wt %, up to about 20 wt %, up to about 10 wt %, up to about 5 wt %, up to about 4.5 wt %, up to about 4 wt %, up to about 3.5 wt %, up to about 3 wt %, up to about 2.5 wt %, up to about 2 wt %, up to about 1.5 wt %, or up to about 1 wt %).

[0082] In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein may include (e.g., include, consist essentially of, or consist of): about 50 wt % to about 90 wt % TEG and about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % water (e.g., deionized water). In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein may include (e.g., include, consist essentially of, or consist of): (1) TEG in an amount of about 52 wt % to about 90 wt % of the disinfecting formulation; (2) water (e.g., deionized water) in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 48 wt % of the disinfecting formulation; and (3) PG in an amount of about 0 wt % to about 5 wt % (e.g., about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt %) of the disinfecting formulation. In some embodiments, the disinfecting formulations described herein may include (e.g., include, consist essentially of, or consist of): about 52.5 wt % TEG, about 1 wt % PG, and about 46.5 wt % water (e.g., deionized water).

[0083] As a non-limiting example, a disinfectant formulation may include 52.25 wt % TEG, 1.00 wt % PG, and 46.75 wt % water (eg, deionized water).The properties of this particular example of a disinfectant formulation (and pure TEG as a comparative reference) are summarized in the table below.

[0084] Test Method describe Example Disinfectant Preparations Pure TEG Vision Appearance and smell Clear / uniform Clear / uniform PLTL-15 Smell test No odor No odor ASTM D4052 Specific gravity@20℃ 1.07-1.09 1.12-1.13 ASTM D1120 Boiling point(℃) 103.8℃ 285℃ ASTM D93 Flash point(℃) Non-flammable 157℃ ASTM D323 Vapor pressure (psi) 0.13psi@25℃ 0.0psi@20℃ ASTM D445 Kinematic viscosity@40℃ 13.96cSt 42.3cSt ASTM D117 Freezing point℃ -29.3℃ -7.0℃

[0085] Table 1. Example disinfecting formulation (52.25 wt % TEG, 1.00 wt % PG, and 46.75 wt % water) and properties of TEG.

[0086] The glycol detection system 120 is configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycol 112 in the environment 150. As an example, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of only airborne TEG, only airborne PG, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of different forms of airborne glycol, such as vaporized glycol (e.g., vaporized TEG, vaporized PG, etc.) and aerosolized glycol (e.g., aerosolized TEG, aerosolized PG, etc.), etc.

[0087] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can present information related to the detected airborne glycol (e.g., the concentration of the airborne glycol) to one or more users 152 within the environment 150, e.g., using a display device, indicator lights, etc. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can transmit information related to the detected airborne glycol to one or more remote devices, e.g., using a wireless or wireless network connection, etc.

[0088] In some embodiments, glycol detection system 120 may send information related to detected airborne glycol to glycol dispensing system 110 (e.g., to provide feedback to glycol dispensing system 110 in adjusting the dispensing of disinfectant formulation such that airborne glycol is maintained at a safe and effective concentration within environment 150). As an example, if glycol detection system 120 determines that the concentration of glycol is less than a certain target value, glycol dispensing system 110 may increase the frequency with which disinfectant formulation is dispensed into the environment and / or increase the amount of disinfectant formulation dispensed into the environment at one time. As an example, if glycol detection system 120 determines that the concentration of glycol exceeds a certain target value, glycol dispensing system 110 may decrease the frequency with which disinfectant formulation is dispensed into the environment and / or decrease the amount of disinfectant formulation dispensed into the environment at one time.

[0089] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in the environment 150 based at least in part on sensor measurements indicative of (i) the concentration of airborne particulate matter (e.g., droplets) in the environment 150 having a diameter less than a particular threshold diameter (e.g., 2.5 μm, 10 μm, or some other threshold diameter), (ii) the temperature in the environment 150, and (iii) the humidity of the environment 150. For example, the glycol detection system 120 can obtain sensor measurements indicative of the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment 150 having a diameter less than 2.5 μm, calibrate or adjust the sensor measurements based on the temperature and / or humidity of the environment 150, and output the calibrated and / or adjusted sensor measurements as an estimate of the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment 150. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the detection system can be configured to determine the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in the environment without using a sensor that measures the presence and / or concentration of glycols through a chemical process, such as without using an electrochemical sensor or a photoionization sensor.

[0090] One or more embodiments of the glycol detection system 120 may provide various technical benefits. For example, embodiments of the glycol detection system 120 may enable a user to determine the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment 150 in a quick and efficient manner. This may be particularly useful, for example, in determining whether the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment 150 is high enough to neutralize airborne microorganisms, fungi, and / or viruses in the environment 150, while also being low enough to avoid adversely affecting people in the environment 150. Furthermore, embodiments of the glycol detection system 120 may be used to detect airborne glycols without the use of chemical processes (e.g., without the use of electrochemical sensors or photoionization sensors), which may increase the complexity and / or cost of the glycol detection system 120.

[0091] Figure 2 An example of a glycol detection system 120 is shown in more detail. Figure 2 As shown, the glycol detection system 120 includes a sensor module 210, a processing module 220, a storage module 230, a communication module 240, a display module 250, an input module 260, and one or more power sources 270a and / or 270b.

[0092] The sensor module 210 is configured to generate sensor measurements representing the environment 150. As an example, the sensor module 210 includes a particulate matter sensor 212a, which is configured to obtain sensor measurements representing the concentration of particulate matter having a diameter less than a certain threshold diameter in the environment 150. In some embodiments, the threshold diameter can be at most 10 μm (e.g., at most 8 μm, at most 6 μm, at most 5 μm, at most 4 μm, at most 2 μm, or at most 1 μm). In these embodiments, the sensor measurements can be referred to as particulate matter 10 (PM10) measurements. In some embodiments, the threshold diameter can be at most 2.5 μm. In these embodiments, the sensor measurements can be referred to as particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) measurements.

[0093] In some embodiments, the particulate matter sensor 212a may obtain these measurements by determining the diameters of individual particles and "binning" the particles according to their diameters. For example, the particulate matter sensor 212a may count the number of particles with diameters within a first diameter range (e.g., a first small interval), the number of particles with diameters within a second diameter range (e.g., a second small interval), the number of particles with diameters within a third diameter range (e.g., a third small interval), etc. In addition, the particulate matter sensor 212a may determine the concentration of particulate matter in the environment 150 having a diameter less than a particular threshold diameter based on one or more small intervals. For example, the particulate matter sensor 212a may determine the concentration of particulate matter in the environment 150 having a diameter less than 10 μm based on the number of particles detected with diameters between 0.5 μm and 10 μm.

[0094] In some embodiments, the particulate matter sensor 212a may include one or more tapered element oscillating microbalances (TEOMs) (which detect particulate matter using a glass tube that vibrates more or less as collected particles accumulate thereon), optical photodetectors (which detect particulate matter based on measurements of light reflected from a sample), and / or gravimetric sensors (which detect particulate matter by filtering and weighing a sample). In some embodiments, the sensor measurements obtained by the particulate matter sensor 212a may represent an approximation of the concentration of aerosolized glycol in the environment.

[0095] As another example, the sensor module 210 includes a temperature sensor 212b configured to obtain sensor measurements representing a temperature of the environment 150. As examples, the temperature sensor 212b may include one or more thermometers, thermocouples, thermistors, integrated circuit temperature sensors, and the like.

[0096] As another example, the sensor module 210 includes a humidity sensor 212c configured to obtain sensor measurements representing humidity of the environment 150. As examples, the humidity sensor 212c may include one or more hygrometers, such as capacitive hygrometers, resistive hygrometers, thermal hygrometers, gravimetric hygrometers, and / or optical hygrometers.

[0097] The processing module 220 processes data stored or otherwise accessible by the glycol detection system 120. For example, the processing module 220 can retrieve sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210 and process the sensor measurements to determine an estimated concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150. In some embodiments, the processing module 220 can store the data using the storage module 230. In some embodiments, the processing module 220 can send the data to other systems using the communication module 240. In some embodiments, the processing module 220 can present the data to one or more users using the display module 250. Example processes that the processing module 220 can perform are described in more detail below.

[0098] The storage module 230 stores information related to the operation of the glycol detection system 120. As an example, the storage module 230 can store sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210 and processed sensor measurements generated by the processing module 220. As another example, the storage module 230 can store rules and / or algorithms for processing sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210 (e.g., rules and / or algorithms applied to the sensor measurements to determine an estimated concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150). Although various examples of information are described above, these are merely illustrative. In practice, the storage module 230 can store any information related to the glycol detection system 120.

[0099] The communication module 240 allows data to be sent to and from the glycol detection system 120. For example, the communication module 240 can be communicatively connected to a communication network so that it can send data to other devices (e.g., the glycol dispersion system 110 and / or any other electronic device) and receive data from other devices via the communication network. As an example, sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210 and / or processed by the processing module 220 can be sent to the glycol dispersion system 110 (e.g., to provide feedback to the glycol dispersion system 110 when adjusting the dispersion of the disinfectant formulation so that the airborne glycol is maintained at a safe and effective concentration within the environment 150). As another example, the sensor data obtained by the sensor module 210 and / or processed by the processing module 220 can be sent to one or more user devices (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, computer, wearable device, etc.) so that the user can monitor the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150.

[0100] Generally, a communication network can be any network over which data can be sent and shared. For example, a communication network can be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, etc. A communication network can be implemented using various network interfaces, such as wireless network interfaces (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or infrared) or wired network interfaces (such as Ethernet, serial, or Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections), etc. A communication network can also include a combination of more than one network and can be implemented using one or more network interfaces.

[0101] The display module 250 is configured to present information to one or more users. As an example, the display module 250 can be configured to present at least a portion of the sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210 and / or processed by the processing module 220. For example, the display module 250 can be configured to present an estimated concentration of airborne glycols in the environment 150. In some embodiments, the display module 250 may include one or more display screens, indicator lights, or other display devices for visually presenting information to a user. In addition, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may include other devices for presenting information, such as a speaker (e.g., for presenting information auditorily) or a tactile device (e.g., for presenting information in the form of vibrations, pulses, or other tactile stimuli), etc.

[0102] The input module 260 is configured to receive one or more user inputs to control the operation of the glycol detection system 120. As an example, the input module 260 may include one or more touch-sensitive surfaces (e.g., touch pads, touch screens, etc.), keyboards, buttons, switches, knobs, or other interfaces for receiving user inputs.

[0103] Power sources 270a and 270b provide power to the glycol detection system 120 and each of its constituent components. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may include an internal power source 270a (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.). In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may be electrically coupled to an external power source 270b (e.g., an external power grid, an external generator, an external battery, etc.) via a connection interface 272 (e.g., a plug, a socket, a receptacle, a port, a connector, etc.).

[0104] An example physical configuration of the glycol detection system 120 is shown in Figures 3A-3C (depicting the front side of glycol detection system 120), Figure 3D (depicting the back of glycol detection system 120) and Figures 4A-4D (Internal components of glycol detection system 120 are depicted).

[0105] like Figures 3A-3C As shown, the glycol detection system 120 may include a housing 300 that at least partially surrounds some or all components of the glycol detection system 120. Additionally, the glycol detection system 120 may include a display module 250 (eg, one or more indicator lights) visible along an exterior of the housing 300.

[0106] In the present example, the display module 250 is configured to present a visual indication representing an estimated concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment 150. For example, the display module 250 may be configured to: (i) emit light having a first color and / or according to a first pattern when the estimated concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a first range (e.g., less than a first threshold concentration), (ii) emit light having a second color and / or according to a second pattern when the estimated concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a second range (e.g., greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration), and (iii) emit light having a third color and / or according to a third pattern when the estimated concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a third range (e.g., greater than the second threshold concentration).

[0107] As an example, the display module 250 can be configured to emit white light when the estimated concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a first range. In addition, the display module 250 can be configured to emit blue light when the estimated concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a second range. In addition, the display module 250 can be configured to emit yellow light when the estimated concentration of airborne glycol in the environment 150 is within a third range. Other colors and / or patterns (e.g., flashing, pulsing, solid, etc.) are also possible depending on the implementation.

[0108] In some embodiments, these ranges may correspond to the efficacy and / or safety of a particular concentration of airborne diols in an environment. For example, the second range may correspond to a concentration of airborne diols suitable for effectively neutralizing airborne microorganisms, fungi, and / or viruses in an environment without adversely affecting people in the environment. As another example, the first range may correspond to a concentration of airborne diols that is not high enough to effectively neutralize airborne microorganisms and / or viruses in an environment. As another example, the third range may correspond to a concentration of airborne diols that exceeds certain prescribed safety limits associated with long-term exposure to airborne diols. As another example, the third range may correspond to a concentration of airborne diols that is higher than required for efficacy but does not exceed certain prescribed safety limits associated with long-term exposure to airborne diols.

[0109] In some embodiments, the first range may be less than 0.5 mg / m 3 The second range can be greater than or equal to 0.5 mg / m 3 And less than 9.0mg / m 3 , and the third range may be greater than or equal to 9.0 mg / m 3 In some embodiments, these ranges may refer to a combination of both the atomized and vaporized forms of the glycol.

[0110] In some embodiments, the first range may be less than 0.04 mg / m 3 , the second range can be greater than or equal to 0.02 mg / m 3 And less than 9.0mg / m 3 , and the third range may be greater than or equal to 9.0 mg / m 3 In some embodiments, these ranges may refer only to the atomized form of the glycol (eg, and not the vaporized form of the glycol).

[0111] In some embodiments, the first range may be less than 0.4 mg / m 3 , the second range can be greater than or equal to 0.4 mg / m 3 And less than 9.0mg / m 3 , and the third range may be greater than or equal to 9.0 mg / m 3 In some embodiments, these ranges may refer to a combination of both the atomized and vaporized forms of the glycol.

[0112] Other ranges are possible depending on the implementation.

[0113] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the second range may correspond to a concentration of airborne glycol suitable for effectively neutralizing airborne microorganisms and / or viruses in an environment without adversely affecting people in the environment and without being visible to the human eye in the air. This may be beneficial, for example, because certain concentrations of airborne glycol may be high enough to neutralize airborne microorganisms and / or viruses in an environment while remaining "invisible" to people in the environment (e.g., to improve the aesthetic quality of the environment, avoid startling or distracting people in the environment, etc.). For example, the second range may at least partially include from 0.04 mg / m 3 Up to 0.1 mg / m 3 The concentration of airborne glycols.

[0114] like Figure 3D As shown, the glycol detection system 120 may include a connection interface 272 (eg, a plug, socket, receptacle, port, connector, etc.) along an exterior of the housing 300 for electrically coupling the glycol detection system 120 to an external power source 270b.

[0115] like Figures 4A-4D As shown, the glycol detection system 120 may include one or more electronic components mounted to one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) 400. In this example, the glycol detection system 120 includes a sensor module, which includes a particulate matter sensor 212a, a temperature sensor 212b, and a humidity sensor 212c mounted to the PCB 400. In addition, the glycol detection system 120 includes a processing module 220, which includes one or more processors mounted to the PCB 400. The glycol detection system 120 also includes a storage module 230, which includes one or more storage devices (e.g., memory chips) mounted to the PCB 400. The glycol detection system 120 also includes a communication module 240, which includes a Wi-Fi transceiver 242a, a Bluetooth transceiver 242b, and a wired communication interface 242c (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) port) mounted to the PCB 400. The glycol detection system 120 also includes a display module 250 including one or more indicator lights (e.g., light emitting diodes) mounted to the PCB 400. The glycol detection system 120 also includes an internal power source 270a (e.g., a battery and an associated charge pump) and a connection interface 272 for electrically coupling the glycol detection system 120 to an external power source 270b (e.g., a battery and an associated charge pump) mounted to the PCB 400. Figures 4A-4D The glycol detection system 120 also includes an input module 260 (eg, one or more buttons or switches that enable a user to input commands to the glycol detection system 120) mounted to the PCB 400.

[0116] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to continuously estimate the concentration of airborne glycol. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to estimate the concentration of airborne glycol periodically (e.g., every second, every 10 seconds, every 30 seconds, every 1 minute, every 5 minutes, or according to any other period). In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to estimate the concentration of airborne glycol at a single point in time (e.g., in response to a command from a user).

[0117] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can sequentially generate multiple estimates of the concentration of airborne glycol and determine an average (e.g., a mean) of two or more of the estimates. In addition, the glycol detection system 120 can present the average of the estimates to a user (e.g., via the display module 250) and / or send the average of the estimates to other devices (e.g., via the communication module 240). Averaging the estimates can be beneficial, for example, to reduce sudden fluctuations in the output of the glycol detection system 120 (which can be more difficult for a user to interpret).

[0118] As an example, when the glycol detection system 120 is initially activated, the glycol detection system 120 can continuously estimate the concentration of airborne glycol and determine an average of the estimate every minute (e.g., over a continuous one-minute window). During this time, the glycol detection system 120 can indicate that it is in the process of obtaining sensor measurements. For example, the glycol detection system 120 can use the display module 250 to emit a blue light according to a slow pulse pattern.

[0119] If the average of the estimated value is within the target concentration range (e.g., the second concentration range) for three consecutive averages (e.g., within a three minute time span), the glycol detection system 120 can switch to obtaining an average of the estimated value every five minutes (e.g., within a consecutive five minute window). In addition, the glycol detection system 120 can indicate that the estimated concentration of airborne glycol is within the target range. For example, the glycol detection system 120 can use the display module 250 to emit blue light according to a solid color non-pulsing pattern.

[0120] If the average of the estimated values ​​is no longer within the target concentration range (e.g., within a five-minute time span), the glycol detection system 120 can again determine the average of the estimated values ​​every minute (e.g., within a continuous one-minute window). During this period, the glycol detection system 120 can indicate that the concentration of airborne glycol is no longer within the target concentration range. For example, if the average of the estimated values ​​is less than the target concentration range, the glycol detection system 120 can use the display module 250 to emit blue light according to the slow pulse mode. As another example, if the average of the estimated values ​​is greater than the target concentration range, the glycol detection system 120 can use the display module 250 to emit yellow light.

[0121] Other colors and / or patterns (eg, flashing, pulsating, solid color, etc.) are possible, depending on the implementation.

[0122] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to continuously obtain measurements from the particulate matter sensor 212a (e.g., by continuously counting the number of particles having a diameter less than a threshold value as an indication of the concentration of such particles in the air). In addition, the glycol detection system 120 can determine when the measurement reaches a steady state within a rolling time window (e.g., the change in the measurement does not exceed ±20% within a three-minute rolling time window). When it is determined that the measurement reaches a steady state within the rolling time window, the glycol detection system 120 can report the estimated concentration of airborne glycol to the user (e.g., using an indicator light as described herein). However, if the measurement has not yet reached a steady state within the rolling time window, the glycol detection system 120 can avoid reporting any updates to the estimated concentration of airborne glycol to the user (e.g., by avoiding changing the state of the indicator light). In addition, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can report a rolling average of the estimated concentration of airborne glycol over time.

[0123] The present technology may be useful, for example, in presenting more accurate measurements to a user and / or presenting measurements that undergo less degree of variation. For example, in at least some embodiments, when the airborne glycol has not reached vapor saturation in the environment, the glycol detection system 120 estimate of the concentration of the airborne glycol may be less accurate. Additionally, the time at which the airborne glycol reaches vapor saturation in the environment can be determined by identifying the time at which the count of the number of particles having a diameter less than a threshold reaches a steady state. Thus, by selectively reporting an estimate when the count of the number of particles having a diameter less than a threshold reaches a steady state, the output of the glycol detection system 120 is more accurate and / or more reliable.

[0124] As described above, in some embodiments, the steady state of the measurement may be determined based on a steady state condition in the count of the number of particles having a diameter less than a threshold value (e.g., a steady state condition in PM10 and / or PM2.5 measurements). However, in some embodiments, the steady state of the measurement may be determined based on a steady state condition in the calculated mass concentration of the particles. As an example, the mass concentration of the particles may be calculated using Formula 1 described below, where E is set to 1.

[0125] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to obtain measurements at a predetermined time after it is turned on and / or activated. As an example, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to obtain measurements 30 seconds after it is turned on and / or activated.

[0126] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may be configured to perform a taring operation on the sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210. As an example, before the glycol is dispersed into the environment by the glycol dispersing system 110, the glycol detection system 120 may obtain a baseline measurement of the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than a certain threshold diameter (e.g., 10 μm). In addition, after the glycol is dispersed into the environment by the glycol dispersing system 110, the glycol detection system 120 may obtain one or more additional measurements of the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than a certain threshold diameter. In addition, the glycol detection system 120 may subtract the baseline measurement from each additional measurement (e.g., taring each additional measurement by the baseline measurement). This is particularly beneficial, for example, in improving the accuracy of the output of the glycol detection system 120 in an environment with a large amount of dust or other particulate matter.

[0127] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may determine whether a tare operation should be performed based on sensor measurements obtained by the sensor module 210. As an example, the glycol detection system 120 may obtain a baseline measurement of the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than a certain threshold diameter (e.g., 10 μm) before glycol is dispersed into the environment by the glycol dispersing system 110. If the measurement is above a certain threshold level (e.g., indicating the presence of a large amount of particulate matter that is not airborne glycol), the glycol detection system 120 may determine that a tare operation should be performed to improve the accuracy of subsequent measurements.

[0128] In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can indicate to the user that a peeling operation should be performed (eg, using the display module 250), and the user can manually instruct the glycol detection system 120 to perform a peeling operation. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can automatically perform a peeling operation.

[0129] As described above, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to estimate the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment based at least in part on sensor measurements representing: (i) the concentration of airborne particulate matter in the environment having a diameter less than a certain threshold diameter (e.g., 10 μm), (ii) the temperature of the environment, and (iii) the humidity of the environment. In some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate a sensor output X (representing the estimated concentration of airborne glycols in the environment) according to the following formula:

[0130] X=(A*B*C)+(D*E) (Formula 1)

[0131] A is the concentration of airborne particulate matter (PM10) with a diameter less than 10 μm in the environment. In some embodiments, A can be the concentration of airborne particulate matter with a diameter between 0.5 μm and 10 μm in the environment. In addition, B, C, D, and E are adjustment values ​​and / or calibration factors. At least some of B, C, D, and / or E can be determined based on the temperature of the environment and / or the humidity of the environment.

[0132] In some embodiments, calibration factor B may represent a correlation between sensor measurements obtained by particulate matter sensor 212a under certain reference conditions and sensor measurements obtained by a reference sensor (eg, a calibrated sensor that meets certain accuracy and / or precision specifications).

[0133] As an example, the particulate matter sensor 212a may be an uncalibrated sensor (e.g., a particulate matter sensor such as a Sensirion SPS30PM sensor produced by Sensirion AG, Stafa, Switzerland). In addition, the reference sensor may be a calibrated sensor (e.g., a particulate matter sensor TSI AM520 produced by TSI Inc., Shoreview, Minnesota) calibrated to ISO standard 12103-1A1 using "Ultrafine Arizona Road Dust" (as specified in ISO standard 12103-1A1). The density of "Ultrafine Arizona Road Dust" is 2.7 g / cm 3 , and at least some embodiments of the disinfecting formulation have a density of 1.08 g / cm 3 Therefore, in at least some embodiments, the calibration factor B may be 1.08 / 2.7=0.4.

[0134] In some embodiments, calibration factor C may represent an additional correlation between sensor measurements obtained by particulate matter sensor 212a under certain reference conditions and sensor measurements obtained by a reference sensor (eg, a calibrated sensor that meets certain accuracy and / or precision specifications).

[0135] For example, Figure 5A A scatter plot comparing the measurements obtained by the Sensirion SPS30PM sensor (horizontal axis) with the measurements obtained by the TSIAM520 sensor (vertical axis) is shown. After removing the outliers, the measurements were found to have a linear correlation with a slope of 0.00075. Therefore, in at least some embodiments, the calibration factor C can be 0.00075.

[0136] In some embodiments, the adjustment value D may represent at least a portion of the vaporized glycol (e.g., vaporized TEG and / or vaporized PG) that cannot be directly detected by the PM sensor (because the vapor does not have any particles that can be directly detected by the PM sensor). The adjustment value factor D may be determined empirically through experimental testing. In some embodiments, the adjustment value D may be expressed in mg / m 3 It is expressed as a unit.

[0137] As an example, tests were conducted to determine the amount of vaporized glycol that could not be detected by a particulate matter sensor (Sensirion SPS30PM sensor). These results are summarized in Figure 5B and 5C The table shown in the heading “Actual vapor concentration (mg / m 3 The columns ")" show the constant factors using two different techniques: cold dispersion (atomization) and heated dispersion (vaporization).

[0138] like Figure 5B and 5C As shown, in addition to the SPS30 measurement value found 0.06 mg / m 3 and 0.6 mg / m 3 The actual steam concentration in each range between 3 ) is 0.59 mg / m 3 To correct the sensor output to account for this factor, an additional value is added to the corrected and calibrated sensor output. In some embodiments, the sensor output may be adjusted from 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 In some embodiments, the additional value may be selected from 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 Select the additional value from the range.

[0139] In addition, additional testing was performed using a collection device (XAD-7 OSHA Multipurpose Sampler (OVS) tube) that collected both vaporized and atomized glycols (e.g., vaporized TEG, atomized TEG, vaporized PG, atomized PG, etc.) in a controlled manner. In particular, the total amount of airborne glycols (including both vaporized and atomized glycols) in the test environment was measured via gas chromatography (e.g., using flame ionization techniques) using the OVS tube. In addition, the measured amounts were used to calibrate and / or verify measurements determined using glycol detection system 120 (e.g., to improve the accuracy of measurements based on use of glycol detection system 120). As Figure 5B and 5C As shown, the additional calibration factor is 0.4 mg / m 3 and 0.7 mg / m 3 There is a linear increase in the vaporized and atomized glycol at higher concentrations in air.

[0140] In some embodiments, the adjustment value D may be a constant value. For example, the adjustment value D may be 0.50 mg / m 3 .

[0141] In some embodiments, the adjustment value D can vary based on the PM10 particle count of the sensor. For example, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count within a first range, the adjustment value D can be a first value. Additionally, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count within a second range, the adjustment value D can be a second value. Additionally, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count within a third range, the adjustment value D can be a third value, and so on. This is beneficial, for example, in enabling the final output of the sensor to be more accurately calibrated over a range of operating conditions.

[0142] In some embodiments, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count in a first range of 100 to 134, the adjustment value D may be 0.4 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count in the second range of 134-2499, the adjustment value D may be 0.5 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count within a third range greater than or equal to 2500, the adjustment value D may be 1.0 mg / m 3 In at least some embodiments, this set of ranges and adjustment values ​​has been found to produce a particularly accurate final output of the sensor.

[0143] In some embodiments, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count in a first range of 100 to 134, the adjustment value D may be 0.3 mg / m 3In addition, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count in the second range of 134-2499, the adjustment value D may be 0.4 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM10 particle count within a third range greater than or equal to 2500, the adjustment value D may be 1.0 mg / m 3 In at least some embodiments, the set of ranges and adjustment values ​​is also found to produce a particularly accurate final output of the sensor.

[0144] However, other sets of ranges and adjustment values ​​may be used depending on the implementation.

[0145] In some embodiments, the adjustment value D can vary based on the PM2.5 particle count of the sensor. For example, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count within a first range, the adjustment value D can be a first value. Additionally, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count within a second range, the adjustment value D can be a second value. Additionally, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count within a third range, the adjustment value D can be a third value, and so on. This is beneficial, for example, in enabling the final output of the sensor to be more accurately calibrated over a range of operating conditions.

[0146] In some embodiments, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count in a first range of 100 to 134, the adjustment value D may be 0.4 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count in the second range of 134-2499, the adjustment value D may be 0.5 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count within a third range greater than or equal to 2500, the adjustment value D may be 1.0 mg / m 3 In at least some embodiments, this set of ranges and adjustment values ​​has been found to produce a particularly accurate final output of the sensor.

[0147] In some embodiments, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count in a first range of 100 to 134, the adjustment value D may be 0.3 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count in the second range of 134-2499, the adjustment value D may be 0.4 mg / m 3 In addition, if the sensor detects a PM2.5 particle count within a third range greater than or equal to 2500, the adjustment value D may be 1.0 mg / m 3 In at least some embodiments, the set of ranges and adjustment values ​​is also found to produce a particularly accurate final output of the sensor.

[0148] However, other sets of ranges and adjustment values ​​may be used depending on the implementation.

[0149] In some embodiments, the calibration value E may represent a change in the amount of glycol vaporized in an environment based on temperature and / or humidity.

[0150] For example, Figure 6 A graph showing the saturation of TEG vapor at various relative humidities for temperatures from 20.0°C to 29.0°C based on theoretical analysis is shown. Figure 6 As shown, vapor is affected by both temperature and humidity. Specifically, higher temperatures allow more vapor to be supported in the air, and higher humidity reduces the available space for vaporized glycol. However, levels of airborne glycol that are effective in neutralizing airborne microorganisms and viruses (e.g., at 0.4 mg / m 3 and 9.0 mg / m 3 Between), the steam constant in operation is lower than Figure 6 Any theoretical steam maximum in the graph shown.

[0151] like Figure 6 As shown, higher humidity prevents vapor saturation from approaching the range for efficacy. In at least some use cases, the system 100 operates in an indoor area with conditioned air. Therefore, a temperature range of 20°C to 24°C and a relative humidity of 30% may represent the environment. However, to take into account environmental conditions that may occur, at humidities above 90%, a safety factor of 0.7 may be multiplied with the output. Additionally, at humidities between 80% and 90%, a factor of 0.9 may be multiplied with the output. This takes into account the additional aerosolized glycol in the air to account for environmental conditions that require higher aerosol content to maintain efficacy guidelines.

[0152] In at least some embodiments, if (i) the measured humidity is above 90% and (ii) the measured temperature is less than 30° C., the calibration factor E may be 0.07. Otherwise, if (i) the measured humidity is greater than 80% and (ii) the measured temperature is less than 25° C., the calibration factor E may be 0.15. Otherwise, the calibration factor E may be 0. This may be represented in pseudo code as follows:

[0153] If ((humidity)>=90% and (temperature)<30°C), then E=0.07;

[0154] Otherwise, if ((humidity)>80% and (temperature)<25°C), then E=0.15;

[0155] Otherwise E=1;

[0156] Other techniques for calculating E are possible, depending on the implementation.

[0157] Thus, in at least some embodiments, glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate a sensor output X (representing an estimated concentration of airborne glycol in an environment) according to the following formula:

[0158] X=(A*0.4*0.00075)+(0.50)*E (Formula 2)

[0159] Here, E is determined based on the temperature and humidity measurements obtained by the temperature sensor 212b and the humidity sensor 212c, respectively.

[0160] Although example calibration factors are described above, in practice, the calibration factors may vary depending on the implementation. For example, further testing and / or research may indicate that different calibration factors may be used to produce a more accurate estimate of the amount of glycol vaporized in the environment.

[0161] As an example, in some embodiments, the calibration factor B can alternatively be 0.23. The value is determined based on the following: when the average concentration value recorded by the glycol detection system 120 is plotted against the laboratory measured concentration of the glycol (e.g., including both the atomized form and the vaporized form of the glycol), the relationship between the two concentration values ​​can be presented by a linear regression model. In this model, the slope of the curve determines the calibration factor B. In certain experimental studies, the slope was determined to be 0.23.

[0162] Thus, in at least some embodiments, glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate a sensor output X (representing an estimated concentration of airborne glycol in an environment) according to the following formula:

[0163] X=(A*0.23*0.00075)+0.50*E (Formula 3)

[0164] In some embodiments, the above calibration factors may be particularly suitable for determining the concentration of only airborne TEG (e.g., and not airborne PG). However, in some embodiments, the above calibration factors can be used to determine the concentration of both airborne TEG and airborne PG, or to determine the concentration of only airborne PG.

[0165] In some embodiments, the output of the glycol detection system 120 (e.g., based on the calibration factors described above) can be within a certain tolerance range of the actual concentration of airborne glycols in the environment. As an example, in some embodiments, the output of the glycol detection system 120 can be within ±0.10 mg / m of the actual concentration of airborne TEG in the environment (e.g., as measured using a NIOSH test device). 3As an example, in some embodiments, the output of glycol detection system 120 may be within ±0.15 mg / m of the actual concentration of airborne TEG in the environment (e.g., as measured using NIOSH testing equipment). 3 within the tolerance range.

[0166] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate the sensor output X according to only a subset of the calibration factors discussed above. As an example, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate the sensor output X according to the following formula:

[0167] X=(A*B*C)+D (Formula 3)

[0168] As another example, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 can be configured to generate the sensor output X according to the following formula:

[0169] X=A*B*C (Formula 4)

[0170] Additional experimental studies

[0171] Additional experimental studies were conducted to evaluate and verify the performance of the example glycol detection system 120. A summary of these additional experimental studies is provided below.

[0172] scope:

[0173] The scope of these experimental studies was to evaluate and validate the performance of example embodiments of glycol detection system 120 in detecting concentrations of airborne glycol (eg, including both aerosolized and vaporized forms of glycol).

[0174] method:

[0175] In these studies, two different embodiments of the glycol dispensing system (e.g., an atomized glycol dispensing system and a vaporized glycol dispensing system) were used to disperse airborne glycol into various environments. In addition, one embodiment of the glycol detection system 120 was used to estimate the concentration of airborne glycol (e.g., including both atomized and vaporized forms of glycol) in the environment.

[0176] In these studies, the diol detection system 120 was used to detect and report the concentration of aerosolized microdroplets (e.g., between 0.5 μm and 10 μm in diameter) of diol in the air. In addition, based on the measured values, the diol detection system 120 was used to estimate the concentration of total airborne diol (e.g., including both aerosolized forms of diol and vaporized forms of diol that cannot be directly detected by the diol detection system 120). This estimation was performed using the calibration factors described above for Equation 1, using a value of 0.4 as the calibration factor B. However, it is believed that similar results can be obtained by using a value of 0.23 as the calibration factor B.

[0177] As a point of comparison, the concentration of total airborne glycol (eg, including both the aerosolized form of glycol and the vaporized form of glycol) was determined using NIOSH (Method 5523) testing equipment.

[0178] In each test environment, the glycol detection system 120 and the NIOSH test apparatus were placed in close proximity to each other and operated simultaneously to collect measurements.

[0179] The studies were conducted in two different settings: a controlled laboratory environment (laboratory) and a "real-world" office environment.

[0180] Results and Discussion:

[0181] The measured results and estimated values ​​are summarized in Table 2 below.

[0182]

[0183] Table 2. Concentrations of airborne glycols measured and estimated using the Glycol Detection System 120 and the NOISH system.

[0184] Column (A) represents the measured average concentration of aerosolized glycol over a 30-minute period as determined by glycol detection system 120. Additionally, column (B) represents the estimated concentration of total airborne glycol (e.g., including both aerosolized and vaporized forms of glycol) determined based on measurements obtained by glycol detection system 120 (e.g., using calibration factors described herein, e.g., reference Formula 1, etc.).

[0185] Column (C) represents the measured concentration of total airborne glycols as determined by the NIOSH system. Additionally, column (D) represents the average of these measurements.

[0186] Additionally, column (E) represents the absolute value of the difference between column (B) and column (D) (e.g., representing the difference between (i) the concentration of total airborne glycols as estimated by glycol detection system 120 and (ii) the concentration of total airborne glycols measured by the NIOSH system).

[0187] Column (F) indicates the test site or environment for each study. Column (G) indicates the type of dispersing system used to disperse the diol into the test site or environment.

[0188] As shown in Table 2, there is little difference between (i) the concentration of total airborne glycols as estimated by the glycol detection system 120 and (ii) the concentration of total airborne glycols as measured by the NIOSH system. For example, there is a direct correlation between the two. Furthermore, the correlation is not affected by the test environment or the type of dispersion system used to disperse the glycols into the test site or environment.

[0189] Example Process

[0190] Figure 7 An example process 700 for detecting the presence and / or concentration of airborne glycols in an environment is shown. Some or all of process 700 may be performed, for example, by glycol detection system 120 shown and described herein.

[0191] In process 700, the system receives first sensor data indicating a concentration of particles in an environment having a diameter less than a threshold diameter (block 702). In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 10 μm. In some embodiments, the threshold diameter may be 2.5 μm.

[0192] Additionally, the system receives second sensor data representing a temperature of the environment (block 704 ).

[0193] Additionally, the system receives third sensor data representing humidity of the environment (block 706 ).

[0194] In addition, the system estimates a concentration of an airborne glycol in the environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data (block 708). In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include triethylene glycol (TEG) and / or propylene glycol (PG). For example, the airborne glycol may include vaporized TEG, atomized TEG, vaporized PG, and / or atomized PG.

[0195] In some embodiments, the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment can be estimated at least in part by multiplying first sensor data by one or more calibration factors to obtain first calibrated sensor data, and estimating the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on the first calibrated sensor data.

[0196] The one or more calibration factors may represent a difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of a reference sensor configured to detect a concentration of particles having a diameter less than a threshold diameter in a reference environment. In some embodiments, the one or more calibration factors may include a first calibration factor having a value of 0.23 or 0.4 and a second calibration factor having a value of 0.00075.

[0197] In addition, the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment can be estimated at least in part by: (i) determining an adjustment value based on the second sensor data and the third sensor data, (ii) multiplying the adjustment value by an additional calibration factor to obtain a calibration adjustment value, (iii) determining a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value, and (iv) estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment based on the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value.

[0198] Additionally, the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment may be estimated at least in part by determining that the sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value is the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment.

[0199] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol may include an aerosolized portion of the glycol and a vaporized portion of the glycol. The first calibration sensor data may represent a concentration of the aerosolized portion of the glycol in the environment, and the calibration adjustment value may represent a concentration of the vaporized portion of the glycol in the environment.

[0200] In some embodiments, the additional calibration factor may be 0.50 mg / m 3 .

[0201] In some embodiments, an additional calibration factor may be added at 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0202] In some embodiments, an additional calibration factor may be added at 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 within the range.

[0203] In some embodiments, the adjustment value may increase as the temperature of the environment increases. In addition, the adjustment value may decrease as the humidity of the environment increases.

[0204] Additionally, the system presents a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment using the display device (block 710 ).

[0205] In some embodiments, presenting a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment may include: (i) presenting a first visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is less than a first threshold concentration, (ii) presenting a second visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration, and / or (iii) presenting a third visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment is greater than or equal to a third threshold concentration.

[0206] In some embodiments, the first threshold concentration may be 0.4 mg / m 3 And the second threshold concentration can be 9.0 mg / m 3 .

[0207] In some embodiments, the system may additionally receive user input comprising an instruction to tarry at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, and in response thereto, tarry at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data.

[0208] In some embodiments, the system can additionally send at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol in the environment to a communication network (e.g., using a wireless transmitter). As an example, the system can send at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and the data representing the concentration of the airborne glycol to the glycol dispersion system. In addition, the glycol dispersion system can control the dispersion of the glycol into the environment based on the data (e.g., control the frequency of dispersion of the glycol into the environment and / or the amount of glycol dispersed into the environment at one time).

[0209] In some embodiments, the airborne glycol is not visible to the human eye (eg, the naked human eye).

[0210] Example Computer System

[0211] Some embodiments of the subject matter and operations described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware (including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents), or in a combination of one or more of them. For example, in some embodiments, the glycol detection system 120 may be implemented at least in part using digital electronic circuits or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, or in a combination of one or more of them. In another example, the process 700 may be implemented using digital electronic circuits or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, or in a combination of one or more of them.

[0212] Some embodiments described in this specification may be implemented as one or more groups or modules of digital electronic circuits, computer software, firmware or hardware, or a combination of one or more of them. Although different modules may be used, each module is not necessarily different, and multiple modules may be implemented on the same digital electronic circuit, computer software, firmware or hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0213] Some embodiments described in this specification may be implemented as follows: one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, which are encoded on a computer storage medium for execution by a data processing device or for controlling the operation of a data processing device. A computer storage medium may be or may be included in a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination of one or more of them. In addition, although a computer storage medium is not a propagation signal, a computer storage medium may be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagation signal. A computer storage medium may also be or may be included in one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices).

[0214] The term "data processing device" covers all kinds of devices, apparatuses and machines for processing data, including, for example, a programmable processor, a computer, a system on a chip, or a plurality or combination of the above. The device may include a dedicated logic circuit, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). In addition to hardware, the device may also include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, such as code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, a cross-platform runtime environment, a virtual machine, or a combination of one or more of them. The device and the execution environment may implement a variety of different computing model infrastructures, such as network services, distributed computing, and grid computing infrastructures.

[0215] A computer program (also referred to as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files storing one or more modules, subroutines, or portions of code). A computer program may be deployed on a single computer or executed on multiple computers located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communications network.

[0216] Some of the processes and logic flows described in this specification may be performed by executing one or more computer programs through one or more programmable processors to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows may also be performed by a dedicated logic circuit (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)), and the device may also be implemented as a dedicated logic circuit (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)).

[0217] Processors suitable for executing computer programs include, for example, both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors and processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The computer includes a processor for operating according to instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. The computer may also include one or more mass storage devices (such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or may be operably coupled to receive data from or send data to one or more mass storage devices (such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or to perform both operations. However, the computer need not have such a device. Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices (such as EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory devices, etc.), magnetic disks (such as internal hard disks, removable disks, and others), magneto-optical disks, and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated into a dedicated logic circuit.

[0218] To provide interaction with a user, operations may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a monitor or other type of display device) for displaying information to the user and having a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse, trackball, tablet computer, touch-sensitive screen, or other type of pointing device) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0219] A computer system may include a single computing device or multiple computers operating in close proximity to each other or generally remotely and generally interacting through a communication network. Examples of communication networks include local area networks ("LAN") and wide area networks ("WAN"), Internet (e.g., the Internet), networks including satellite links, and peer-to-peer networks (e.g., point-to-point peer-to-peer networks). The relationship of client and server may arise due to computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0220] Figure 8An example computer system 800 is shown, which includes a processor 810, a memory 820, a storage device 830, and an input / output device 840. Each of the components 810, 820, 830, and 840 can be interconnected, for example, by a system bus 850. The processor 810 is capable of processing instructions for execution within the system 800. In some embodiments, the processor 810 is a single-threaded processor, a multi-threaded processor, or other type of processor. The processor 810 is capable of processing instructions stored in the memory 820 or on the storage device 830. The memory 820 and the storage device 830 can store information within the system 800.

[0221] The input / output device 840 provides input / output operations for the system 800. In some embodiments, the input / output device 840 may include one or more of the following: a network interface device (e.g., an Ethernet card), a serial communication device (e.g., an RS-232 port), and / or a wireless interface device (e.g., an 802.11 card, a 3G wireless modem, a 4G wireless modem, a 5G wireless modem, etc.). In some embodiments, the input / output device may include a drive device configured to receive input data and send output data to other input / output devices (e.g., a keyboard, a printer, and a display device 860). In some embodiments, mobile computing devices, mobile communication devices, and other devices may be used.

[0222] Although this specification contains many details, these details should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the claims, but rather as descriptions of features that are unique to a particular example. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be combined. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments alone or in any suitable subcombination.

[0223] Various embodiments have been described. However, it will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for estimating the concentration of airborne glycols in an environment, the system comprising: a first sensor configured to generate first sensor data indicative of a concentration of particles in an environment having a diameter less than a threshold diameter; a second sensor configured to generate second sensor data representative of a temperature of the environment; a third sensor configured to generate third sensor data representative of humidity of the environment; Display device; as well as one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the display device, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receiving the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, estimating a concentration of airborne glycol in an environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, and The display device is used to present a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The airborne glycols include triethylene glycol, or TEG, and propylene glycol, or PG.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The airborne glycols include: Vaporized TEG, Atomized TEG, Vaporized PG, and Atomized PG.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The threshold diameter is 10 μm.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The threshold diameter is 2.5 μm.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Presenting a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment includes at least one of the following: presenting a first visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is less than a first threshold concentration, presenting a second visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration, and A third visual indication is presented in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is greater than or equal to a third threshold concentration.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The first threshold concentration is 0.4 mg / m 3 And the second threshold concentration is 9.0 mg / m 3 .

8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: multiplying the first sensor data by one or more calibration factors to obtain first calibrated sensor data, and A concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is estimated based on the first calibration sensor data.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The one or more calibration factors represent a difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of a reference sensor configured to detect a concentration of particles having a diameter less than the threshold diameter in a reference environment.

10. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The one or more calibration factors include: a first calibration factor of 0.23 or 0.4, and The second calibration factor has a value of 0.00075.

11. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: determining an adjustment value based on the second sensor data and the third sensor data, multiplying the adjustment value by an additional calibration factor to obtain a calibration adjustment value, determining a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value, and A concentration of airborne glycol in an environment is estimated based on a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: The sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value is determined to be the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The airborne glycol includes an atomized portion of glycol and a vaporized portion of glycol, and wherein the first calibration sensor data represents the concentration of the aerosolized portion of glycol in the environment, and The calibration adjustment value represents the concentration of the vaporized portion of glycol in the environment.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.50 mg / m 3 .

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 within the range.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 within the range.

17. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein: The adjustment value increases as the temperature of the environment increases.

18. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein: The adjustment value decreases as the humidity of the environment increases.

19. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to: receiving a user input, the user input comprising an instruction to tar at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, and In response to receiving the user input, at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data is tared.

20. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The system further includes a transmitter configured to transmit at least one of the following data to the communication network: the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and Data representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein: The transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein: The transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the following data to the glycol dispersion system via the communication network: the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and Data indicating the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment, and Wherein the glycol dispersion system is configured to adjust the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

23. The system of any one of claims 1-22, further comprising a housing, wherein the housing at least partially encloses the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the one or more processors.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a power source at least partially enclosed by the housing.

25. The system of claim 23 or 24, further comprising a connector configured to electrically couple the system to an external power source.

26. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein: The display device includes at least one of the following items: One or more indicator lights, and Display panel.

27. A method comprising: receiving first sensor data indicative of a concentration of particles in an environment having a diameter less than a threshold diameter; receiving second sensor data representing a temperature of the environment; receiving third sensor data representing humidity of the environment; estimating a concentration of airborne glycol in an environment based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; as well as A display device is used to present a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein: The airborne glycols include triethylene glycol, or TEG, and propylene glycol, or PG.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein: The airborne glycols include: Vaporized TEG, Atomized TEG, Vaporized PG, and Atomized PG.

30. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein: The threshold diameter is 10 μm.

31. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein: The threshold diameter is 2.5 μm.

32. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein: Presenting a visual indication representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment includes at least one of the following: presenting a first visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is less than a first threshold concentration, presenting a second visual indication in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is greater than or equal to the first threshold concentration and less than a second threshold concentration, and A third visual indication is presented in response to determining that the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is greater than or equal to a third threshold concentration.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein: The first threshold concentration is 0.4 mg / m 3 And the second threshold concentration is 9.0 mg / m 3 .

34. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 33, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: multiplying the first sensor data by one or more calibration factors to obtain first calibrated sensor data, and A concentration of airborne glycol in the environment is estimated based on the first calibration sensor data.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein: The one or more calibration factors represent a difference between an output of the first sensor and an output of a reference sensor configured to detect a concentration of particles having a diameter less than the threshold diameter in a reference environment.

36. The method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein: The one or more calibration factors include: a first calibration factor of 0.23 or 0.4, and The second calibration factor has a value of 0.00075.

37. The method according to any one of claims 34 to 36, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: determining an adjustment value based on the second sensor data and the third sensor data, multiplying the adjustment value by an additional calibration factor to obtain a calibration adjustment value, determining a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value, and A concentration of airborne glycol in an environment is estimated based on a sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein: Estimation of ambient concentrations of airborne glycols includes: The sum of the first calibration sensor data and the calibration adjustment value is determined to be the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein: The airborne glycol includes an atomized portion of glycol and a vaporized portion of glycol, and wherein the first calibration sensor data represents the concentration of the aerosolized portion of glycol in the environment, and The calibration adjustment value represents the concentration of the vaporized portion of glycol in the environment.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.50 mg / m 3 .

41. The method of claim 37, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.4 mg / m 3 Up to 1.0 mg / m 3 within the range.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein: The additional calibration factor is 0.5 mg / m 3 Up to 0.7 mg / m 3 within the range.

43. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 42, wherein: The adjustment value increases as the temperature of the environment increases.

44. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 43, wherein: The adjustment value decreases as the humidity of the environment increases.

45. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 44, further comprising: receiving a user input, the user input comprising an instruction to tar at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, and In response to receiving the user input, at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data is tared.

46. ​​The method according to any one of claims 27 to 45, further comprising: Sending at least one of the following data to the communication network: the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and Data representing the concentration of airborne glycols in the environment.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein: At least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing a concentration of airborne glycol in an environment is wirelessly transmitted to the communication network using a wireless transmitter.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein: transmitting at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing a concentration of airborne glycol in an environment to a glycol dispersing system via the communication network, and The method further includes: using the glycol dispersion system to adjust the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment based on at least one of the first sensor data, the second sensor data, the third sensor data, and data representing the concentration of airborne glycol in the environment.

49. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 48, wherein: The airborne glycol is invisible to the human eye.

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