Odor Sensor Prechamber Concentration for Low-Trace Gas Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing odor sensors struggle to accurately detect odorous gases with low concentrations, particularly those emitted from explosives, drugs, or industrial sites, due to variations in temperature and humidity, and are unable to detect gases that continuously and minutely leak.
Innovation Solution
An odor measurement apparatus and method that concentrate low-concentration odorous gases using a prechamber and gas trap, followed by desorption and supply to an odor sensor, enabling precise detection of gases with concentrations below a certain level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing odor sensors are used to detect odorous gas, then the sensor can detect gases above a certain concentration level, but the sensor cannot detect low concentration gases below a certain level
Solution Approach 1:
The gas trap performs preliminary concentration of odorous gas particles from the air stream before the gas reaches the sensor. By pre-concentrating the gas particles in the trap, the system enables detection of low concentration gases that would otherwise be below the sensor's detection threshold
Solution Approach 2:
The gas trap acts as an intermediary component between the air stream and the odor sensor. It temporarily stores and concentrates gas particles, then releases them in a concentrated form to the sensor, enabling the sensor to detect low concentration gases indirectly through this mediating concentration step
2Measurement precision
If existing odor sensors are used, then the sensor structure remains simple, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to temperature and humidity variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary concentration of odorous gas in the gas trap before measurement, creating a more stable and concentrated gas sample. This pre-processing step improves measurement accuracy by reducing the impact of environmental variations such as temperature and humidity
Solution Approach 2:
The gas trap serves as an intermediary that decouples the measurement process from environmental fluctuations. By concentrating gas particles in a controlled trap environment and then releasing them to the sensor, the system reduces the direct impact of temperature and humidity variations on measurement accuracy
3Quantity of substance
If the gas trap continuously collects odorous gas particles, then the concentration of odorous gas increases, but the trap requires periodic cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The gas trap operates in periodic cycles: collecting gas particles during normal operation, then being heated to release concentrated gas for measurement. This periodic operation allows the trap to be reused multiple times without continuous cleaning, reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining high gas concentration capability
Solution Approach 2:
The trap temporarily stores (recovers) gas particles during collection phase, then releases (discards) them during the heating phase when concentrated gas is sent to the sensor. This cyclic discard and recover process enables repeated use of the trap without permanent accumulation requiring cleaning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively measures and detects odorous gases with low concentrations, improving measurement accuracy and reliability, particularly in detecting hazardous substances like explosives and drugs.
Implementation Method 1
a gas trap mounted on the flow pipe and configured to collect odorous gas particles
Implementation Method 2
a first heater mounted on the prechamber and configured to heat the gas trap
Implementation Method 3
a first cooler mounted on the prechamber and configured to cool the gas trap
Implementation Method 4
an odor sensor mounted in the odor sensor chamber and configured to sense the odorous gas desorbed from the gas trap
Data Source
AI summary
An odor measurement apparatus and an odor measurement method measure an odorous gas having a low concentration below a certain level and emitted from an explosive or a drug. The odor measurement apparatus and the odor measurement method concentrate the odorous gas having the low concentration below the certain level so as to make an odorous gas having a high concentration above a certain level, supply the odorous gas having the high concentration to an odor sensor, and enable the odor sensor to sense the odorous gas having the high concentration. The odor measurement apparatus and the odor measurement method are used in various industrial and inspection sites.