Volatile Compound Source Locating via Binding Agent Percolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chemical sensors consume significant power and are not suitable for long-term, low-power operation, limiting their ability to continuously monitor ambient air for volatile compounds, and they often require high temperatures, making them unsuitable for monitoring in normal ambient conditions.
Innovation Solution
A volatile compound source locating system featuring an array of chemical sensors with a positive electrode, negative electrode, and a binding agent in a switch gap, capable of forming an electrically conductive pathway when exposed to a target volatile compound, coupled with a source locating module that estimates the compound's source based on electronic signals from the sensors, allowing for low-power, long-term monitoring at ambient temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing chemical sensors are used to continuously monitor for target chemicals, then detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor operates in a periodic action mode where the binding agent molecules are selectively activated to bind target volatile compounds only when present, forming conductive pathways only when needed. This periodic activation of detection function allows continuous monitoring capability while dramatically reducing average power consumption compared to continuous operation of traditional sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor employs self-service mechanisms where the binding agent molecules automatically bind target compounds and form conductive pathways without requiring external power input. The sensor detects compounds through passive binding and electrical conductivity changes, eliminating the need for continuous active sensing and significantly reducing power requirements for continuous monitoring.
2Reliability
If chemical sensors operate at high temperatures to function properly, then sensor performance is improved, but suitability for ambient temperature monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating parameters by using binding agents that function effectively at ambient temperatures rather than requiring elevated temperatures. The conductive pathway formation mechanism operates at room temperature, allowing the sensor to maintain proper performance while being adapted for ambient temperature monitoring environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor replaces thermal-based detection mechanisms with electrical conductivity-based detection. Instead of relying on thermal energy to activate sensing, the system uses binding agent molecules that form conductive pathways when bound to target compounds, substituting mechanical/thermal processes with electrical processes that operate at ambient temperatures.
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
Enables continuous, low-power monitoring of volatile compounds over extended periods at ambient temperatures, effectively locating sources of target compounds such as hexanal, hexenal, or disease biomarkers, reducing crop damage and improving pest management through precise detection and localization.
Implementation Method 1
the binding sites are capable of binding molecules of the target volatile compound to form an electrically conductive pathway via percolation between the positive electrode and the negative electrode
Implementation Method 2
The binding agent can be selective for binding to a target volatile compound. The binding sites can be distributed in the switch gap such that the binding sites are capable of binding molecules of the target volatile compound
Data Source
AI summary
A volatile compound source locating system can include an array of chemical sensors distributed in a detection volume. The individual chemical sensors can include a positive electrode, a negative electrode separated from the positive electrode by a switch gap, and a binding agent located at a plurality of binding sites in the switch gap. The binding agent can be selective for binding to a target volatile compound. The binding sites can be capable of binding molecules of the target compound to form an electrically conductive pathway between the positive and negative electrode when the chemical sensor is exposed to a threshold concentration of the target compound. A source locating module can be in electronic communication with the array of chemical sensors, and configured to estimate the location of the source of the target compound based on electronic signals from the array of chemical sensors.