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NDIR CO2 gas sensor features low cost and low energy requirements
Low-energy, low-cost, durable, stable and accurate NDIR CO2 sensor for lower ranges e.g. 0–5000 ppm. Suitable for air quality control in domestic and utility building, agriculture, transportation, education etc. Fully developed and tested concept, ready for production modeling. Patents (partly pending) in Europe, USA, and Canada. The device may lead the way to developing NDIR sensors for other measureable gases.
The patented construction compensates for drift and instabilities in its components. As a result, the sensor is characterized by high accuracy, low drift with temperature, and low long-term drift. It has no need for periodic maintenance or calibration. The device is easily powered by a battery or small solar panel, integrates a programmable microcontroller, and could be produced for under 15 Euros.
The technology includes a reference light path that compensates for the influences of temperature changes in the short term. It also compensates for slow changes in the light transfer from lamp to detector and changes in sensitivity of the pyro-electric detector (longer term). The combination of focusing and non-focusing light paths fully suppresses the small differences in the two light paths of the lamps, which may be cause by, for example, thermally induced changes in alignment. The faceted mirror images the light symmetrically into the tapered cavity. These identical light paths diminish the influence of possible (but unlikely) asymmetrical contamination.
After years of development several functional prototypes of the sensor has been fully tested in the laboratory of the involved engineering company. The sensor is ready for production modeling. The sensor also has been successfully tested in the laboratories of a multinational company specialised in gas sensoring.
Applications include monitoring CO2 for air quality in homes and offices, green houses, breeding pens on farms, for quality control in trucks and containers.
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