[Rewards are coming] Indoor air quality sensor deployment: Who will protect your respiratory health?
Nowadays, as health awareness increases, people are paying more and more attention to air pollution. However, many people may not realize that compared to outdoor air pollution, the quality of indoor air has a more critical impact on personal health.
The reasons are, first of all, people spend about 80% to 90% of their time in indoor spaces (including offices, homes, vehicles, etc.), so they have more opportunities for "intimate contact" with indoor air; secondly, Today's buildings are more airtight and have weak air flow, which makes it more difficult to dissipate indoor air pollution in a short period of time; in addition, there are professional institutions to monitor and forecast outdoor air quality, and The monitoring of indoor air quality is not done well in many scenarios, which makes ordinary people insensitive to indoor air pollution. In fact, there are many sources of indoor air pollution around us, and they are harmful to indoor air pollution. The harm to human health is often greater than outdoor air pollution.
Data provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the concentration of indoor air pollutants may be 2-5 times that of outdoors, and more than 50% of buildings are troubled by air quality problems. In the United States, air quality problems lead to More than 125 million teaching days and 10 million working days were lost. The importance of indoor air quality is evident from this.
Traceability of Indoor Air Pollution
Careful analysis shows that there are many "culprits" causing indoor air pollution, among which the following are the common ones:
01
Particulate matter (PM2.5)
Mainly refers to fine particles with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 microns. They mainly come from smoke and cooking gases. They can escape the nasal cavity and penetrate deep into the lungs, causing respiratory diseases, exacerbating underlying diseases, and even leading to heart attacks and cancer.
02
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
The respiration of living things and the combustion of fuel will produce carbon dioxide. The increase in indoor carbon dioxide concentration will cause symptoms such as headaches, drowsiness, and lethargy, affecting people's cognitive abilities and health.
03
Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
VOC is a general term for carbonaceous substances that evaporate at room temperature or higher and are produced by biological, natural sources, chemicals or combustion processes. Short-term exposure can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, as well as discomfort such as headaches and dizziness. Long-term exposure It can even induce lung cancer or damage the liver, kidneys or central nervous system.
04
formaldehyde
An organic chemical substance that is present in furniture and decoration materials and emits a pungent odor in high concentrations. High concentrations of formaldehyde in indoor air can be irritating to the eyes and may even cause cancer.
05
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
It is mainly produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, such as household gas stoves, and may also come from the inflow of outdoor air, which brings nitrogen oxides contained in outdoor air pollution (such as car exhaust) into the room. High concentrations of nitrogen oxides can damage the human respiratory system.
06
Mold
Mold is an airborne microorganism and a common allergen. It is closely related to the relative humidity of indoor air. Usually a relative humidity of more than 70% will promote the growth of mold.
07
contaminated aerosols
Aerosols exhaled by humans may contain infectious virus particles and stay in the air for a long time. Respiratory infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza that we are familiar with can be airborne through aerosols.
It can be seen that the above-mentioned sources of indoor air pollution are actually always around us, making it inevitable for people to avoid them. Moreover, many of them are odorless and tasteless, which are difficult to detect in daily life. Most people are "insensitive" to them. ” state, and once we “feel it”, it has often caused adverse effects and harm to our bodies.
To change this dilemma, a more effective way is undoubtedly to monitor indoor air quality accurately and in real time. Once pollutants exceed the standard, an alarm will be triggered or corresponding ventilation or purification devices will be activated to improve air quality. To complete such work, you need to invite the protagonist of this article-the indoor air quality sensor.
The "Hexagon Warrior" in Indoor Air Sensors
If combating indoor air pollution is a battle, then indoor air quality sensors are the outposts. Its important functions are divided into three levels: first, to directly detect the presence and concentration of indoor pollutants, and strive to achieve timely, accurate and reliable data acquisition; second, to maintain communication and linkage with smart homes and building automation devices, Once the pollutants exceed the threshold, disposal can be made quickly; third, the indoor air quality-related data obtained by the sensors can be gathered into the intelligent control center to establish deeper insights together with other data, thereby achieving comprehensive air management , energy efficiency, operating costs and other factors, a more balanced and optimized solution.
In order to achieve such a goal and win the final "battle", the selection of indoor air quality sensors must be particular. Considering the diversity and particularity of indoor application environments, these sensors need to meet the following requirements:
上面提到的这些要求，也是开发者在进行室内空气质量传感器选型时要考虑的要素。不过由于这些要素之间有的时候是彼此矛盾的，所以想要获得一个各方面表现都很出色，能够应对室内空气治理挑战的“六边形战士”并不容易。
空气质量传感器中的“超能战队”
好消息是， Sensirion 公司作为一家高性能传感器的制造商，长期专注于空气质量传感领域，开发出了一系列优秀的传感器产品和方案，打造出了一支“超能战队”。今天我们就带大家认识几款“战斗力”超高的产品。
SCD4x
微型CO 2 传感器
Sensirion的SCD4x微型CO
2
传感器一个显著的特点就是“小”——其表面贴装的封装“三围”仅有10.1mm x 10.1mm x 6.5mm，与上一代的SCD30产品相比，SCD4x的占位面积仅为前者的1/5！这主要得益于SCD4x采用了创新的光声感测技术，使得光学腔的尺寸大幅减小，与传统的NDIR CO
2
传感器相比，传感器性能不减，而在外形、性价比、鲁棒性上却具有更为突出的优势。
图1：SCD4x与传统NDIR CO 2 传感器比较
（图源：Sensirion）
SCD4x CO
2
传感器具有2.4V至5.5V电源电压范围、完全校准的数字I
2
C输出，以及±(30ppm + 3%MV) 的精度标称值。其在使用时无需外部电路，因此无能量损耗。
特别值得一提的是，除了CO 2 检测，SCD4x系列还集成了优质的温度和湿度传感器，输出温湿度的准确读数，实现室内空气质量（IAQ）中关键指标的监测。因此可以广泛应用于室内空气质量监测的各种场景。
图2：SCD4x传感器的典型应用场景
（图源：Sensirion）
SGP41
数字式空气质量传感器
如果你想测量VOC和NOx两种污染物，只需一颗Sensirion的SGP41数字式空气质量传感器就能实现——这也是这款传感器的突出优势所在。
具体来讲，SGP41基于Sensirion的CMOSens ®️ / MOXSens ®️ 技术，并依托专门优化的算法，打造了一款完整、易于使用的单芯片传感器系统，其具有对空气中存在的污染气体的高鲁棒性，从而实现了长期稳定性和低漂移，使用寿命超过10年。同时其功耗极低，3.3V时仅为3.2mA
在单一封装中，SGP41集成了数字I 2 C接口和温控微热板，外形紧凑，非常适合于有限空间内的应用，可被轻松集成到空气净化器或按需控制的通风系统中。
图3：SGP41传感器的功能框图
（图源：Sensirion）
SFA30
甲醛传感器模块
应对室内甲醛浓度的检测，Sensirion给出的解决方案是SFA30甲醛传感器模块。更好的抗干扰性、更长的使用寿命、更高的低浓度量程灵敏度是SFA30传感器模块三大亮点。
SFA30模块基于Sensirion的电化学技术，具有出色的甲醛传感性能，而且对其他VOC污染物的交叉灵敏度超低，其精度为±20ppb或测量值的±20%，测量范围为0ppb至1000ppb，具有出色的长期稳定性和长达6年使用寿命。
该传感器模块中还集成有板载SHT传感器，可提供精确的湿度和温度测量，并支持完全温度/湿度补偿和工厂校准的甲醛浓度输出。SFA30模块还提供可选的数字UART和I 2 C接口选项、标准电气连接器和多功能安装选项，可轻松集成到空气净化器、通风系统和室内空气质量监测器等目标应用中。
图4：SFA30甲醛传感器模块
（图源：Sensirion）
SEN5x
环境传感器模组
如果你想要一种高集成、多功能、一体化的室内空气质量传感器解决方案，那么Sensirion的SEN5x环境传感器模组是个绝佳的选择。
The SEN5x environmental sensor module can accurately measure multiple air quality parameters such as particulate matter, VOC, NOx, humidity and temperature simultaneously in a single package. It has a voltage range of 4.5V to 5.5V, average current consumption is only 63mA at 5V, long service life, uses sheath flow technology to achieve high dust resistance, and has an I 2 C interface to provide a fully calibrated digital output. A solution that performs well in all aspects and has strong overall "combat power".
Figure 5: SEN5x environmental sensor module block diagram
(Image source: Sensirion)
In addition to hardware, the SEN5x environmental sensor module also integrates advanced algorithms such as temperature compensation, VOC index calculation, humidity compensation, etc., making it easier to integrate SEN5x into various applications, greatly saving developers' resources and time. At the same time, the SEN5x environmental sensor module provides product models that support different functions, making it easier for developers to select and system integrate based on actual applications.
Figure 6: List of SEN5x environmental sensor module product functions
(Image source: Sensirion)
Welfare moment
As people's living standards and health awareness increase, attention to indoor air quality is also increasing, which directly leads to the rapid development of indoor air quality monitoring and air pollution control needs.
In the face of "invisible" enemies such as indoor air pollutants, if we want to have targeted and efficient prevention and control, timely and accurate identification of them and measurement of their concentrations is the first step in the line of defense and cannot be missed.
Therefore, at the end of this article, please select the products from Sensirion’s “Power Rangers” that you think can play an important role in the defense line of indoor air quality sensing. Come to VOTE and tell us your choice~????
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SCD4x Micro CO2 Sensor
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SGP41 CMOSens ®️ /MOXSens ®️ digital air quality sensor
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SFA30 formaldehyde sensor module
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SEN5x environmental sensor module
Participate now ????
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