Air Quality Monitor Project

Jeff WojtusikMarc KoehlerDanielle Howe

Matt KnaufRemberto Mendoza Gutierrez

Arielle Mizov

Project Background

• Project began Fall 2012 with P13625• Sarah Brownell - Guide• Dr. James Myers – Customer

• Team was charged with building an air quality monitor with increased functionality over previous models.

• Previous model was created by Berkeley Air Quality monitoring Group in conjunction with University of California Berkeley.– Known as UCB-PATS

Project Background Cont.

• The AQM designed by RIT added the increased functionality of detecting CO in addition to temperature, humidity, and particulate matter(PM).

• During the build/test phase of MSD there was a lack of appropriate facilities available to calibrate and test the monitor.

Air Quality Monitor Motivation

• In developing countries materials ranging from pressure treated wood, to coal, to feces are burned to both heat and cook within homes.

• Researchers such as Dr. Myers are gathering data in an attempt to quantify the health effects of these practices and ultimately use this data to improve the practices and the health within developing countries.

Test Chamber Motivation

• The test chamber motivation comes from the need to be able to accurately calibrate and test the monitors that have been designed and built at RIT.

• Without calibration and testing the AQM team will not be able to confidently move forward with the current design to the point where the monitor can be used in the field.

Stakeholders• Dr. James Myers (Researcher)

• RIT’s Associate Provost of International Education and Global Programs• Collaborates with RIT’s global locations, alumni and government partners

• Investing $500 into project for research• Connections to University of California – Berkeley (UCB)

• Sarah Brownell (Multidisciplinary Senior Design Guide)• Guide for senior design and 10 year resident of Haiti.• Student under Dr. Kirk Smith when at UCB

• Dr. Kirk Smith led group that built the monitors for The UCB – PATS• Co-founder of the non-profit organization Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods

(SOIL)• http://www.oursoil.org/

• EPA P3 Grant Proposal (Can provide up to : $15K for 1st Round of EPA Challenge Competition and $80K for 2nd Round of Competition).

Stakeholders Continued• Jeff Wojtusik (P13625)

• 5th Year Industrial Engineering Student• Part of current DPM group and has valuable background information from

working with previous team

• Berkeley Air Monitoring Group (Ajay Pillarisetti)• Graduate Student that works under Dr. Kirk Smith at UCB

• Direct connection to Smith and has access to test chamber at UCB• Works with improving the test chamber at UCB to efficiently detect CO and PM

in collaborative with the rest of Smith’s team

Stakeholders Continued• Aprovecho Research Center (ARC) (Air Quality Monitoring Researchers)

• Has been designing and implementing improved biomass cooking and heating technologies in more than 60 countries

• Has been world’s leader in open source development of all aspects of improved cooking stoves.

• Has advanced testing chamber at facility• Has a direct connection to the United States Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)

• Dr. Robert Stevens (Cook Stove and Test Chamber)• Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering• Research includes, but not limited to, molecular dynamics and thermal transport• In charge of Sustainability Energy Lab (SEL)• Works on improving the test chamber at RIT

Air Quality Monitor Project

UCB Monitor

• UCB Particle and Temperature Sensor

• Records temperature and PM

• Issues with durability and cost• Cost: $500

Indoor Air Quality Monitor

• MSD P13625• Measures CO, PM,

Temperature and Humidity• Cost: $435• Issues with battery life, cost,

accuracy• Need functioning test chamber

to test accuracy of system

Aprovecho Research Center

• Focused on biomass cooking and heating technologies

• Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) Monitor• Measures CO and PM2.5• Worn as a backpack,

measures near mouth of user• Cost: $2,400

Goals for Project: Customer Needs• Determine which

needs are top priority through speaking with stakeholders.

• Review needs with stakeholders for importance.

Goals for Project: Technical

• Monitor should have all capabilities of the UCB-PATS monitor

• Ensure all sensors record continuous data• Increase the battery life• Improve upon UI• Create a monitor which is discrete in subject’s

home• Monitor is capable of resisting outside

environment, shipping, and installation

Questions for Audience

1. Are our objectives clear?

2. Do you see any issues that a student team may run into while trying to complete these projects?

3. Do you find these projects interesting? What could be done to help increase interest in these projects?

Test Chamber Project

Stove Test Chamber• Cook stove project is run by Dr. Stevens• Burns fuel and collects the PM to be weighed after test.• Continually collects CO data via USB CO

monitor.• Collects data as to weight of fuel burned via a

small scale but data must be manuallyrecorded by testers.

• Does not take continuous data of all metrics.• Working towards reducing emissions and

improve the efficiency of the stove.

UCB Test Chamber

• UCB contact: Ajay Pillarisetti (Grad Student)• Uses a negative pressure system. • The air is sucked through the hood into the

chamber.• Multiple devices are tested or calibrated at

once.

Aprovecho Research Center

• Portable Emission Monitoring System (PEMS)• Displays emission levels in real time• Calculates total emissions of CO, CO2

and particulate matter.

Test Chamber: Customer Needs The main goal is to develop a testing chamber to

detect different levels of particle matter and ability to test sensors.

Test Chamber: Goals

• Exposes monitor to varying level of CO & PM at varying levels of temperature and humidity.

• Capable of being moved for storage.• Testing levels can be controlled and varied by

the user.• Test chamber records live data of contaminant

concentration in chamber.• Safe for users.

Questions for Audience

1. Are our objectives clear?

2. Do you see any issues that a student team may run into while trying to complete these projects?

3. Do you find these projects interesting? What could be done to help increase interest in these projects?