Smart sewers: development of wireless in-situ sensors for dissolved gases in liquid waste

智能下水道：开发液体废物中溶解气体的无线原位传感器

• 批准号: 503181-2016
• 负责人: Hoorfar, Mina
• 金额: $ 3.39万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=689402
• 关键词: Smart; sewers; development; wireless; situ

Liquid Waste Service (LWS) infrastructures, such as those at Metro Vancouver (MV), encompass a vast network of sewer pipes, pumping stations and treatment facilities to accommodate large volumes of waste. However, the sewer environment provides ideal conditions for particular bacteria species. As a byproduct of their metabolic processes various nuisance gases are produced, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These target gases are responsible for corrosion, offensive fugitive odours, and greenhouse gas emissions. Biogenic acid corrosion is of particular concern; biological processes can create strong acids from hydrogen sulfide which drastically reduce the lifespan of the LWS infrastructure and increase the risk of sewer pipe collapse. A variety of mitigation treatments are used to control and prevent the production of nuisance gases and their related consequences. However, the chemicals used for these treatments are expensive and require targeting specific "hotspots" of biogenic gas to increase cost-effectiveness. Since gas production occurs within the liquid-phase of sewer pipes, there has been an expressed need for a detector capable of being situated along the pipeline over extended periods. This industry problem will be addressed in the following research objectives: (1) Develop a gas sensor using a sensitive metal oxide semiconductor coupled with a selective microfluidic diffusion channel. (2) Integrate the sensor with support systems for sample extraction, filtration, sample delivery, sensor recovery and cleansing. (3) Develop a microcontroller and data collection components to operate all the systems of the detector and to transmit data for analysis on portable devices. (4) Construct a robust platform to integrate the sensor and supporting systems and provide durability in the turbid sewer environment. (5) Conduct field tests to optimize the device and address identified issues. This device will provide real-time data to LWS personnel to better inform their biogenic gas mitigation strategies. Ultimately, the developed technology will help extend LWS infrastructure service life, reduce the carbon footprint of LWS, and mitigate nuisance odours to surrounding communities.

液体废物服务(LWS)基础设施，如温哥华大都会(MV)的基础设施，包括庞大的下水道管道、泵站和处理设施网络，以容纳大量废物。然而，下水道环境为特定细菌种类提供了理想的条件。作为代谢过程的副产品，会产生各种有害气体，包括硫化氢、氨、二氧化碳、甲烷和一氧化二氮。这些目标气体会造成腐蚀、令人作呕的逃逸气味和温室气体排放。生物原酸腐蚀尤其令人担忧；生物过程可以从硫化氢中产生强酸，这会大大缩短LWS基础设施的寿命，并增加下水道坍塌的风险。各种缓解措施被用来控制和防止有害气体的产生及其相关后果。然而，用于这些处理的化学品价格昂贵，需要针对特定的生物成因气体“热点”来提高成本效益。由于气体产生在下水道的液体中，因此需要一种能够在较长时间内沿管道放置的探测器。这一行业问题将在以下研究目标中得到解决：(1)开发一种利用敏感的金属氧化物半导体与选择性微流控扩散通道相耦合的气体传感器。(2)将传感器与支持系统集成，用于样品提取、过滤、样品输送、传感器回收和清洗。(3)开发了微控制器和数据采集部件，用于操作探测器的所有系统，并将数据传输到便携式设备上进行分析。(4)构建一个坚固的平台，以集成传感器和支持系统，并在浑浊的下水道环境中提供耐用性。(5)进行现场测试，以优化设备并解决发现的问题。该设备将向LWS人员提供实时数据，以便更好地告知他们的生物成因气体缓解策略。最终，开发的技术将有助于延长LWS基础设施的使用寿命，减少LWS的碳足迹，并减少对周围社区的滋扰气味。