Design, Fabrication and Evaluation of an Integrated CO2-Odour Sensor for Grain Quality Monitoring

加拿大的谷物处理系统随着以便捷和高效的方式满足海外客户的需要而不断发展。为了维护加拿大出口高质量谷物的声誉，需要研究保存收获的谷物的方法。仓储粮堆是一种生态系统，其中昆虫、蠕虫和微生物群落与粮食相互作用，造成变质。生物害虫在变质过程中增加的二氧化碳和气味挥发物可以作为早期谷物腐败的可靠指标。由于测量谷仓内的空气质量很麻烦，而且需要昂贵的气体分析仪，因此还没有进行测量。纳米和微制造技术为利用智能多层微型传感器测量二氧化碳和气味挥发物提供了前景。本研究的总体目标是开发一种科学有效和商业可行的集成二氧化碳气味传感器，以检测谷物在大批量储存过程中的变质情况。集成传感器将使用聚合物传感方法进行开发，并在实验室和全尺寸垃圾箱中进行评估。与现有方法相比，所研制的微型传感器具有快速、准确的特点。这种智能传感器的优点是监测速度快，可以在线和现场进行监测。这种传感器将比目前的技术便宜，功能强大。这些传感器可以连接到现有的温度电缆上，以前所未有的精度持续监测空气质量。该传感器将彻底改变谷物的管理，以保持其质量，从而保护由谷物制成的加工食品的质量。

Canada's grain handling system has evolved with the need to satisfy overseas customers in an expedient and efficient manner. To maintain Canada's reputation of exporting high-quality grain, research on methodologies to preserve the harvested grain is needed. Stored-grain bulks are ecological systems where communities of insects, mites, and micro flora interact with grain to cause spoilage. Carbon dioxide and odour volatiles from biological pests increase during spoilage can be used as a reliable indicator of incipient grain spoilage.Measuring the air quality inside a grain bin has not been done because it is cumbersome and requires access to expensive gas analyzers. Nano and micro fabrication technologies offer the prospect of measuring carbon dioxide and odour volatiles using smart multicapable micro sensor.The overall objective of this research is to develop a scientifically valid and commercially feasible integrated carbon dioxide-odour sensor to detect deterioration of cereal grains during storage in large bulks. The integrated sensor will be developed using polymer sensing approach and evaluated in laboratory and full-size bins. The developed micro sensor will give quick results and higher accuracy than the current methods. The advantage of this smart sensor is that, the monitoring is rapid and can be performed on-line and in situ. The sensor will be cheaper than the current technology with great functionality. These sensors could be connected to existing temperature cables to continuously monitor the air quality with unprecedented precision. The sensor will revolutionize the management of grain to preserve its quality and thus quality of processed foods made from the grain.