Real-time autonomous remote monitoring of A

Andrew D. Wheatley (7126136)

James Taylor (158393)

Richard Blanchard (1251333)

Tanja Radu (1257525)

English

Loughborough University Institutional Repository

Real-time autonomous remote monitoring of ADTanja Radu1, Richard Blanchard2 and Andrew Wheatley1James Taylor 31School of Civil and Building Engineering, 2School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK3Ambisense Limited, Institute of Research & Development, Birmingham Research Park, B15 2SQMonitoring and optimisation of small and medium size, remote anaerobic digesters is an outstanding issue. Continuous on-linemonitoring of biogas quality and quantity, along with reactor pressure and oxygen levels (potential indicators of leaks) would enablecontrol and management of decentralized digesters. Current monitoring systems at large digesters are bespoke and expensiveprecluding their use for smaller reactors.We have identified a novel remote monitoring platform developed by Dublin City University (commercialised by Ambisense Ireland)for the on line measurement of methane, carbon dioxide and pressure currently under test by the landfill industry. The instrument isautonomous (solar powered) and can be controlled remotely. The data is sent to the cloud via GSM transmissions, and accessiblevia an online portal. CO2 and CH4 are measured by modified infrared and pressure by piezoelectric sensors embedded in a chip.Here, we are examining instrument’s suitability for application in AD market by testing its performance at various biogascompositions, pressures and temperatures typical of the AD process range. Success in this proof of concept would lead to a furtherdevelopment of an expert machine control system, based on the monitor, to allow autonomous control and optimise performance ofseveral digesters remotely.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This research is funded by SUPERGENBioenergy Hub’s Small Grant Scheme and Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/J000361For further details please contact Tanja Radu at T.Radu@lboro.ac.ukor +44 (0)1509 23808Autonomous remote monitoring of: CH4, CO2, O2, pressure• Using autonomous wireless gas sensing platforms- reliable long termperformance and reduction in component cost• The data sent to the cloud via GSM transmissions, and is accessible via anonline portal for remote monitoring by the facility management• CO2 and CH4 sensing: high-accuracy infrared absorbance sensors• Pressure sensing: piezoelectric sensors (critical for understanding gasflows)• Oxygen sensor is an electrochemical cell• The integrity of the sensors' measurements are protected by use of pre-conditioning filters to remove water vapour, particulates and condensate• Autonomous operation is achieved by custom-programmed microcontrollercircuitry, which also manages data logging and remote transmission (GSMcommunications)• Ambisense data shows good agreement with the hand held instrument forCH4 and CO2Autonomous landfill gas monitoring platform developed byAmbisense Limited:  a) Deployed in fieldb) In Loughborough University labsScreen shot of online software for real-time remote monitoringMonitoring quality: comparison with hand-held deviceCH4 43.82 %volCO2 35.64 %volO2 2.67 %volPressure 6.49 mBarPressureAtm 1010.84 hPaBattery 6.28 VLabscale AD_02Mon 9/11/2015 14:28a)b)

Real-time autonomous remote monitoring of AD

https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/Real-time_autonomous_remote_monitoring_of_AD/9578987/files/17215004.pdf

Real-time autonomous remote monitoring of AD

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Loughborough University Institutional Repository