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Automated Gas Transfer and Data Logging System

for Chamber and Sensor Based Greenhouse Gas


Measurement Applications
Michelle P. Suasin1 and Jocelyn Flores Villaverde*
Mapua University : School of EECE
Manila, Philippines
1
mitchsuasin@gmail.com
Corresponding author : *jfvillaverde@gmail.com

Abstract—An automated gas transfer and data logging prototype chromatography (GC). The process can be very tedious and
developed as an alternative for gas pooling in static chamber- labor intensive since collection, sampling, and data logging
based greenhouse gas measurements is presented. A gas transfer
requires manual use of sampling equipment from one chamber
component with a fan and damper mechanism and a sensor
component with a combination of three MQ-4 semiconductor to another [10]. Moreover, GC units are bulky and fairly
sensors were used for collecting and measuring methane gas expensive, and needs frequent calibration to operate [11].
(CH4) from a static chamber in one-hour intervals. The prototype
provides a reliable and easily accessible representation of An alternative method of gas transfer can be through the
greenhouse gas flux data for chamber and sensor based use of gas-moving mechanical devices such as axial fans,
greenhouse gas measurements in smallholder systems. which moves small volumes of gas at low pressures and in
moderately high operating efficiencies [12]. For gas sensing,
Keywords—Arduino; greenhouse gases; semiconductor sensor; semiconductor sensors are small, low-cost, low-power
static chamber; data logging alternatives that have no moving parts and have high
sensitivity to gases [11,13-14].
I. INTRODUCTION In this paper therefore the development of an automated
The development of methods in quantifying the exchange static chamber and semiconductor sensor based GHG
of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the landscape to the measurement system is discussed. To address the problem of
atmosphere has been very popular in the last two decades due syringe and vial sampling, GC analysis, and manual data
to the growing concern in mitigating the effect of GHGs from recording, a fan-damper mechanism was used as the mode of
the agriculture [1] and waste sector [2]. The common types of GHG gas transfer from the static chamber directly to
GHGs in concern are carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH4), semiconductor sensors for analysis, and an accompanying SD
and nitrous oxide (N2O) which are primarily emitted from card module controlled by an Arduino program was used as
soils due to microbial processes and respiration of soil fauna, the mode of data logging. As a specific example for the
fungi, and roots [3,4]. Soils act as sources and sinks of GHGs
development of the static chamber-based GHG measurement,
emissions which are largely influenced by the soil’s moisture,
temperature, pH level, and nutrient content [5,6]. the measurement system of methane gas (CH4) from
residential compost is used.
The most commonly used standard method for measuring
GHG emissions from soils is the chamber-based II. METHODOLOGY
measurements approaches [7], which can be applied at low
A. System Setup
costs at remote sites and with small field requirements [8].
Chamber-based measurements allow measurements of GHG 1) Hardware Setup
fluxes from soil areas less than 1 m 2 and are then suited for The system components were packaged in protective, clear
small-scale areas such as smallholder farming systems [9]. plastic containers suitable for outdoor deployment, as shown
There are two types of chambers used for GHG measurement: in Fig. 1. The system components are outlined as follows:
dynamic and static chambers. For dynamic chambers, air is
The gas transfer, sensing, and data logging operations were
either circulated over the headspace or passed directly to a gas
controlled by an Arduino Uno microcontroller board (1). The
analyzer or a collector, while in static chambers there is no air
gas transfer (2), gas sensing (3), soil monitoring (4), and data
circulation and gas samples are taken over a period of time
logging (5) components, and the fan and damper relay module
[7]. The latter is the most widely used type of chamber, and
(6) were all connected to the Arduino to achieve an automated
numerous efforts have been made for the standardization of its
sampling and measuring system. The Arduino Uno (1), soil
methods. Static chambers are usually mounted on a frame that
monitoring (4), and data logging components (5) were
serves as an anchor to the landscape. Once the chamber is
assembled together in a plastic container (a), while the gas
closed gas-tight to the anchor, GHG flux concentrations
sensing component (3) was contained separately in a container
within the headspace changes over time. For static chambers,
with exhaust holes for the gas sample (b).
spatial variability of GHG fluxes due to the changes of the
soil’s environmental conditions has been a common problem
[8]. A proper sampling design such as gas pooling
compensates spatial variability. In gas pooling a composite air
sample is generated out of the headspace of the chambers and
the gas sample is transferred to a vials using syringes [9]. The
samples in the vials are then analyzed using gas
GHG concentration, time of sampling, and the soil’s
temperature and moisture content.

2) Software Setup
The built-in open-source Arduino Integrated Development
Environment (IDE) software was used to program the
functions of the system. The Arduino IDE uses a Processing
programming language based on Java with a simplified syntax
and graphics user interface. For program testing and
troubleshooting, the Arduino Uno was attached to a PC which
served as the serial monitor for the functions of the system
components.
An automated and independent function was provided by
the Arduino IDE in transferring the accumulated gas from the
static chamber to the gas sensor and in recording the measured
GHG concentration from the gas sensor to the micro SD card.

3) MQ-4 Semiconductor Sensors


For the MQ-4 sensor calibration and GHG measurement, a
program was developed to initiate a clean air calibration
procedure followed by a GHG measurement procedure. For
the sensor calibration, based on the MQ-4 specification sheet
and manual, a calibration procedure in clean air can be made
by calculating the resistance of the sensor at a known
concentration without the presence of other gases, assumed as
fresh air [15]. For the GHG measurement, the resistance value
from the calibration is calculated with the variable resistance
of the sensor at the sample gas, in which the ratio of the
Fig. 1. Hardware setup: The front view of the assembled components of the resistances are converted to parts per million (ppm) using a
system hardware is shown on the left, the top view of the containment (a) is function generated from the MQ-4 specification sheet, shown
shown on the top right, and the bottom view of the containment (b) is shown
on the bottom right. in Fig. 2.

For the gas transfer component (1), its application requires


that the accumulated GHG gas be removed and transferred
from the chamber to the sensing component through an
independent exhaust point, which is ideally located at the top
of the chamber lid. To achieve this, an integrated axial fan (d)
and fan damper (e) system was applied to control the transfer
of the accumulated gas at the exhaust point. The 100mm-
diameter axial fan used has a 2800 rpm performance. To direct
the gas flow from the chamber to the sensing component and
also to increase the gas velocity to assure better contact to the
gas sensors, a stainless steel nozzle (c) was included. For the
sensing component (2), a total of three semiconductor sensors
for CH4 (MQ-4) were housed on the exhaust point after the
nozzle, which serves as the sensing area of the gas sample.
The integration of three MQ-4 sensors allowed precision of
the gas concentration measurements. For the soil monitoring Fig. 2. Sensitivity characteristics of the MQ-4 sensor for methane gas. R 0 is
component (3), an external temperature probe (DHT-22) and the sensor resistance at 1000 ppm of CH4 in clean air, RS is the sensor
moisture analyzer with a DC 12V Soil Moisture Sensor Relay resistance at various concentrations of CH4 [15].
Control Module were used and embedded in the soil covered
by the chamber. The moisture analyzer module was housed B. SYSTEM OPERATION
together with the Arduino Uno. For the data logging
component (4), its application requires a standalone data- 1) Control Circuitry and Power Supply
logging process which will eliminate the need of periodic
The system’s operation was controlled by the Arduino Uno
monitoring visits to the site. To achieve this, an SD card
and Arduino IDE. The Arduino Uno switches the power to the
module was applied to the system for data-logging of the
components, reads sensor calibration data, and reads and store
GHG concentration values to the SD card. All the electrical
components of the hardware operated on DC power source,
except the axial fan and damper.
The Arduino Uno, along with the MQ-4 sensor,
temperature probe, and moisture analyzer was supplied with a
12V DC power, as shown in Fig. 3, with the 5V DC
requirement regulated by the built-in regulator in the Arduino
Uno. The fan and damper operated in 220V AC power source
through a trigger by a relay module supplied with a 12V DC
power. The correct voltage supply for the components,
especially the gas sensors, temperature analyzer, moisture
analyzer, and SD card module were tested using the Arduino,
which was then powered by the PC through a USB
connection. Serial monitoring through the PC allowed
verification of the functionality of each component.

Fig. 4. Data flow diagram for the system.

The data flow of the system, with reference to Fig. 4, is as


follows:
a) Sensor calibration. Before collection of the gas
sample in the chamber, the sensor is calibrated using
instructions provided by the specification sheet. The sensor
initializes by reading resistance (R0) in clean, ambient air. The
data is stored and used in analyzing the collected sample.
b) Gas accumulation. The system initializes after the
optimal chamber deployment time (OCDT). The Arduino
commands the axial fan to switch on and the damper to open
while the sensor reads the concentration of the GHG.
c) Gas transfer. The fan transfers the accumulated gas
to the sensor using the sensor’s response time.
Fig. 3. Control circuitry and power supply: Arduino Uno’s circuitries to d) Gas reading. The value read by the sensor is
other components are shown on the top, and the fan and damper simulations computed by the Arduino, using the pre-determined R0 and the
are shown on the bottom.
read resistance (RS) from the sample gas. The resistance ratio
between RS and R0 is computed and the corresponding CH 4
2) Gas Collection and Sensing, and Data Logging concentration in parts per million (ppm) is obtained using the
The whole system operated on a 5-level data flow function, MQ-4 sensitivity curve. Corresponding temperature and soil
as showed in Fig. 4. The data flow allowed an automated and moisture is also read. The read values is transmitted and stored
fixed gas accumulation, gas transfer, gas sensing, and data to the microSD card in the SD card module.
logging routine initiated at one hour intervals. The data flow
was developed to ensure that the gas sample was collected C. DEPLOYMENT SITE
from the chamber well and that the sample gas was completely The deployment site was at a residential front yard in
exhausted to allow a new set of gas accumulation for the next Magpet, North Cotabato, Philippines. The site was a small
time interval. compost composed of food and garden wastes, straw and hay,
wood ash, animal manure, and wood chips.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The method described in II.B and Fig. 3 was successfully
implemented to the prototype as shown in Fig. 5. The
prototype was deployed for one week at a period where the
site gave good CH4 concentration data as shown in Fig. 6. It
can be observed that the CH 4 concentration varies over the
whole duration of deployment in terms of hourly CH 4
concentration levels in each day.

Fig. 7. Methane concentration of residential compost in terms of temperature


taken from Day 2 of the one-week site depolyment at Magpet, North
Cotabato, Philippines.

Fig. 7 shows a sample CH4 concentration data in terms of


temperature, which were taken from Day 2 of the one-week
chamber deployment. The data was selected for discussion
because of the high levels of concentration observed and the
expected level of microbial activity within the fresh compost.
The results show that there is a large association between
temperature and the change of CH4 concentration. This
validates the sensitivity of the gas sensors and the dependence
of the CH4 concentration to temperature. Although there was
an observed decrease in the concentration at higher
Fig. 5. Final prototype. The labels are based on II.A and Fig. 1. temperatures, it can be assumed that there are more factors
contributing to the change in the concentration such as the
fresh compost’s moisture, pH level and nutrient content,
which were affected by the active microbial processes.
IV. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORKS
The methane concentrations recorded using the prototype
have shown that the data flow set for the site was enough to be
a reliable and easily accessible representation of GHG flux
data, compared to the tedious and labor intensive methods of
gas pooling. The automated gas transfer and data logging
system is suitable for greenhouse gas measurements from
smallholder systems with good access to electrical power such
as residential sites.

Fig. 6. Hourly CH4 concentrations from residential compost at Magpet,


North Cotabato, Philippines.

For the concentration readings of CH4 in parts per million


(ppm), since the MQ-4 sensor’s application is generally
intended for gas leak detection, the reference point of the
sensitivity is at the recommended safe level for exposure
which is 1000 ppm in clean air. Thus for convenience, for the
gas measurement application, the assumption for the
calibration of the MQ-4 in clean air is also 1000 ppm. This
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