Dissertation: Development and Applications of Chemical Sensors for the Detection of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Methane

It is a new year, and my dissertation has finally made it past embargoes to publication. Allow me to present: Development and Applications of Chemical Sensors for the Detection of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Methane. You can view the ProQuest entry here. There is a download link to the full text at the bottom of this entry.

Title

Development and Applications of Chemical Sensors for the Detection of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Methane

Abstract

This is a description of the design of a low-power, low-cost networked array of sensors for the remote monitoring of carbon dioxide and methane. The goal was to create a scalable self-powered two-dimensional array for the detection of these gases in a large area. The sensor selection, electronic design, and data communication was studied and optimized to allow for multiple units to form a self-assembling network for acre-scale coverage with minimal human intervention. The final electronic design of the solar-powered units is flexible, providing a foundation for future field deployable remote monitoring devices. Sensors were selected for this application from commercially available models based on low-power, low-cost, market availability, detection range, and accuracy around the global baseline criteria. For environmental monitoring, carbon dioxide sensors are characterized near 400 ppm and methane from 2 to 200 ppm. For both gases, exertions up to several 1000 pm were examined to mimic large releases. An Xbee mesh network of radios was utilized to coordinate the individual units in the array, and the data was transferred in real-time over the cellular network to a dedicated server. The system was tested at a site north of the Oklahoma State campus, an unmanned airfield east of Stillwater, OK, and an injection well near Farnsworth, TX. Data collected from the Stillwater test sites show that the system is reliable for baseline gas levels. The gas injection well site was monitored as a potential source of carbon dioxide and methane leaks due to the carbon dioxide injection process undertaken there for carbon sequestration and enhanced oil recovery efforts. The sensors are shown to be effective at detecting gas concentration at the sites and few possible leak events are detected.

Reference Information

Subject Classification 0485: Chemistry
0486: Analytical chemistry
0494: Physical chemistry
Identifier / keyword Pure sciences
Carbon dioxide
Detection
Enhanced oil recovery
Methane
Remote monitoring
Sensing
Author Honeycutt, Wesley T.
Number of pages 196
Publication year 2017
Degree date 2017
ISBN 9780355396188
Dissertation/thesis number 10276467
ProQuest document ID 1965485293
Advisor Materer, Nicholas F.
Committee members Apblett, Allen W.
Fennell, Christopher J.
Ley, M. Tyler
White, Jeffrey L.
University/institution Oklahoma State University
Department Chemistry
University location United States — Oklahoma
Degree Ph.D.

Download

Here is a download link to the complete dissertation file: Dissertation.pdf

NOTE: This file is a 166.7MB PDF document. Since I am not a rich man, my website is hosted on a slow, inexpensive server. This download may take some time. It may be quicker to download from a library site, but I want to make sure the document is available to everyone.