A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems
Low-cost sensors provide an affordable alternative to monitor environmental parameters with acceptable performance. There is a substantial amount of literature where low-cost sensors are compared with high-end reference measurements. However, not all organizations have access to such reference infra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/191 |
| _version_ | 1827758723003580416 |
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| author | Rosa Amalia González Rivero Luis Ernesto Morera Hernández Olivier Schalm Erik Hernández Rodríguez Daniellys Alejo Sánchez Mayra C. Morales Pérez Vladimir Nuñez Caraballo Werner Jacobs Alain Martinez Laguardia |
| author_facet | Rosa Amalia González Rivero Luis Ernesto Morera Hernández Olivier Schalm Erik Hernández Rodríguez Daniellys Alejo Sánchez Mayra C. Morales Pérez Vladimir Nuñez Caraballo Werner Jacobs Alain Martinez Laguardia |
| author_sort | Rosa Amalia González Rivero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Low-cost sensors provide an affordable alternative to monitor environmental parameters with acceptable performance. There is a substantial amount of literature where low-cost sensors are compared with high-end reference measurements. However, not all organizations have access to such reference infrastructure. We propose low-cost calibration methods for temperature, relative humidity, and CO<sub>2</sub> to allow them to collect their own reliable data. These methods are based on simple techniques and procedures that allow temperature calibration to be achieved in the range of 0 to 50 °C, relative humidity from 0 to 90%, and CO<sub>2</sub> between 0 and 1100 ppm. The materials used to create the calibration setups can be purchased online, at hardware stores, and in pharmacies. The reliability of the calibration methods was evaluated using several indicators, such as the airtightness of the calibration box, similarity with the factory calibration, similarity with the reference, similarity between different sensors, replicability of the calibration method, and the similarity with a golden standard. In addition, the results of the low-cost calibration methods were compared with the more advanced calibration methods. A short measurement campaign in the city of Santa Clara, Cuba, demonstrated that such calibrations transform in-house developed monitoring systems into valid low-cost scientific instruments for decision-making. This work creates opportunities for institutions and researchers hosted in low- and mid-income countries to build and validate their own equipment to reliably solve local problems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:11:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6178e70289a45b9a9d5b53e1ef8e182 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:11:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6178e70289a45b9a9d5b53e1ef8e1822023-11-16T19:01:21ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-01-0114219110.3390/atmos14020191A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring SystemsRosa Amalia González Rivero0Luis Ernesto Morera Hernández1Olivier Schalm2Erik Hernández Rodríguez3Daniellys Alejo Sánchez4Mayra C. Morales Pérez5Vladimir Nuñez Caraballo6Werner Jacobs7Alain Martinez Laguardia8Department of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaAntwerp Maritime Academy, Noordkasteel Oost 6, 2030 Antwerpen, BelgiumDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaMeteorological Center, Marta Abreu Street, Santa Clara 50100, Villa Clara, CubaAntwerp Maritime Academy, Noordkasteel Oost 6, 2030 Antwerpen, BelgiumDepartment of Chemistry, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Road to Camajuaní Km 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, CubaLow-cost sensors provide an affordable alternative to monitor environmental parameters with acceptable performance. There is a substantial amount of literature where low-cost sensors are compared with high-end reference measurements. However, not all organizations have access to such reference infrastructure. We propose low-cost calibration methods for temperature, relative humidity, and CO<sub>2</sub> to allow them to collect their own reliable data. These methods are based on simple techniques and procedures that allow temperature calibration to be achieved in the range of 0 to 50 °C, relative humidity from 0 to 90%, and CO<sub>2</sub> between 0 and 1100 ppm. The materials used to create the calibration setups can be purchased online, at hardware stores, and in pharmacies. The reliability of the calibration methods was evaluated using several indicators, such as the airtightness of the calibration box, similarity with the factory calibration, similarity with the reference, similarity between different sensors, replicability of the calibration method, and the similarity with a golden standard. In addition, the results of the low-cost calibration methods were compared with the more advanced calibration methods. A short measurement campaign in the city of Santa Clara, Cuba, demonstrated that such calibrations transform in-house developed monitoring systems into valid low-cost scientific instruments for decision-making. This work creates opportunities for institutions and researchers hosted in low- and mid-income countries to build and validate their own equipment to reliably solve local problems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/191low-cost sensorslow-cost calibrationtemperaturerelative humiditycarbon dioxide |
| spellingShingle | Rosa Amalia González Rivero Luis Ernesto Morera Hernández Olivier Schalm Erik Hernández Rodríguez Daniellys Alejo Sánchez Mayra C. Morales Pérez Vladimir Nuñez Caraballo Werner Jacobs Alain Martinez Laguardia A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems Atmosphere low-cost sensors low-cost calibration temperature relative humidity carbon dioxide |
| title | A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems |
| title_full | A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems |
| title_fullStr | A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems |
| title_short | A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems |
| title_sort | low cost calibration method for temperature relative humidity and carbon dioxide sensors used in air quality monitoring systems |
| topic | low-cost sensors low-cost calibration temperature relative humidity carbon dioxide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/191 |
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