Carbon Dioxide Sensor Selection Considerations
Posted on 2 November, 2023 by BindaJD
Carbon dioxide sensor as a detection of carbon dioxide concentration of the instrument, in the living environment, plant cultivation, as well as cultural relics, archives protection and other aspects have a wide range of applications.The following tells us how to choose the right CO2 sensor.
1. Price
People often say a sentence, penny wise and pound foolish. But if you are choosing carbon dioxide sensors also hold "buy things should buy expensive, quality can be guaranteed" this kind of thinking, it may have to suffer. Price factor is certainly an important reference item when choosing sensors, but specific still depends on the application, in their own products within the scope of the needs of the choice can be, do not have to be too much in pursuit of the so-called "expensive is good".
2. Range
Sensor range is also an important indicator when choosing, but if you are overly pursuing a large number of range, it is completely unnecessary. Range selection and price issues have a similarity, that is, suitable for their own products.
In nature, the normal level of carbon dioxide in the air is 0.04 per cent (400 ppm), sometimes up to 500 ppm in large cities, and in the absence of people indoors, the carbon dioxide concentration is usually around 500 to 700 ppm.
Generally speaking, when the indoor carbon dioxide level is above 5000 ppm, the human body's functions are seriously disrupted, causing loss of consciousness and delirium. To detect carbon dioxide concentration in the home environment, the sensor range of 0 - 5000 ppm is enough, in public places, classrooms and other crowded environments, the sensor range of 0 - 5000 ppm is also available. When choosing, as long as the sensor range covers the carbon dioxide concentration under the extreme conditions of the use of the environment can be, do not have to pursue too large a range.
3. Principle
There are two kinds of carbon dioxide sensors commonly used in the market, one is solid electrolyte and the other is infrared principle. One of the solid electrolyte sensor principle refers to the gas-sensitive material in the gas through the ion, thus forming an electric potential, measuring the electric potential and thus measuring the gas concentration, due to the high conductivity of this sensor sensitivity and selective characteristics of the good, has been widely used. And the infrared carbon dioxide sensor principle is based on the absorption of CO2 to a specific band of infrared radiation, so that the energy of radiation through the measuring chamber is weakened, the degree of weakening depends on the CO2 content of the CO2 gas to be measured.
4. Signal Output
At present, the sensor signal output methods include serial port, analogue, GPRS, Ethernet, WiFi and other signal output methods. Different signal output methods are installed in different ways. Signal output should not be simply divided into advantages and disadvantages, or to design the product programme depends on the environmental needs.
5. Measurement Accuracy
Accuracy has always been an important performance indicator of the sensor, it is related to the measurement accuracy of the entire measurement system is an important part of the measurement. The higher the accuracy of the sensor, the more expensive it is, therefore, the accuracy of the sensor as long as it meets the accuracy requirements of the entire measurement system can be, do not have to choose too high. In this way, it is possible to choose the cheaper and simpler carbon dioxide sensors among many sensors for the same measurement purpose.
6. Warm-up Time
Different types of sensors to detect different gases require different warm-up time, some need a few minutes, some can be a few seconds. The light source and detector inside the infrared carbon dioxide sensor need to be energized to reach the optimum condition in order to read the accurate value. Warming up is for the stability and accuracy of the sensor, and has nothing to do with the poor performance of the product.