A Sentinel Sensor Network for Hydrogen Sensing
by
Craig A. Grimes 1,*, Keat G. Ong 2, Oomman K. Varghese 1, Xiping Yang 1, G. Mor 1, Maggie Paulose 2, Elizabeth C. Dickey 3, Chuanmin Ruan 1, Michael V. Pishko 4, James W. Kendig 5 and Andrew J. Mason 6
Craig A. Grimes 1,*, Keat G. Ong 2, Oomman K. Varghese 1, Xiping Yang 1, G. Mor 1, Maggie Paulose 2, Elizabeth C. Dickey 3, Chuanmin Ruan 1, Michael V. Pishko 4, James W. Kendig 5 and Andrew J. Mason 6
1
Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, 217 Materials Research Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA
2
SenTech Corporation, 200 Innovation Boulevard Suite 236, State College, PA 16803, USA
3
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
4
Dept. of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
5
Division of Newborn Medicine, Penn State Children's Hospital, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
6
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sensors 2003, 3(3), 69-82; https://doi.org/10.3390/s30300069
Received: 14 February 2003 / Accepted: 20 February 2003 / Published: 21 February 2003
A wireless sensor network is presented for in-situ monitoring of atmospheric hydrogen concentration. The hydrogen sensor network consists of multiple sensor nodes, equipped with titania nanotube hydrogen sensors, distributed throughout the area of interest; each node is both sensor, and data-relay station that enables extended wide area monitoring without a consequent increase of node power and thus node size. The hydrogen sensor is fabricated from a sheet of highly ordered titania nanotubes, made by anodization of a titanium thick film, to which platinum electrodes are connected. The electrical resistance of the hydrogen sensor varies from 245 Ω at 500 ppm hydrogen, to 10.23 kΩ at 0 ppm hydrogen (pure nitrogen environment). The measured resistance is converted to voltage, 0.049 V at 500 ppm to 2.046 V at 0 ppm, by interface circuitry. The microcontroller of the sensor node digitizes the voltage and transmits the digital information, using intermediate nodes as relays, to a host node that downloads measurement data to a computer for display. This paper describes the design and operation of the sensor network, the titania nanotube hydrogen sensors with an apparent low level resolution of approximately 0.05 ppm, and their integration in one widely useful device.
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Keywords:
Sensor network; Sensor node; Sensor array; Hydrogen; Sensor; Nanotube
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
MDPI and ACS Style
Grimes, C.A.; Ong, K.G.; Varghese, O.K.; Yang, X.; Mor, G.; Paulose, M.; Dickey, E.C.; Ruan, C.; Pishko, M.V.; Kendig, J.W.; Mason, A.J. A Sentinel Sensor Network for Hydrogen Sensing. Sensors 2003, 3, 69-82.
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