The present disclosure relates to a VOC detecting and warning method, and more particularly to a VOC detecting and warning method, which utilizes an actuating-and-sensing module to guide gas and monitor volatile organic compounds of the gas.
Recently, the air pollution problem becomes more and more serious. Consequently, people pay much attention to the methods of avoiding the harmfulness of various pollutants in the air. As known, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the common pollutants that are present in the air. The VOCs are in a gaseous form at room temperature and have strong volatility. For example, the VOCs include formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, propylene benzene, and so on. In addition to the exhaust gases from fuel combustion and vehicle transportation, the sources of the VOCs are diverse. For example, the VOCs are often dispersed in indoor environments from construction and decorative materials such as paints, coatings and adhesives. The VOCs may cause damage to the human bodies over the years. If the concentration of the VOCs in a room exceeds a specific concentration, people feel headache, nausea, vomit and limb weakness in a short time. In severe cases, people may have convulsions, coma and memory loss. Moreover, the VOCs harm people's livers, kidneys, brains and nervous systems, and they also contain many carcinogens.
However, the current technologies of detecting the VOCs still have some drawbacks. For example, in case that the volume of the detection device is small, the detection device is usually unable to immediately and accurately detect the VOCs. In addition, there is no detection device on the present market that can be carried and warn the user in real time when the amount of the VOCs in the environment reaching a hazard level is detected.
Therefore, there is a need of an improved VOC detecting and warning method in order to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional technologies that the accuracy of detecting the VOCs is low and fails to warn the user in real time.
An object of the present disclosure provides a VOC detecting and warning method, which utilizes a gas transportation actuator of an actuating-and-sensing module to guide the gas to a gas sensor of the actuating-and-sensing module. A plurality of monitoring time intervals define a time unit. Then, the gas sensor monitors the VOCs during the time unit and generates each monitored value corresponding to each monitoring time interval of the time unit. The monitored values are added up to obtain a metabolism comparison value. Then, the metabolism comparison value is compared with a warning threshold value. The warning threshold value defines a critical amount that a human subject inhales per time unit. For example, a value that exceeds the warning threshold value may indicate that the concentration of the VOCs has adverse effects on the human subject. If the metabolism comparison value is larger than the warning threshold value, the actuating-and-sensing module issues an emergency call to warn the user. Since the gas is guided to the gas sensor, the accuracy of the VOC detection is increased. In addition, when the amount of VOCs in the environment reaching a hazard level is determined, the emergency call is issued to warn the user in real time. Therefore, the drawbacks of the conventional technologies that the accuracy of detecting the VOCs is low and fails to warn the user in real time can be addressed.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a VOC detecting and warning method is provided. Firstly, an actuating-and-sensing module is provided. The actuating-and-sensing module includes a gas transportation actuator and a gas sensor. Then, a gas-guiding and monitoring operation is performed. The gas transportation actuator is enabled to guide a specific amount of gas to the gas sensor, and the gas sensor monitors a VOC of the gas to obtain each monitored value during each monitoring time interval. Then, a calculating operation is performed. A plurality of the monitoring time intervals define a time unit. The monitored values in the time unit are added up to obtain a metabolism comparison value. Finally, a comparing and warning operation is performed. The metabolism comparison value is compared with a warning threshold value. The warning threshold value defines a critical amount that a human subject inhales per time unit. For example, a value that exceeds the warning threshold value may indicate that the concentration of the VOCs has adverse effects on the human subject. If the metabolism comparison value is larger than the warning threshold value, the actuating-and-sensing module issues an emergency call, thereby providing a user with a protective measure.
In an embodiment, the gas-guiding and monitoring operation of the VOC detecting and warning method further includes a step of allowing the actuating-and-sensing module to issue the emergency call if the monitored value is larger than a warning threshold value during the monitoring time interval.
In an embodiment, the actuating-and-sensing module further includes a microprocessor and a transmission module. The microprocessor processes and converts information of the monitored values sensed by the gas sensor into an output data and controls the actuation of the gas transportation actuator. The transmission module transmits the output data, which is processed and converted by the microprocessor, to a connection device, so that the connection device displays, stores and transmits information of the output data.
The above contents of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
The present disclosure will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this disclosure are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.
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In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection device 200 may be a display device or a portable electronic device with a wired communication module or a wireless communication module. In response to the emergency call, the connection device 200 may perform a protective measure to notify a user. The protective measure is performed by at least one selected from the group consisting of displaying an image, generating a sound effect, generating a light effect and generating a vibration effect. The transmission module 14 may be a wired transmission module or a wireless transmission module. The wired transmission module may be at least one selected form the group consisting of a USB transmission module, a mini-USB transmission module and a micro-USB transmission module. The wireless transmission module may be at least one selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi transmission module, a Bluetooth transmission module, a radio frequency identification (RFID) transmission module and a near field communication (NFC) transmission module. The connection device 200 and the transmission module 14 are not limited to the above embodiments and may be varied according to practical requirements.
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In this embodiment, in a step S106, a calculating operation is performed. A plurality of the monitoring time intervals are referred as a time unit. During the time unit, the monitored values from the gas sensor 12 are added up so as to obtain a metabolism comparison value. The metabolism comparison value is served as a benchmark for determination.
Then, in a step S108, a comparing and warning operation is performed. It is noted that a warning threshold value is provided herein. The warning threshold value defines a critical amount that a human subject inhales per time unit. For example, a measured value that exceeds the warning threshold value may indicate that the concentration of the VOCs has adverse effects on the human subject. Therefore, the metabolism comparison value is compared with the warning threshold value. If the metabolism comparison value is larger than the warning threshold value, the actuating-and-sensing module 1 issues an emergency call, thereby providing the user with a protective measure. For example, the metabolism comparison value is obtained by summing up all the monitored values sensed by the gas sensor 12 during the time unit.
Please refer to Table 1, which is a total VOC guidelines issued by the German Federal Environmental Agency. If the concentration of total VOC is lower than 65 ppb (nL/L), the air quality level is excellent. If the concentration of total VOC is in the range between 65 ppb and 220 ppb, the air quality level is good and air circulation and ventilation in the environment is recommended. If the concentration of total VOC is in the range between 220 ppb and 660 ppb, the air quality level is moderate. In case that the air quality is moderate, intensified air circulation and ventilation in the environment is recommended, the sources of pollutants need to be searched and the exposure limit is smaller than 12 months. If the concentration of total VOC is in the range between 660 ppb and 2200 ppb, the air quality level is poor. In case that the air quality is poor, intensified air circulation and ventilation in the environment is necessary, the sources of pollutants need to be searched and the exposure limit is smaller than 1 month. If the concentration of total VOC is in the range between 2200 ppb and 5500 ppb, the air quality level is not healthy and the situation is unacceptable. In case that the air quality is not healthy and the situation is unacceptable, the air in the environment is used only if unavoidable, intense ventilation is necessary and the exposure limit is smaller than 1 hour. Ppb is a unit of measurement and is represented as nL/L. nL is equal to 10−9 liters.
Hereinafter, some examples will be described according to the data of Table 1.
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If the concentration of total VOC is larger than 660 ppb and the exposure limit is smaller than 1 month, the air quality level is poor. The medium warning threshold value is determined according to the VOC inhalation amount of the human body corresponding to the VOC concentration of 660 ppb within the time unit of 1 month. For example, the weight of the human body is 70 kilograms, and the air inhalation is 18,000 liters per day. The amount of the air inhalation per hour is 750 liters, and the total inhalation of VOCs is 750 L/h×660 ppb=137.5 nL/s. The VOC inhalation amount of the human body within the time unit of 1 month is 137.5 nL/s×3600 sec×24 h×30=356.4 ml. In other words, 356.4 ml is the medium warning threshold value corresponding to the time unit of 1 month. If the metabolism comparison value obtained by summing up all of the monitored values, which are sensed by the gas sensor 12 and corresponding to the plural monitoring time intervals within the time unit of 1 month, is larger than the medium warning threshold value (e.g., 356.4 ml), the actuating-and-sensing module 1 issues the emergency call in real time to provide the protective measure to the user. For example, the sources of pollutants need to be searched, the air in the environment is used only if unavoidable, and intensified air circulation and ventilation is necessary.
If the concentration of total VOC is larger than 220 ppb and the exposure limit is smaller than 12 months, the air quality level is moderate. The low warning threshold value is determined according to the VOC inhalation amount of the human body corresponding to the VOC concentration of 220 ppb within the time unit of 12 months. For example, the weight of the human body is 70 kilograms, and the air inhalation is 18,000 liters per day. The amount of the air inhalation per hour is 750 liters, and the total inhalation of VOCs is 750 L/h×220 ppb=45.8 nL/s. The VOC inhalation amount of the human body within the time unit of 12 months is 45.8 nL/s×3600 sec×24 h×30×12=1424.56 ml. In other words, 1424.56 ml is the low warning threshold value corresponding to the time unit of 12 months. If the metabolism comparison value obtained by summing up all of the monitored values, which are sensed by the gas sensor 12 and corresponding to the plural monitoring time intervals within the time unit of 12 months, is larger than the low warning threshold value (e.g., 1424.56 ml), the actuating-and-sensing module 1 issues the emergency call in real time to provide the protective measure to the user. For example, intensified air circulation and ventilation is recommended and the sources of pollutants need to be searched.
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The piezoelectric actuator 113 is corresponding in position to the resonance plate 112. The piezoelectric actuator 113 includes a suspension plate 1131, an outer frame 1132, at least one bracket 1133 and a piezoelectric plate 1134. The suspension plate 1131 has a first surface 1131a and a second surface 1131b. The suspension plate 1131 can be subjected to a bending vibration. The outer frame 1132 is arranged around the suspension plate 1131. The at least one bracket 1133 is connected between the suspension plate 1131 and the outer frame 1131, so that the bracket 1133 can elastically support the suspension plate 1131. The length of a side of the piezoelectric plate 1134 is smaller than or equal to the length of a side of the suspension plate 1131. Moreover, the piezoelectric plate 1134 is attached on the first surface 1131a of the suspension plate 1131 and is subjected to a deformation in response to an applied voltage so as to drive the suspension plate 1131 to undergo the bending vibration. There is a gap between the resonance plate 112 and the piezoelectric actuator 113 so as to define a first chamber B.
When the piezoelectric actuator 113 of the gas transportation actuator 11 is enabled, the piezoelectric plate 1134 is subjected to deformation so as to drive the suspension plate 1131 to vibrate in a reciprocating manner by using the bracket 1133 as a fulcrum. The piezoelectric actuator 113 is in resonance with the movable part 1122 of the resonance plate 112, so that the first chamber B is vibrated to generate a pressure gradient for inhaling the ambient gas into the inlet 1113 of the gas inlet plate 111 to form a gas flow. Then, the gas is transported to the convergence chamber A of the central cavity 1111 through the at least one convergence channel 1112. Then, the gas is transported to the first chamber B through the central aperture 1121 of the resonance plate 112. Then, the gas is transported downwardly to the region between the piezoelectric actuator 113 and the carrier 300 through the vacant space between the brackets 1133. Finally, the gas is ejected to the gas sensor 12 through an outlet channel 114. Since the gas is transported from the gas transportation actuator 11 to the gas sensor 12 at a specific transportation amount, the gas sensor 12 can monitor the gas in consistent with the external environment so as to acquire the accurate detection result in real time.
From the above descriptions, the present disclosure provides a VOC detecting and warning method, which utilizes the gas transportation actuator of the actuating-and-sensing module to guide a specific amount of the gas to the gas sensor for monitoring the VOCs of the gas. Consequently, the accuracy of the VOC detection is increased. When the monitored value of the VOCs corresponding to the monitoring time interval is larger than an upper limit of a safe exposure concentration, the actuating-and-sensing module issues an emergency call to warn the user that the VOC concentration value in the environment is high. In addition, all of the monitored values of the VOCs, which are sensed by the gas sensor and corresponding to the monitoring time intervals per time unit, are added up to obtain a metabolism comparison value. If the metabolism comparison value is larger than a warning threshold value, the actuating-and-sensing module issues an emergency call to provide a protective measure to the user. Consequently, the cumulative damage caused by the exposure to VOCs in the located environment can be avoided.
While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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106145552 | Dec 2017 | TW | national |