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Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Team 10
Team Members |
Faculty Advisor |
Will Boyd |
Brian Willis Sponsor Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
sponsored by
Chemical vapor sensors are useful in various fields from environmental monitoring to security, but they are limited by their ability to detect a narrow selection of chemicals. New vapor sensors, known as electronic noses or “E-noses”, were developed to overcome this issue. Inspired by the structure of a mammalian nose, they use an array of nonspecific sensors to detect volatile substances. The goal of this project is to design a sampling system for a portable E-nose sensor. The key components of the design include using a computer aided modeling software to understand the fluid flow over the sensor chip needed to generate a differentiable signal and 3D printing to produce a feasible prototype. Specifically, a 3D printed nozzle based on a practical computer aided model will be designed to house the sensor and be shaped to provide optimal fluid flow conditions for scent detection. Ideally, a portable E-nose will be able to be carried to locations such as a factory, farm or grocery store to provide quality assurance or validate the authenticity of products. Overall, this product has a low environmental impact as the chips are still good after multiple uses and presents minimal safety hazards at a low production cost. This project will be the first step in making an inexpensive and portable E-nose which will have far-reaching applications in real time chemical vapor analysis.