Design of a low-cost wireless emission monitoring system for solid-fuel heat sources

INTRODUCTION: The study presents a conceptual and detailed design methodology overview of a wireless sensor network (WSN) aimed to evaluate the SmartCity air quality in real-time. The aim of the article is to provide low-cost, reliable, and accurate emission data at remote locations, assisting the 2050 Climate-Neutral target set by the European Commission. The sensor devices shall monitor emission parameters such as ozone, carbon dioxide concentration and particle concentrations, specifically concentrations PM2,5 and PM10. OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the article is to demonstrate the use of a modern home-made air quality device within the market of boilers, fireplaces or other heating devices. METHODS: The methodology consists of reverse engineering of used professional portable emission analyzers, determining the detailed parts, building a model of how the device's internal systems operate. The paper later explains a series of future experiments including the setup, the necessary components and specific aim. Two numerical models shall be constructed in MATLAB Simscape and Simulink, specifically a telecommunication model, assisting the design of the telecommunication module, and thermal numerical model, that aids in verifying the system temperature and cooling. RESULTS: The study presents a large potential in increasing the accuracy and spectrum of modern air quality data and decreasing emission levels. CONCLUSION: In the conclusion of the paper, the functional requirements of the data processing are stated, along with schematic illustration of the user interface of measured emissions.