Djinn
Djinn | Updates
Project Lead: Jackson Miller
Current research on cow methane production uses a mechanical system and a tracer to sample the respirations of ruminants (such as cows and sheep). This is done by capturing emissions into a vacuum tube attached to the animal, and sending the sampled air to a laboratory for analysis.
The current method has multiple areas where the integration of smart sensor technology could provide vast benefits: detection of pressure loss, calibration of gas sampling rate, and real time sensing.
1. Detection of Pressure Loss:
The current research paradigm has high variation because the instruments are attached to live animals. Canisters can crack, valves can get bumped; its relatively easy for the data to become dirty. Having a visual indicator when pressure rises past a threshold would enable operators to select only those canisters in experimental control to be analyzed, reducing cost of analysis and saving time.
2. Gas Intake Calibration:
The collection method involves using a tube attached to a mechanical valve which leads to different sampling rates which can change the accuracy of the analysis if not accounted for. Showing an operator how quickly the pressure is increasing enables the calibration of the intake rate.
3. Real Time Sensing:
Sending samples to a laboratory for analysis costs money and time: requiring additional canisters to rotate in while samples are being processed and for the analysis itself. The addition of a methane or SF6 sensor into the canister would allow the canisters to collect more accurate real time data instead of a daily average. It would also eliminate the time and money cost of laboratory analysis and reduce cost by minimizing the number of canisters required to undertake research.
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To first recreate the mechanical canister used in current research
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Second, to implement a pressure sensor to assist with calibration and to detect compromised canisters
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Third, to implement real time sensing
Canister Drawing Pictures
Smart Canister Without Hose or Electronics
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050220 First smart canister has been assembled
Above: Smart Cow Canister without Hose or Electronics
This section includes the future expectations of this project.
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List of resources used
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ex. Loom GitHub
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Tutorials helpful for the project