VOCs sensor
Volatile organic compounds
Reliable real-time
information on VOCs
GasPlug TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN
Where is it found?
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can be produced by fuel combustion (wood, coal, gasoline etc.) such as mobile sources and industries. They can be released to the atmosphere due to gasoline, paint, and solvents evaporation from above ground storage tanks. Another of the most important emission sources is biogenic, by vegetation natural release.
Why is it harmful?
Many VOCs are toxic and can cause cancer, mutations, and/or other serious health problems. One of the most harmful compounds is benzene, which can cause leukaemia. Some of them contribute to ozone formation with associated health effects, and environmental and climate effects.
It also contributes to the formation of CO2 and secondary organic aerosols that can warm and cool the atmosphere, respectively.
VOCs cartridge
The Volatile Organic Compounds cartridge has a built-in photoionization detector (PID) sensor equipped with a 10.6 eV light energy source to accurately measure hundreds of VOCs commonly found in indoor and outdoor environments. Its cutting-edge design avoids any undesirable humidity effect, giving 10,000 hours of continuous operation.
To cover different applications, there are 2 measurement ranges:
- Type A: detects low ppb concentrations in outdoor ambient environments. Kunak algorithm corrects the temperature, humidity and pressure variations allowing accurate measurements from very low concentrations (<5 ppb) up to >3,000 ppb, with very low variability between sensors.
- Type B: higher range version that can measure up to 40 ppm. It is not recommended to use this cartridge to detect levels below 1 ppm, since the accuracy of the sensor at low concentrations decreases.
Technical specifications
mg/m3, ppm(B)
0 - 40 ppm(B)
0.01 ppm(B)
60 ppm(B)
0.01 ppm(B)
< 0.02 ppm(B)
< 10 sec(B)
± 0.1 ppm
-0.08 ppm ≤ a ≤ +0.08 ppm(B)
< 0.1 ppm(B)
- Measurement range: concentration range measured by the sensor.
- Resolution: smallest unit of measurement that can be indicated by the sensor.
- Operating temperature range: temperature interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements. (**) In PM sensor Type A: -40 to 50ºC with heater (more information on this version on request).
- Operating RH range: humidity interval at which the sensor is rated to operate safely and provide measurements.
- Recommended RH range: Recommended relative humidity range for optimal sensor performance. Continuous exposure outside the recommended range may damage the cartridge.
- Operating life: time period during which the sensor can operate effectively and accurately under normal conditions.
- Guarantee range: concentration range covered by Kunak's guarantee.
- LOD (Limit Of Detection): measured at laboratory conditions at 20ºC and 50% RH. The limit of detection is the minimum concentration that can be detected as significantly different at zero gas concentration, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Repeatability: measured at laboratory conditions at 20ºC and 50% RH. Closeness of the agreement between the results of successive measurements of the same measure carried out under the same conditions of measurement, calculated according to the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660.
- Response time: time needed by the sensor to reach 90% of the final stable value.
- Typical precision - R2: statistics obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments in field test between -10 to +30ºC at different locations. (*) For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in presence of coarse particles.
- Typical accuracy: for criteria pollutants is the average Mean Absolute Error (MAE) obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries. For other pollutants is the expected error of the measurement at the reading.
- DQO-Typical U(exp): Data Quality Objetive expresed as the Expanded Uncertainity in the Limit Value obtained between the device hourly measurements and reference instruments for 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries, calculated according to the European Air Quality Directive 2024/2881 and from the Technical Specification CEN/TS 17660. (*) For the type B PM sensor, the expected error for PM10 is higher in presence of coarse particles.
- Typical intra-model variability: calculated as the standard deviation of the three sensor means in 1 to 8 months field test between -10 to +30ºC in different countries.
A, B, C, D superindex: the super indexes refer to different types of cartridges related to the same target pollutant but with different technical specifications.
