Home  Industry News   Sensirion Launches New Digital Formaldehyde Sensor SFA30

Mar 9 2021

Sensirion Launches New Digital Formaldehyde Sensor SFA30

Environmental sensor expert Sensirion announced the launch of a new digital formaldehyde sensor SFA30.

Sensirion SFA30 sensor

SFA30 uses innovative electrochemical processing technology, dedicated electronic components and integrated Sensirion temperature and humidity sensors, plus advanced algorithms that can achieve highly reliable and efficient formaldehyde detection at extremely low concentrations. Therefore, this new sensor is very suitable for use in indoor air purification, ventilation systems and indoor air quality monitors.

Formaldehyde is usually released slowly and continuously from furniture, building materials, paints and coatings. It is a harmful carcinogenic gas and may cause "Sick Building Syndrome". This "Sick Building Syndrome" caused by insufficient indoor ventilation and chemical pollutants may cause various symptoms of building occupants, such as acute discomfort, including headache, eye, nose or throat irritation, dizziness and nausea, and difficulty paying attention, fatigue, and allergic to smell.

Formaldehyde is a known background gas that can produce harmful effects at very low concentrations. The "Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality" issued by the World Health Organization point out that the amount of formaldehyde per cubic meter of air should not exceed 0.096 mg per cubic meter of air under an average exposure of 30 minutes.

Formaldehyde sensor SFA30

Formaldehyde sensor SFA30

As a new member of the Sensirion environmental sensor family, the SFA30 formaldehyde sensor module is based on the electrochemical working principle. It has accurate formaldehyde sensing performance and has a very low cross-sensitivity to other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Relying on Sensirion's experience in environmental sensing and the patented technology of anti-dry electrochemical cell, SFA30 provides superior long-term stability and up to 6 years of service life.

Its integrated temperature and humidity sensor provide accurate readings, can fully compensate for temperature and humidity, and the factory-calibrated formaldehyde concentration output is ppb (parts per billion). At the same time, with optional digital UART and I2C interface options, standard electrical connectors and multi-functional installation options, highly reliable sensors can be easily integrated into related product applications, providing customers with a perfect solution.

SFA30 is actually a sensor module that combines Sensirion electrochemical processing technology and analog/digital signal processing technology, as well as integrated temperature and humidity sensors. Advanced digital signal processing and temperature and humidity compensation algorithms provide a fully calibrated output of formaldehyde concentration. The block diagram of SFA30 is shown below.

Block diagram of SFA30

Block diagram of SFA30

The core of the module is the amperometric electrochemical sensor. The principle is that formaldehyde molecules pass through the membrane to react with water molecules in the electrolyte to release carbon dioxide and generate electric current. The concentration of formaldehyde is determined by measuring the magnitude of the electric current. Mr. Du introduced that the SFA30 is based on a unique electrochemical cell structure design, electrode and electrolyte combination to ensure that the sensor is not interfered with by other volatile gases such as ethanol, and can reliably measure the concentration of formaldehyde.

Working Principle of SFA30

Working Principle of SFA30

The figure below is the results of field trials conducted in the Sensirion headquarters restaurant, comparing the performance of the Sensirion sensor and two other commercial sensors. It can be seen that the other two commercial sensors both issued two false alarms with a formaldehyde concentration greater than 80 ppb, while the Sensirion sensor was stable and did not issue false alarms. Mr. Du Cheng said that the Sensirion sensor is the only anti-interference sensor on the market, and no other commercial sensor can match it.

Test result of SFA30

Test result of SFA30

Mr. Niculin Saratz, Director of Product Management of Sensirion Gas Sensors, said: "Our new formaldehyde sensor module has better performance, long-term stability and reliability, solves existing technical problems, and makes formaldehyde detection easier and more reliable. "

0 comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

 
 
   
 
Rating:

# 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z