CALIBRATING OR VERIFYING AN OPERATION OF A VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SENSOR USING CARBON MONOXIDE
A method of calibrating a detector that includes a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor is provided. The method includes assembling the detector with the VOC sensor for field deployment and calibrating the VOC sensor using carbon monoxide (CO) as a calibrant prior to the field deployment.
1 . A method of calibrating a detector comprising a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor, the method comprising:
assembling the detector with the VOC sensor for field deployment; and
calibrating the VOC sensor using carbon monoxide (CO) as a calibrant prior to the field deployment.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO,
the VOC sensor comprises at least one of a metal oxide sensor and an electrochemical sensor, and
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor during the calibrating of the VOC sensor.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the detector comprises the VOC sensor and a CO sensor,
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO, and
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the CO sensor during the calibrating of the VOC sensor and a simultaneous calibrating of the CO sensor.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the detector comprises the VOC sensor and a CO sensor, which is previously calibrated,
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO,
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the previously calibrated CO sensor during exposure of an unknown quantity of CO to the VOC sensor and the previously calibrated CO sensor, and
the previously calibrated CO sensor is used to measure a quantity of the CO by which the VOC sensor is calibrated
5 . A method of calibrating a detector comprising a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor and a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor, the method comprising:
assembling the detector with the VOC sensor for field deployment; and
calibrating the VOC sensor using CO as a calibrant prior to the field deployment.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the assembling of the VOC sensor is executed and completed in a manufacturing facility.
7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein:
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO,
the VOC sensor comprises at least one of a metal oxide sensor and an electrochemical sensor, and
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor during the calibrating of the VOC sensor.
8 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein:
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO, and
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the CO sensor of the detector during the calibrating of the VOC sensor and a simultaneous calibrating of the CO sensor.
9 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein:
the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO,
the CO sensor is previously calibrated,
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the previously calibrated CO sensor during exposure of an unknown quantity of CO to the VOC sensor and the previously calibrated CO sensor, and
the previously calibrated CO sensor is used to measure a quantity of the CO by which the VOC sensor is calibrated.
10 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the CO sensor is configured to determine a verified amount of CO the detector is exposed to, the verified amount being used to calibrate the VOC sensor.
11 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO for at least a relatively short exposure time of about 4-15 minutes.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the CO has about a 400 PPM concentration during the relatively short exposure time.
13 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising re-calibrating the VOC sensor using the CO as the calibrant following the field deployment.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the re-calibrating is periodic, regularly scheduled or scheduled in response to a malfunction.
15 . A method of calibrating a detector comprising a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor and a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor, the method comprising:
exposing the VOC sensor and the CO sensor to carbon monoxide (CO) as a calibrant; and
determining, using the CO sensor, a verified amount of CO the detector is exposed to, the verified amount being used to calibrate the VOC sensor.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
the VOC sensor comprises at least one of a metal oxide sensor and an electrochemical sensor, and
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor during the calibrating of the VOC sensor.
17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the CO sensor of the detector during the calibrating of the VOC sensor and a simultaneous calibrating of the CO sensor.
18 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
the exposing of the VOC sensor to the CO comprises positioning a sensor calibration tool close to the VOC sensor and the CO sensor of the detector during exposure of an unknown quantity of CO to the VOC sensor and the CO sensor, and
the CO sensor is previously-calibrated and is used to measure the quantity of CO and to use the measured value to calibrate the VOC sensor.
19 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein calibrating and re-calibrating of the VOC sensor comprises exposing the VOC sensor to the CO for at least a relatively short exposure time.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the CO has about a 400 PPM concentration during the relatively short exposure time.