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Content archived on 2024-06-10

Solid state sensors for the detection of ethanol and ethylene given off by horticultural products in storage and ripening chambers

Objective



Background Gas monitoring plays a fundamental role in preserving and ripening technologies for horticultural products. Ethylene can induce ripening even in small traces (order of ppb's) and a little increase of its concentration can result in product injuries. Ethanol has to be controlled within the ppm range to avoid alcoholic fermentation, which can take place inside a storage chamber. So it would be possible to operate near the inversion point where aerobic respiration rate reaches a reduced value and no relevant anaerobic activity takes place. At present the market offers unsatisfactory solutions for monitoring of the above gases that are too expensive or inaccurate due to interference of other gases and detection at high concentrations.
Objectives Prime objective is to increase control efficiency of ethylene and ethanol emissions during fruit and vegetable ripening and storage. For this purpose, a new control technology based on an array of low-cost semiconductor gas sensors read by a specifically conceived multivariate analysis technique should overcome the limitations of existing commercial monitoring systems. Our goal is to manufacture a low-cost electronic instrument, based on the developed sensor array and capable to detect the required concentrations of ethylene (10 ppb) and ethanol (100 ppm). Such an instrument is requested to be on-line, easy to be installed and almost maintenance-free. It is planned that the final equipment will be progressively introduced by the SMEs within 18 months from the completion of the project.
Work programme The twelve partners will be involved in seven tasks that are summarised below: 1. Analysis of working conditions and technical specifications for the sensors. 2. Design and production of prototypes. 3. Sensors and arrays fabrication and characterisation. 4. Device fabrication and delivery. 5. Laboratory tests and field tests. 6. Testing under real operative conditions, market acceptance and cost calculation. 7. Project management
State of progress The project has started on 1 February 1999.

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Coordinator

ORION SRL
EU contribution
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V.V. Frasca 39
35030 BAONE
Italy

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Total cost

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Participants (11)

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