A method for online measurement of odour with a chemosensor system

Growing industrialization and its implication to nuisance smells led to an increased interest in odour monitoring. As a result of that a variety of sensors and methods to detect or analyse odour were developed over the last few years. The function of the chemosensor system combined with a pre-concentrated unit is explained. The concept and implementation of an odour measuring method using a chemosensor system in combination with olfactometry is described. The odour measurement system was installed at the outlet of a charcoal filter at a waste incineration plant. For a period of three months the system operated unsupervised, taking odour samples continuously, calculating the odour concentration online and signaling odour events to a control centre. The method of odour measurement has proven successful and has shown the feasibility of detecting a filter breakthrough using a chemosensor system.