1. Application of Sensor Technology to Aerial Emission Sampling
           NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
Application of Sensor Technology to Aerial Emission Sampling
Brian Gullett
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Bill Mitchell1, Xiaochi Zhou2, Johanna Aurell3
1U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
2DUKE UNIVERSITY, STUDENT SERVICE CONTRACTOR, U.S. EPA
3UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON RESEARCH INSTITUTE
JULY 17, 2014 Workshop: “Applications of UAS to Land and Natural Resource Management,”
Argonne National Laboratory

2. EPA/ORD Aerial Emission Sampling
PURPOSE: Quantification of emissions from open area sources
Aerostat-lofted emission sampling system
Developed in 2010 to sample open burning and open detonation of military ordnance
Applied to 11 field campaigns
3 OB/OD measurements at Tooele Depot, UT
At-sea measurements of burning BP oil, Gulf
4 prescribed forest fires at Eglin AFB, Camp Lejeune, Ft. Jackson
Open burning of wastes (“burn pit” simulation) for USAF
Agricultural field burning in ID and WA
OB/OD for Canadian Department of Defence, Saskatchewan
Selected for Bagram Air Base burn pit measurements
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

3. Emission Sampling Platform: The “Flyer”
Total weight ~ 21 kg (46 lb), Flight time 4 h
Onboard computer with data transmission
User-set CO2 triggering of samplers
GPS, CO2, CO
Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Black carbon (BC)
Brown carbon
PM by filter (PM2.5, PM10)
Continuous PM2.5, PM10
3D-anemometer
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Aerostat Method
4.9×4.0 m (16×13 foot) in diameter
Two layer
Polyurethane inner layer
Rip-stop nylon as outer layer
Helium filled
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sampling Campaigns
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

6. Maneuverability of Aerostat and Flyer
Shipboard winch
ATV with winch
ATVs with winches
Single or double Spectra tethers on electric, remote control winches
The use of tethers and ATVs can create challenges for positioning (e.g., trees) and equipment (e.g., shrapnel) as well as limit plume residence time and, hence, the ability to collect sufficient sample.

7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Issues
31 U.S. Code § Buying and leasing passenger motor vehicles and aircraft
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

8. We can solve the payload issues:
EPA/ORD is testing and verifying the performance of commercial gas sensors.
These lightweight sensors can replace larger emission monitors for certain applications.
We are also developing miniature samplers.
We have produced a replacement for the Flyer instrument package…
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The “Kolibri”
The Kolibri is 3.56 kg and measures
CO2,
CO,
PM2.5,
Volatile organics
Black Carbon,
Brown Carbon.
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Kolibri vs. Flyer
>21kg,
55 x 50 x 45 cm
3.56 kg,
15 x 15 x 30 cm
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

11. Split Halves of the Kolibri
CO Sensor
CO2 NDIR Sensor
Volatiles Pump
Black and Brown Carbon (under)
CO & CO2 Pump
Battery
(under)
Particle Filter
PM Filter
VOC Sorbent
Micro SD
Power and Flow Controller for PM
Board for Control, Power, Communications and Data Logging
PM Pump (under)
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

12. Other Environmental Applications
Vegetation identification and management
Oil spill detection
Fire monitoring
Algal bloom identification
Landfill emissions
Disaster response emission monitoring
Community air toxics monitoring
Industrial emission characterization
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

13. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Status
Kolibri is laboratory-tested
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

14. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SUMMARY
EPA has developed a lightweight sensor and sampler system for quantification of emissions
This system will be utilized in our on-going aerial sampling efforts
4/22/2017
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency