Grant: Idea to Innovation

Canada is committed in taking an active role in world environmental challenges such as air quality improvements and emissions control. Canada's Council of Ministers of the Environment has been setting up a nationwide system to manage air quality and to give guidelines for monitoring and setting emission standards. As a result, some of our major industries such as automotive and oil and gas are under pressure to limit their emissions and reduce environmental impact. High-capacity filters are heavily used in emission control systems to trap corrosive and toxic gases. We focus on developing sensing technology to add intelligence to these systems. We aim to create smart emission controls for more efficient use of filters, reducing costs and eliminating environmental risks. Our sensor platform is based on the microwave sensing system that we recently pioneered. Our sensor system does not need to be in contact with the filter for sensing, and gives high-resolution information. This project applies the great amounts of knowledge that have been created during the recent wireless revolution. We apply that knowledge to develop advanced devices and integrated systems to monitor filters performance and enhance the control of industrial emissions. In this project, we will integrate the sensor interface that we have developed as a lab bench prototype into a user-friendly system prototype that is ready for commercialization.