Indoor Detection of CO

Carbon monoxide (CO) is generated in incomplete combustion processes. In households the main sources are all kinds of fuel burners (fuel oil, wood, natural gas, coal etc.) and automotive exhaust gas. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and invisible gas, and, due to its affinity to hemoglobin, which is higher than that of oxygen, it reduces the blood s capacity to carry oxygen. Hence it is toxic, especially for unborn and small children as well as for the elderly or people with heart problems or anemia. Even small amounts of CO can be harmful. Tab. 5.6 gives an overview of the relation between CO concentration and the corresponding symptoms of intoxication. 

400 ppm Headache in the forehead after 1-2 hours, later throughout the head 

800 ppm Dizziness, nausea, convulsions in 45 min., unconciousness within 2 hours 

1600 ppm Dizziness, nausea and headache after 20 min., death within 2 hours 

3200 ppm Nausea, dizziness and headache after 5 to 10 min., death within 30 min. 

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Some application areas of gas sensors are described in chapter 5.3, including gas and fuel powered domestic burner control, air quality sensing, indoor detection of CO, and natural gas detection. Several further applications of gas sensors are still in the development stage, e.g. for cooking and frying control, or for controlling the self-cleaning procedure (pyrolysis) of ovens. 

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