Shlipak Kyan Kuo, Probsdorfer Julian, L'Orange Christian
Department of Mechanical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, 633 Clark Street, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, 1374 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2025 Aug 4;25(15):4798. doi: 10.3390/s25154798.
Outdoor air pollution poses a major global health risk, yet monitoring remains insufficient, especially in regions with limited infrastructure. Solar-powered monitors could allow for increased coverage in regions lacking robust connectivity. However, reliable sample collection can be challenging with these systems due to extreme temperatures and insufficient solar energy. Proper planning can help overcome these challenges. Air Sampler Solar and Thermal Optimization for Reliable Monitoring (Air-STORM) is an open-source tool that uses meteorological and solar radiation data to identify temperature and solar charging risks for air pollution monitors based on the target deployment area. The model was validated experimentally, and its utility was demonstrated through illustrative case studies. Air-STORM simulations can be customized for specific locations, seasons, and monitor configurations. This capability enables the early detection of potential sampling risks and provides opportunities to optimize monitor design, proactively mitigate temperature and power failures, and increase the likelihood of successful sample collection. Ultimately, improving sampling success will help increase the availability of high-quality outdoor air pollution data necessary to reduce global air pollution exposure.
室外空气污染构成了重大的全球健康风险，但监测工作仍然不足，尤其是在基础设施有限的地区。太阳能监测器可以在缺乏强大网络连接的地区扩大覆盖范围。然而，由于极端温度和太阳能不足，使用这些系统进行可靠的样本采集可能具有挑战性。合理的规划有助于克服这些挑战。用于可靠监测的空气采样器太阳能和热力优化（Air-STORM）是一种开源工具，它利用气象和太阳辐射数据，根据目标部署区域识别空气污染监测器的温度和太阳能充电风险。该模型经过了实验验证，并通过实例研究证明了其效用。Air-STORM模拟可以针对特定地点、季节和监测器配置进行定制。这种能力能够早期发现潜在的采样风险，并提供机会优化监测器设计、主动减轻温度和电力故障影响，以及增加成功采集样本的可能性。最终，提高采样成功率将有助于增加高质量室外空气污染数据的可得性这些数据对于减少全球空气污染暴露至关重要。
