Posted by Thierry Page on Sun, May 26, 2013 @ 08:01 AM
Installation of a network of electronic noses combined to atmospheric dispersion software at a Municipal Solid Waste management site made it possible to validate the capability of such a system to provide an objective quantification, in real time, of the odor perceived by the neighbours. The site located in southern France included a sludge composting area and a landfill site, both generating odor emissions. It comprises four reception racks for the fresh sludge, a mixing area, a fermentation area and a maturation area.
Three electronic noses were positioned at the site in order to measure continuously the emissions of the three major odor sources: the windrows of the composting area, the fresh sludge storage area and the municipal solid waste of the landfill site.
The odor concentrations predicted by the odor monitoring system were compared with the responses of an odor observer committee that recorded the malodorous events perceived in the neighbourhood of the solid waste management site.
The observation results from the residents were compiled according to two criteria: the character (or type) of the odor and the level. The project ran from October 23 to February 25 the following year. For the 12 participating residents, a total of 10,056 observation data were recorded.
The comparison of these two groups of data showed that the odor monitoring system was able to evaluate the level of nuisances felt by the neighbours. When malodorous events were filed by the members of the committee, the electronic nose system had predicted significant odor levels.
Correlations could then be developed between the observations of the residents and the predictions of the odor monitoring system. The mean level of the neighbourhood exposure to odor-generating observations by the members of the committee was evaluated at 4.5 ou/m3.
This project was supported by the ADEME (French Env. Agency) in association with INERIS and conducted by AIRFOBEP.
Posted by Thierry Page on Fri, May 17, 2013 @ 12:06 PM
For 45 years, WasteExpo has been North America's largest solid waste and recycling tradeshow serving both the private and public sectors. This year Waste expo New Orleans innovates with a all-new Composting and Organics Recycling Conference Track.
Odotech is proud to present at the this Waste Expo’s 1st Annual Organics Recycling and Composting Conference Program | May 20-23, 2013 | New Orleans
We especially invite you to attend Tuesday, May 21 1:45 - 3:00 p.m. the session on Odor Control and Monitoring at Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Facilities and Landfills, Best Management Practices for Worker Health and Safety
- Developing a Composting Facility with Effective Odor Control.
- Odor Monitoring for Anaerobic Digestion, Composting and Landfills.
- Worker Safety and Health at Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Facilities
Come visit us at our booth 3303. Andrew Cowell (514 867-9558) will be galde to introduce you to our new OdoWatch version 4 for smart odor monitoring. Also featuring for the first time new smartphone app for odor recording enabling you to work with your community.
Posted by Thierry Page on Wed, May 08, 2013 @ 03:37 PM
Off-site odor episodes related to industrial or municipal activities can be generated by operational events or meteorological conditions from several sources. Traditionally, two techniques are used in odor monitoring: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and olfactometry. By using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique, the identification and/or quantification of molecules that form part of the odor can be performed, but no information about odor character can be acquired. By using a sensory analysis, such as olfactometry, the overall sensation of the odor is evaluated, and odor concentration can be determined and quantified.
These two techniques are complementary and can yield important information about the odorous atmosphere. However, they are expensive, utilize costly and bulky equipment and require lengthy analysis and they do not allow continuous monitoring. Odors can be episodic and are difficult to track off-site because of the constant changes of wind direction that causes odor plume meandering.
Odor monitoring systems are tools that enable to track in real-time, 24/7, odor emissions and the plumes from various facilities. They combine electronic noses that can analyze the air for odors, using array of gas sensors that mimic the behavior of human olfaction.
The electronic noses are positioned near the odor sources on a site and they communicate with each other over a wireless network, which also includes a weather station that monitors temperature, wind speed & direction, and other meteorological parameters that could affect the dispersion of odors. All this information is fed into a central computer that analyzes the data and then generates a map of the real-time odor plume, overlaid on a map of the site and the surrounding area.
Electronic Noses and Sensors
The Electronic nose allows continuous monitoring of volatile compounds. These electronic noses incorporate three elements: an odor sensor array, a data pre-processor and a data interpretation engine.
The detection system of the electronic noses, which consists of a sensor set, is the "reactive" part of the instrument. When in contact with volatile compounds, the sensors react by changing electrical properties.
Electronic noses have been applied in numerous fields. The electronic nose has been extensively used in laboratories and research programs of many types. Most applications have been in the food industry but, recently, other activities, such as environmental monitoring and medical diagnosis, have been studied. Examples of applications using an electronic nose conducted in environmental monitoring are: the assessment of odors from livestock waste, the monitoring of wastewater quality or the identification of malodorous sources, the monitoring of odor emissions from wastewater treatment plants, composting and landfill sites.
For environmental monitoring applications, the use of Metal Oxide Semiconductors Sensors (MOS) is preferred. They are nonspecific, meaning that each sensor reacts to several compounds or molecules rather than to just one. The objective is for each of an electronic nose’s different sensors is to react in its own way to the gases present. It is the totality of the responses that enables the individual electronic nose to identify the odor fingerprint and odor concentration.
The gas sensors used in the gas detection chamber electronic nose are doped SnO2-type sensors. Large number of sensors (15 for example) enables to select them for their particular sensitivity to a given classes of odorant gases that are perceived by the human nose: alcohols, aldehydes and ketones (e.g. acetaldehyde), carboxylic acids and fatty acids (e.g. butyric acid), amines (including NH3, R·NH2, indole, methylamine, etc), sulfurous-compounds (including H2S, DMS, DMDS, Mercaptans, etc.), aromatics (BTEX, terpenes, etc.).
Electronic noses must at the outset be calibrated to the characteristic odors to be monitored to quantify them.
This calibration occurs in three stages:
- Odor samples from the sources to monitor are collected on site.
- The samples are subjected to olfactometric analysis (human panel) to define the odor concentration of the sample.
- The electronic noses are exposed to the same samples and their responses are compared with the results of the analysis. The correlation is then established between the two via a statistical non-linear multivariable calculation.
Donwload our White Paper to learn more about the Principles of Electronic Noses.
Posted by Alyssa Wolfe on Sat, Mar 02, 2013 @ 07:47 AM
Our Odor Experts will be on the floor showcasing unique Electronic Nose technology at the International Water Association (IWA) and Biofiltration Conference - a forum for the managment of environmental odors, air emissions, volatile compounds, and greenhouse gases.
5th IWA Specialized Conference on Odors and Air Emissions Jointly Held With 10th Conference on Biofiltration for Air Pollution Control
4-7 March 2013 San Francisco, California, USA
Odors and Air Emissions – Odors, VOCs, GHGs, and carbon emissions, control techniques, sampling, dispersion, modelling, measurements, strategies, planning and impacts
Biofiltration –Development and fundamental principles of biofilters, biotrickling filters, and other emerging bioreactors for odors, air or gas treatment
Expertise in odor, air emissions, sampling, measurement, odor control operations/maintenance, and biofiltration will be exchanged and shared at the show.
We, along with our Solution Partner KRUGER (a subsidiary of VEOLIA) will be at Booth #200 ready to show and discuss the advantages of deploying an Odor Monitoring and Tracking system.
The highlight of the conference is that our top industry experts have been invited to present: Thierry Pagé - Odotech CEO & President; Raymond Porter - Odotech Senior Odor Expert.
CEO Thierry Pagé will be presenting on March 5th at 2pm, on the installation of a continuous electronic nose odor montoring system in the city of Agadir, Morocco.
The city of Agadir is Morocco's flagship tourist destination thanks to its long beaches of fine golden sand, pleasant climate throughout the year. It also has a port infrastructure and strong industry of seafood processing that becomes the major source of wealth for the city while unfortunately often being implicated as the source of odors.
By combining meteorological data with readings by electronic noses, the system implemented uses dispersion modeling and displays the odor plume which allows real-time monitoring of the odor levels of the city center and the tourist area, enabling the identification of sources responsible for odors while receiving alerts to odor incidents that have been confirmed by a companion questionnaire from nearby residents.
Senior Odor Expert, Ray Porter, will present on March 6th at 10am, on "The New Arithmetic of Odor: Non-Additive Plume Superposition in Continuous Multiple Source Emission Dispersion Monitoring".
His seminar will focus on the differentiating aspects of multiple source odor plume superposition. When using atmospheric odor dispersion modeling on multiple sources, the usual assumption is to consider that the plumes are additive. This approach is reasonable when the mass of conservative, non-reactive compounds are added to meet a compound specific standard. If a single odorant is being considered, such as hydrogen sulphide, and it is being compared concentration based standard.
In the assessment of odor impacts, the addition of odor concentrations from different odor sources is still the common practice. Knowing that there could be partial additions, synergies or inhibition of the blended odor emissions, the impact of the additivity assumption on the predicted plume extents is of interest. Different odorants may define the odor intensity from different odor sources. Combining the different chemical mixtures may not result in a linear, additive result. Combining controlled mixtures of odors from various sources would be evaluated by olfactometric analysis. A matrix of sources and mixing ratios would be evaluated. The data would be analyzed to determine whether the combine odor samples follow linear, logarithmic or non-linear trends.
The two topics being presented will be popular to attend and we recommend that you get there early to ensure a good seat!
Visit Thierry, Ray or Sharon at our Booth #200. We will be happy to show a "Live demo" of a working Odor Monitoring system complete with Odor Dispersion Modeling.
The 5th IWA Conference on Odors and Air Emissions is taking place in San Francisco CA, from March 4-7th, 2013.
Posted by Alyssa Wolfe on Thu, Feb 21, 2013 @ 02:17 PM
A few weeks ago, Montreal experienced the longest cold wave of the past decade. The mercury dropped below -25C /-13F every day for a week. With the wind chill factor the temperatures plummeted down to -37C /-35F!
It was quite a test of willpower for the City of Montreal’s installation of electronic noses at their composting facility. The system also recently breezed thru the largest snow storm ever recorded in Montreal during the Christmas holidays.
Thankfully the serious amount of shovelling required helped burn off some of the much needed calories from countless turkey dinners!
What stands out here is that Odotech has spent years to develop an extremely rugged and robust solution suitable to all climates.
The system's technology consists of electronic noses containing heating and cooling technologies that provide accurate measurements in all climates. We have patented and patent pending solutions enabling high quality results in a broad spectrum of humidity and temperature conditions.
With over 90 installations in all ranges of climates over the past 12 years, the electronic noses can survive all conditions: from the extreme Canadian cold, to desert heat waves in Nevada and Arizona hitting more than 54C/130F. We also have fail-safe systems running in the extremely corrosive Atacama Desert in Chile alongside the Pacific Ocean, for the past 4 years. The salt, sand and acid industrial emissions create very aggressive environmental conditions and the electronic noses persevered through it all.
We arre also proud that in 2011, our electronic noses at the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, survived Hurricane Irene without even a blink.
Snow, cold, heat, dust, salt water, humidity...
Humidity and temperature fluctuations are the worst enemies for the Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor Sensors. Our references in the UK and French Brittany are regularly exposed to fog and mist with 100% humidity and have had trouble-free systems for years. The fact is that we finely control the two interfering variables to manage the full-force that Mother Nature hits us with. No matter what weather curveball is thrown, the lab conditions are always consistent inside our electronic noses.
We are proud to offer proven solutions that provide reliable monitoring for all potential climate conditions.
Please contact us for more info and click below for a free quote from us!
Posted by Alyssa Wolfe on Mon, Feb 18, 2013 @ 03:39 PM
NEWS RELEASE
February 18, 2013 - Montréal, Canada – Odotech Inc. (www.odotech.com), a smart odor tracking and monitoring company, announced today that Mr. Raymond Porter has been appointed to the position of Knowledge Leader. He brings extraordinary expertise in the field of environmental odor to help guide and accelerate the company’s success in the odor management market.
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“With its game-changing electronic nose, Odotech has set a new standard in odor management solutions. OdoWatch - a dynamic odor monitoring and forecasting solution, solves long-standing problems that have plagued plant operators,” says Ray Porter. |
“Joining Odotech is an incredible opportunity for me to use my knowledge to reach new heights in solutions to odor problems, while offering massive cost savings for clients,” he adds.
Ray Porter brings more than 30 years of technical knowledge and experience to a diverse team of people committed to developing odor management solutions with the goal of improving the quality of life while optimizing the limited resources. Ray has served as a national technical resource for odor impact assessments and odor control projects. He has directed studies of odor emissions from wastewater treatment plants, compost facilities and solid waste management facilities. Ray has directed comprehensive air quality modeling analyses for power plants, petrochemical facilities and industrial plants to demonstrate compliance with applicable regulatory standards and limits. He has directed air sampling and ambient air monitoring studies for several clients. Ray has contributed to technical manuals of practice that address odor emissions and air quality compliance at wastewater treatment plants, he has also authored numerous papers and technical reports on odor assessment and control, as well as in other fields of expertise.
As an internationally well respected expert in the field of Odors, he was Chair of the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Air Quality and Odor Control Committee. He is currently a member of several professional association committees. “The best part of involvement, for me, is really just being able to share my knowledge with other professionals. Not only teaching the skills and science of odor control and compliance, but also collaborating with other professionals from across North America and around the world,” said Porter.
Ray’s career has been spent at well-respected international consulting firms (CH2M HILL, WESTON Solutions, AECOM, CDM). He holds a Master of Science Environmental Engineering — Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science, Meteorology—University of Lowell (University of Massachusetts – Lowell).
In this new position for Odotech, Ray will work with several teams providing knowledge, support and advice to various team members. Ray will have an active external role to engage dialog, promote and advocate for odor management solutions with customers and various stakeholders, in order to accelerate market penetration and technology adoption.
“We are thrilled to have Ray join our team, “says Thierry Pagé, Odotech CEO. “His expertise will help us better understand the needs of the industries we service. His technical knowledge will help us throughout the world by providing additional value to our clients and partners.”
About Odotech Inc.
ODOTECH is a leading provider of real-time smart odor management solutions for odor-emitting process industries. Founded in 1998, the company pioneered OdoWatch® electronic nose for continuous odor monitoring, enabling organizations for the first time to See, Track and Control odors before they create a problem in the neighborhood. With over 500 customers throughout the world ODOTECH has established a global presence and continues to lead the way in the real-time odor management solutions market.
Posted by Thierry Page on Sun, Jan 27, 2013 @ 08:24 AM
Odors represent a growing concern for the organic waste industry. In general, nuisance odors can lower quality of life as they are the main perception of pollution (with dust and noise). As a matter of fact, 70% of air quality complaints are related to odors and they are a growing concern as cities encroach on plants.
Composting and anaerobic digestion plant managers have to deal with multiple odor emission sources
- Transport to site (route to site, waiting queue to reception)
- Reception of material
- Pre-treatment of material (bag opening, mechanical separation, mixing/homogenization)
- Transportation on-site
- Treatment process releases (composting, digestion, drying, etc.)
- Building envelope releases (fugitives)
- Biogas fugitive emissions
- Waste material and by-products management
- Waste water ponds
- Leachate accumulations
- Screening and blending
- Finished products management
The costs of dealing with odors are on the rise. Forced shutdowns, revoked or refused permits, fines and penalties, lawsuits and lawyers, massive investment in technology upgrades, daily operation & consumables costs and fraught relations with neighbouring residents are some good examples of this trend.
To address this situation, there is a need to understand the emission footprint of the facility, monitor sources for odors and develop an internal odor expertise (emission, control, dispersion, perception, etc.).
The USCC Composting Council’s Annual Conference hosts the largest trade show for the composting and organics recycling industry. The 21st Annual Conference and Tradeshow will be January 28-31 in Orlando, Florida at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel and Spa. The four-day event consists of a conference, trade show and culminates with live equipment demonstrations at the Orange County Landfill and Composting Facility.
Visit Odotech at booth #506, to see a functional model of the OdoWatchcomplete odor monitoring solution using eNose technology, for the composting industry. With over 40 references in this industry, Andrew Cowell, North American Sales Manager, will be present to answer your questions about OdoWatch and why Odotech is a leader in real-time smart odor management solutions for the composting industry.
Posted by Thierry Page on Fri, Dec 21, 2012 @ 03:27 PM
Happy holiday season filled with joy and good smells
Posted by Marvin Garellek on Thu, Nov 22, 2012 @ 03:21 PM
Movember is all about bringing back the moustache, having fun and doing it for a serious cause; men's health, specifically prostate cancer and male mental health. Mo Bros commit to growing a moustache for the 30 days of Movember, and in doing so become walking and talking billboards for the cause. The moustache is the symbol that generates conversations, awareness and raises funds for men's health.
Led by a few passionate Odo Mo Bros & Odo Mo Sistas at Odotech's office in Montreal, Odotech has comitted to donate $2 per day for every OdoMoBro employee that keeps his moustache.
Using http://ca.Movember.com, Odotech employees are able to login, upload photos, track the amazing progress of their OdoMoBro colleagues and leave messages of support & encouragement.
Support our OdoStache Team for Movember http://ca.movember.com/team/721097
Posted by Marvin Garellek on Thu, Nov 08, 2012 @ 09:59 PM
The 34th Merit Prize Gala of the Polytechnique Montréal Alumni Association honored three of its members. Thierry Pagé, President and CEO of Odotech won the Technology Innovation Award, Pierre Dufour, Co-CEO of the Air Liquide Group received the 2012 Merit Award and the Student Award went to David Banville, a recent graduate in engineering physics.
The 2012 Technology Innovation Award presented to Thierry Pagé embodies the pursuit of excellence especially with an international impact. Technological innovation must be concrete and have a social and economic impact as well as create jobs. The recipient must have the audacity to fight through adversity. Past winners were Luc Ouellet, CTO of Teledyne DALSA Semiconductor (2011); Jacques D. L'Écuyer, President of 5N Plus inc. (2010); Fassi Kafyeke, Director of Strategic Technology for Bombardier Aerospace (2009) and Germain Lamonde, founder and CEO of EXFO (2008).
''École Polytechnique is one of the most important research and engineering teaching institutions in Canada. It is a great honor to receive this award from my peers and I would like to thank the Polytechnique Montréal Alumni Association. Our innovations are the fruits of many collaborations. These recognition is shared with the entire Odotech team, our commercial partners and investors as well as our clients across the globe.’’ said Thierry Pagé.
''Odotech was a pioneer in 1998 and is still going strong in 2012. Odotech is active on all continents and 90 % of its sales are international. Its electronic noses are exported to more than 20 countries and have a presence in more than 60 countries through its distribution network. The solution, named OdoWatch® has real value and benefits for society. Thanks to this innovation, many industrial sites around the world have reduced their odour nuisance in their communities. And every time that an industrial site reduces its odor, there are hundreds and even thousands of citizens that see an improvement in their quality of life.’’ declared Christophe Guy, Chief Executive Officer, Polytechnique Montréal
About the Polytechnique Montréal Alumni Association
The Polytechnique Montréal Alumni Association was created to bring together the institution's graduates in the interests of fostering friendly and professional relations. With some 29,000 graduates active in every area of industry around the world, the alumni association promotes its members' interests and those of Polytechnique Montréal.
About Polytechnique Montréal
Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montréal is one of Canada's leading engineering university institutions in terms of both teaching and research. It is also the largest engineering university in Québec for the size of its student body and the scope of its research activities. With over 40,000 graduates, Polytechnique Montréal has trained nearly 24% of the current members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Polytechnique provides training in 15 engineering specialties, has 242 professors and over 7,100 students. It has an annual operating budget of more than $200 million, in addition to a $72-million research fund.
École Polytechnique’s press
release: http://www.polymtl.ca/carrefour/article.php?no=4003