An Arduino-Based Butane Leak Detection System With Automated Ventilation and Internet of Things (IoT) Mobile...

Residential gas leaks remain a widespread household safety concern worldwide. These leaks can cause explosions, air pollution, and fires, which result from incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion produces a by-product, that is, carbon monoxide, which can spread in a matter of minutes and reach high concentrations in seconds. Conventional preventive measures, such as manual regulators and periodic maintenance, are insufficient against sudden hose ruptures or regulator failures. This experiment validates a solution to this problem of harmful gas accumulation by utilizing a combined approach of prompt detection and elimination of leaked gas using MQ gas sensors, automatic servo-controlled exhaust fans, and automated window actuators. The testing included a standard pressurized butane gas canister, which was sprayed onto the MQ-6 sensor as well as the MQ-4 and MQ-2 gas sensors in a controlled environment. An Arduino Wi-Fi microcontroller (Monza, Italy) was used to integrate Wi-Fi connectivity with the countermeasures, which consisted of a DC motor-powered fan, as well as a light-emitting diode (LED) and a buzzer. These were used to mitigate any additional effects of the gas leak. The system components were installed within and along the frame of a model house to simulate a residential environment. To test the system, a pressurized can of butane was used to simulate the conditions of air quality after a gas leak. Results clearly indicated that the MQ gas sensors were reliable gas sensors for detecting gas leaks and the integration of both physical countermeasures and an online-based Internet of Things (IoT) alarm system was effective in warning of gas leaks and mitigating any additional effects.