Source: Renesas Electronics Corporation

An advanced all-in-one sensor module designed by Renesas Electronics Corporation for indoor air quality monitoring integrates multiple sensor parameters in a compact design and accurately detects different particle sizes, volatile organic compounds and gases harmful to human health. With a Renesas microcontroller (MCU) on board, the RRH62000 module offers an intelligent sensor management solution for a growing market of air monitoring applications, including air purifiers, smoke detectors, HVAC systems, weather stations and smart home systems. Its robust firmware also enables customer products to comply with various air quality standards around the world.

The RRH62000 features one of the smallest footprints in its class of sensor modules, measuring only 46.6 mm x 34.8 mm x 12 mm. It packs Renesas’ RA Family MCU and seven sensor signals: the laser-based PM1/ 2.5/ 10 sensor, ZMOD4410 gas sensor and the HS4003 humidity and temperature sensor. Together, these sensors can detect particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), estimated carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity all in one system. All key components have been pre-integrated and fully calibrated at the factory, allowing developers to start their sensor system designs right out of the box.

Pollutants are typically six to 10 times more concentrated indoors than outdoors and include dust, paint fumes, smoke from cooking, pollen and particulates from HVAC filters, which can enter the respiratory system and cause lung damage, cancer and other health problems. To cope with these challenges, Renesas’ new sensor module is equipped to monitor a broad range of air quality conditions. Using laser-based technology, which offers higher precision compared to conventional LED methods, it can monitor concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 particulates — particles with diameters of 0.3 µm to 10 µm — as well as absolute or relative TVOC measurements in different power mode settings, providing the highest level of accuracy for these pollutants. The RRH62000 delivers seven sensor outputs simultaneously, and its onboard MCU allows the system to detect surrounding air quality data in real time.

The RRH62000 combo module comes with building standard firmware plus artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, which lets engineers configure the sensors to conform to the requirements of various green air quality standards in public buildings, such as The Well Building Standard (WELL), Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) and RESET. With these features, for example, a school in China can use the same hardware as one in the U.S. or another location and simply update the AI-enabled firmware for its needs.

Intelligent sensor devices, such as the Renesas RRH62000 and recently announced RRH46410 gas sensor module, can support demand-controlled ventilation, allowing HVAC systems to adjust airflow based on carbon dioxide levels and occupancy information to maintain optimal air quality and energy efficiency. Similarly, these modules use AI algorithms to predict when HVAC filters must be replaced or detect an anomaly before system failure occurs, significantly saving cost and time for system maintenance.

Renesas has combined the RRH62000 with numerous compatible devices from its portfolio to offer a wide array of winning combinations. This includes the In-home Air Quality Monitoring System and Air Quality Monitor (PM2.5) with Secure Cloud Connection, which combine the RRH62000 with the RA6M3 and RL78/G14 MCUs, and various power devices to enable cost-efficient, compact, modular solutions for modern appliances.