2018-2019 / GERE0036-1

Environmental metrology

Duration

24h Th, 24h Pr

Number of credits

 Bachelor in bioengineering4 crédits 

Lecturer

Benoît Mercatoris

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

In the frame of precision agriculture, the environmental metrology takes an important place. It allows monitoring the evolution of the environment in a reliable way, feeding the decision support systems and optimising the tools.
This course is about the study of the different components of an acquisition chain and the physical principles used within the sensors. The theoretical aspects linked to the statistical analysis of experimental data and to the signal treatment in the time and frequency domains are addressed. The main sensors encountered in environmental sciences and technologies are also described.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of the course, the students will have reached an intermediate level of skills in the following development step:
1) Designing and sizing equipment of monitoring and production in an agro-environmental context.
2) Choosing and sizing systems of purification, sanitation and production of renewable energy.
Furthermore, the course allows reaching a certificative level of skills:
1) Sizing a simple equipment on the basis of specifications using existing technical solutions.
2) Implementing the most used technics of measurements of fluxes between water, soil, fauna, flora and atmosphere. More particularly, after completing the course, the student is expected to:
1) Understand the different characteristics of sensors.
2) Analyse uncertainties in measurement.
3) Know about basic concepts in signal treatment.
4) Acquire a synthetic view of an acquisition chain and of its different elements.
5) Understand the physical principles of sensors.
6) Understand the main data acquistion systems used in a environmental and agricultural context.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The fundamental knowledge in mathematics, electricity and statistics are required.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The learning is divided into three narrowly connected activities using each of them a complementary teching method:
1) Face-to-face theoretical sessions (12x2h).
2) practical sessions in metrology lab (8x3h).
3) Distance-learning by means of exercices.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The course combines several modes of delivery: (i) the face-to-face mode in auditorium for the lectures, (ii) the face-to-face in groups for the labs and (iii) the distance-learning for the exercises.
The course is given in French and the material is in English.

Recommended or required readings

Kalantar-zadeh K., 2013. Sensors - An Introductory Course. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-5052-8.
Paolo Fornasini P., 2008. The Uncertainty in Physical Measurements. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-0-387-78650-6.
Di Paolo Emilio M., 2013. Data Acquisition Systems. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-4214-1.
Das A., 2012. Signal Conditioning - An Introduction to Continuous Wave Communication and Signal Processing. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-28818-0.
D'Antona G., Ferrero A., 2006. Digital Signal Processing for Measurement Systems. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/0-387-28666-7.
Fraden J., 2010. Handbook of Modern Sensors - Physics, Designs, and Applications. Springer. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4419-6466-3.

Assessment methods and criteria

FIRST SESSION
The basic knowledge required for the good proceedings of the lab are assessed through online tests before each practical session. The marking of the tests is based on a bonus-penalty system.
A written exam is organised in French and includes (i) a theoretical part without note for knowledge assessment and (ii) a practical part with notes for know-how assessment. The both parts are weighted 50-50.
The final mark of first session is the sum of the written exam and the lab bonus-penalty (+1/0/-1)
SECOND SESSION
In second session, only an oral exam in French is organised. The questions are similar to which of the first-session written exam.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Contacts

Benoît MERCATORIS
Biosystem Engineeting Department (BIOSE) / Precision agriculture
Building 2 (GR) ; Office 2-0-7 ; Tel +32 81 62 21 98
benoit.mercatoris@uliege.be