Design and construction of a closed path eddy covariance system

• Main Author: Loo, Lian Kiat
• Other Authors: K Radhakrishnan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70858
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Carbon emission from peats in dense forests plays a significant role in altering the level of greenhouse gases (GHG) globally and possible restoration of this is of great importance. This project is based on the pilot study being conducted in Brunei Darussalam to investigate the movement and variation of carbon fluxes. Eddy Covariance has been a useful method to measure and quantify for carbon fluxes within the ecosystem. Many scientific institutions are using this method as well. However, it has always been a huge challenge for scientists to quantify for the accuracy of the flux data due to loss of Eddie fluctuations, and also the need for setting up precise equipment in order to obtain data of high accuracy with low error. Majority of the closed path eddy covariance setups are placed in nearer locations which are easily accessible and with the minority being setup in forested areas with limited power supply. The purpose of this report is to show the design of the system and how equipment and materials are selected taking into account the requirements of limited power consumption and low frequency attenuation. In order to have a higher accuracy of flux data reading, it is also recommended to have intake of airflow to be turbulent, having Reynolds number to be more than 2300, as it provides a good enough frequency response. However, air flow carries rotating eddies of different sizes at different heights. Small and fast rotating eddies dominates at lower heights while large but slower rotating eddies dominate at higher heights. Therefore, it is necessary to find out other methods to make airflow while meeting pressure and power constraints.