A smart solution for preventing hazardous explosions caused by leaking cooking gas

The use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking is confronted with the major challenge of hazardous explosions caused by leakages. Previous efforts in solving the problem of gas leakages have been focused on reinforcing the strength of gas cylinders and the implementation of gas leakage detectors to alert the users of leakages promptly through warning alarms and short message service (SMS). These solutions fall short when there is nobody around to turn off the gas cylinder even when there is a detected leakage. In this study, we identified the need to automatically and immediately turn off the gas cylinder once a gas leakage is detected as a solution towards averting the hazardous explosion of cooking gas. A mechanical switch activated by a solenoid is connected to two MQ-5 gas sensors through a microcontroller in such a manner that the switch automatically disconnects the gas cylinder supply once a leakage is detected. The device also monitors temperature; triggers alarm and sends SMS to enrolled users upon detection of a leakage. The response and recovery time of the gas detector was evaluated to validate its reliability. The developed device is economically viable in low income countries of Sub-Saharan Africa for safety.