Infineon starts production of new XENSIV PAS CO2 sensor for better air-quality measurement

Infineon Technologies AG has announced that it is now starting the production of its new XENSIV PAS CO2 sensor to address the growing demand for innovative CO2 sensors that can be used to monitor indoor air quality and reduce energy costs.

The suitable applications for the said sensor include ventilation, air conditioning systems, portable room air monitoring devices, and smart speakers. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the XENSIV PAS CO2 sensor received the CES 2022 Innovation Award Honoree in the “Smart Cities” category.

The XENSIV PAS CO2 sensor is based on the innovative PAS technology (photoacoustic spectroscopy). The method enables highly efficient measurement with a very small footprint. The sensor is less than a quarter of the size of conventional CO2 NDIR sensors, and the only sensor this size that meets the title 24 requirements in California.

“Demand for good air quality is growing. Not only because of legislative regulations but due to the growing awareness of this issue among the population. With its new CO2 sensor, Infineon provides a top solution with outstanding performance that is smaller and easier to integrate than other products currently on the market,” said Andreas Urschitz, President of the Power & Sensor Systems Division at Infineon. “This sensor will be used wherever there are people gathering in one space, such as classrooms, offices, restaurants and in the home. We look forward to offering the sensors to our direct customers and distributors starting in mid-January.”

Through its use in air conditioning systems or in air quality monitors, the new sensor allows targeted control of the air quality. This method contributes to health and well-being and also improves productivity. According to scientific findings, a CO2 concentration of just 1,000 ppm (parts per million) can cause drowsiness and affect concentration.

High-quality air also helps combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports have shown that there is a direct correlation between CO2 and aerosol concentrations – one of the transmission routes for viruses (such as COVID-19 or influenza). That means with a reliable CO2 concentration measurement indoors, it could also actively reduce the risk of virus transmission with timely impact and cross ventilation, for example.

The use of CO2 sensors can also save energy with reliable data on the CO2 concentration in the room to control the ventilation time in classrooms, offices, restaurants, and in the home. This reduces the operating costs for ventilation systems when they are used in an on-demand manner, using the sensor data.

Infineon started producing the CO2 sensors in December 2021. Direct customers and distributors can order the sensor from Infineon beginning in mid-January 2022. For more information, visit https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/sensor/co2-sensors/.