Identification of combustible gas species via pulsed operation of a combustible gas sensor

A method of operating a combustible gas sensor having a first sensing element including a catalyst and a heating element and electronic circuitry in operative connection with the heating element of the first sensing element, comprising:

• changing a temperature of the first sensing element between a temperature above a temperature at which the catalyst is active to catalyze oxidative combustion of a plurality of different gas analytes of interest and a temperature at which the catalyst is substantially inactive to catalyze oxidative combustion of the plurality of different gas analytes of interest via the electronic circuitry, determining a species of at least one of the different gas analytes of interest from a first, dynamic output of the combustible gas sensor while the temperature of the first sensing element is changing, and determining a concentration of the species of the at least one of the plurality of different gas analytes of interest from a second output of the combustible gas sensor.

A method of identifying a species of at least one of a plurality of different gas analytes of interest;

• comprising changing a temperature of a first sensing element including a catalyst and having a thermal time constant less than 8 seconds between a temperature above a temperature at which the catalyst is active to catalyze oxidative combustion of the plurality of different gas analytes of interest and a temperature at which the catalyst is substantially inactive to catalyze oxidative combustion of the plurality of different gas analytes of interest via electronic circuitry of a combustible gase sensor and determining a species of at least one of the plurality of different gas analytes of interest from a dynamic output of the combustible gas sensor while the temperature of the first sensing element is changing.