System and method for multi-gas sensing at several operating temperatures

A gas sensor system for multi-gas analysis of a fluid sample, comprising:

• a gas sensing element configured to operate at multiple temperatures and to contact the fluid sample;
• a heating element coupled to the gas sensing element and configured to heat the gas sensing element;
• a heater controller operatively coupled to the heating element and configured to control the heating element to heat the gas sensing element to each of the multiple temperatures while the gas sensing element contacts the fluid sample;
• a measurement circuit operatively coupled to the gas sensing element and configured to provide dielectric excitation to, and to measure dielectric excitation responses of, the gas sensing element while the gas sensing element is heated to each of the multiple temperatures and contacts the fluid sample, wherein the measured dielectric excitation responses provide enhanced differentiation between at least two gases and improved response linearity to the at least two gases in the fluid sample as compared to resistance responses of the gas sensing element when contacting the fluid sample at each of the multiple temperatures;
• and
• a data processing unit, comprising:
• a memory configured to store program instructions;
• and
• an on-board data processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the measurement circuit, wherein the on-board data processor is programmed to execute the program instructions to receive, from the measurement circuit, the dielectric excitation responses of the gas sensing element at each of the multiple temperatures while the gas sensing element contacts the fluid sample in real-time.