Hydrogen sensor, apparatus for measuring hydrogen concentration, and method for measuring hydrogen concentration
AssigneesAlps Electic Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsTakuo Ito, Yasuichi Ono, Toshiaki Konno, Yoshio Nuiya
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Abstract
A hydrogen sensor includes a hydrogen-absorbing material, a thermoelectric element, an electrical circuit for driving the thermoelectric element, a thermometer for the hydrogen-absorbing material, a temperature control circuit for maintaining the hydrogen-absorbing material at a constant temperature using the thermoelectric element, a unit for calculating the exothermic value of the hydrogen-absorbing material based on the electrical current flowing from the drive circuit, and a unit for calculating the hydrogen uptake of the hydrogen-absorbing material based on the exothermic value.
Claims6
A hydrogen sensor comprising:
- a hydrogen-absorbing material;
- a thermoelectric element that transfers heat to and from the hydrogen-absorbing material;
- an electrical circuit for driving the thermoelectric element;
- a thermometer for the hydrogen-absorbing material;
- a temperature control circuit for maintaining the hydrogen-absorbing material at a constant temperature by controlling electrical current flowing to the thermoelectric element;
- a unit for calculating the exothermic value of the hydrogen-absorbing material based on variations in the electrical current flowing from the drive circuit;
- and
- a unit for calculating the hydrogen uptake of the hydrogen-absorbing material based on the exothermic value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.