Gas and Particle Sensor Using Voltage and Current Behavior Between Electrodes During Glow-to-Arc Transition
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsMaher Abdulhamid Aldayeh, Imad Said Abdul-Khalek
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Abstract
A sensor for detecting properties of a gas, gas mixture, or a gas or gas mixture containing particles, all collectively referred to as a “gas”. A flow tube contains a pair of electrodes arranged such that at least a portion of the gas flows between the electrodes. A controller applies voltage to the electrodes and measures response data from the electrodes representing the voltage-current relationship between the electrodes while the gas is between the electrodes. Based on the response data, the controller determines a concentration of particles within the gas.
Claims15
A sensor for detecting properties of a gas or gas mixture containing particles, all collectively referred to as a “gas”, comprising:
- a flow tube;
- a pair of electrodes within the flow tube, arranged such that at least a portion of the gas flows between the electrodes;
- and
- a controller operable to apply voltage to the electrodes and to measure response data from the electrodes representing current between the electrodes while the gas is between the electrodes;
- wherein the controller is further operable to process the response data to determine a concentration of particles within the gas based on a voltage-current profile during a glow-to-arc transition prior to voltage breakdown.
A method of detecting properties of a gas or gas mixture containing particles, all collectively referred to as a “gas”, comprising:
- delivering the gas to a sensor comprising a flow tube, a pair of parallel plate electrodes within the flow tube, arranged such that at least a portion of the gas flows between the electrodes;
- applying voltage to the electrodes;
- varying the voltage applied to the electrodes;
- measuring response data from the electrodes representing the current between the electrodes while the gas is between the electrodes;
- processing the response data to determine a concentration of particles in the gas, based on a voltage-current profile during a glow-to-arc transition prior to voltage breakdown.
A vehicle emissions sensor for detecting properties of a gas or gas mixture containing particles, all collectively referred to as a “gas”, within the exhaust of a vehicle, comprising:
- a flow tube;
- a pair of electrodes within the flow tube, arranged such that at least a portion of the gas flows between the electrodes;
- and
- a controller operable to apply voltage to the electrodes and to measure response data from the electrodes representing the current between the electrodes while the gas is between the electrodes;
- wherein the controller is further operable to process the response data to determine a concentration of particles within the gas, based on a voltage-current profile during a glow-to-arc transition prior to voltage breakdown.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.