Micro fuel-cell oxygen gas sensor
AssigneeDelta F Corporation
InventorsJohn P. Gallagher, deceased, Robert J. Masi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An oxygen sensor for measuring oxygen in the ppb range. The sensor comprises an electrochemical cell. The oxygen is metered to the cathode based on gaseous phase diffusion to provide a measurement proportional to volumetric concentration. Hydrogen is metered to the anode in an amount in excess of the oxygen being reduced at the cathode. A current is generated which is linear to the volumetric concentration of the oxygen in the sample gas. The concentration of the oxygen is measured based on the current generated.
Claims24
A method for measuring the amount of oxygen in a gas which includes:
- establishing in an electrolyte an electrolytic path between sensing electrodes comprising a cathode and an anode;
- flow the gas to the cathode;
- metering the oxygen to the cathode based on gaseous phase diffusion to provide a measurement proportional to volummetric concentration;
- reducing the oxygen at the cathode to form hydroxyl ions;
- placing hydrogen in contacting relationship with the anode;
- and
- oxidizing the hydrogen at the anode to form water and to establish a current which current is linear to the volummetric concentration of the oxygen reduced at the cathode;
- and
- measuring the oxygen reduced.
A method for measuring the amount of an analyte in a gas which includes:
- establishing in an electrolyte an electrolytic path between sensing electrodes;
- flowing the gas to a sensor electrode catalytically specific to the analyte;
- metering the gas to an electrode catalytically specific to the analyte based on gaseous phase diffusion to provide a measurement proportional to volummetric concentration;
- converting the analyte to a non ionic species;
- establishing a current in the electrolyte which is linear to the volummetric concentration at which the analyte is converted to a non ionic species in the sample gas;
- metering oxygen to the other electrode to form an ionic species, the oxygen maintained in excess relative to the analyte being oxidized;
- and
- measuring the current generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.