Sensor device for detection of dissolved hydrocarbon gases in oil filled high-voltage electrical equipment

A gas sensor device, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a catalytic metal gate-electrode deposited on the semiconductor substrate;
• an ohmic contact deposited on the semiconductor substrate;
• a passivation layer;
• and
• a heating mechanism;
• wherein the catalytic metal-gate electrode senses a gas;
• wherein the passivation layer increases the selectivity of the device to the gas;
• and, wherein the gas sensed comprises a dissolved hydrocarbon gas in transformer oil.

A method for sensing various gases, comprising:

• providing a sensor device, the sensor device comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes is operable for sensing a different gas;
• and
• an ohmic contact deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate;
• immersing the sensor device in an oil-filled environment;
• allowing the oil-filled environment to interact with the one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes;
• altering the various gases as they contact the catalytic metal gate-electrodes, the altering comprising at least one of atomically and molecularly altering chemical structure of the various gases;
• and
• altering a response of the sensor device.

A method for sensing gas in an oil-filled reservoir of electrical equipment, comprising:

• providing a sensor device, the sensor device comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes is operable for sensing a different gas;
• an ohmic contact deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate;
• a passivation layer operable for increasing the selectivity of the device to the gas;
• and a heating mechanism;
• immersing the sensor device in the oil-filled reservoir;
• allowing the oil to interact with the one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes;
• altering the gas as it contacts the catalytic metal gate-electrodes, the altering comprising at least one of atomically and molecularly altering chemical structure of the gas;
• and
• altering a response of the sensor device.

A method for sensing gas in an oil-filled reservoir of electrical equipment, comprising:

• providing a sensor device, the sensor device comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the one or more catalytic metal gate-electrodes is operable for sensing a different gas;
• an ohmic contact deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate;
• a passivation layer operable for increasing the selectivity of the device to the gas;
• a protective gate material which is porous to selected gases, and
• a heating element;
• immersing the sensor device in the oil-filled reservoir;
• allowing a selectively porous membrane material to allow only oil emitted gases to interact with the sensor;
• altering the gas as it contacts the catalytic metal gate-electrodes, the altering comprising at least one of atomically and molecularly altering chemical structure of the gas;
• and altering a response of the sensor device.