Device for ascertaining a measure of a caloric value of a gas
AssigneeContinental Automotive GmbH
InventorPhillippe Grass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for ascertaining a measure of a calorific value of a gas, having a membrane arranged between a first and a second electrode a controllable voltage/current source for generating a control voltage/current between the first and second electrode, and an analyzing device for ascertaining the measure of the calorific value of the gas. By applying the control voltage/current to the first and second electrode, oxygen is transported from an oxygen-containing reference gas into the gas through the membrane and is combusted with combustible components of the gas. The analyzing device ascertains the measure of the calorific value of the gas dependent on the generated control voltage/current a temperature of the membrane, or dependent on an impedance of the membrane.
Claims15
A device that ascertains a measure of a calorific value of a gas that has combustible components, comprising:
- a diaphragm having a first side and a second side that is different than the first side and configured to transport oxygen above a threshold value of a temperature;
- a heating apparatus configured to heat the diaphragm;
- a first electrode arranged on the first side of the diaphragm in a first environment that contains the gas;
- a second electrode arranged on the second side of the diaphragm in a second environment that contains a reference gas, which is different than the gas, with oxygen;
- one of a controllable voltage and a controllable current source for generating a respective control voltage or a control current between the first electrode and second electrode for controlling the transporting of the oxygen through the diaphragm;
- and
- an evaluation apparatus configured to ascertain the measure of the calorific value of the gas;
- wherein the one of the controllable voltage and the controllable current source generates the respective control voltage or control current such that such a quantity of oxygen is transported through the diaphragm as a function of a level of the control voltage or the control current that the combustible components of the gas burn,
- wherein the evaluation apparatus ascertains the measure of the calorific value of the gas as a function of one of a level of a temperature of the diaphragm and an impedance of the diaphragm.
A method for ascertaining a measure of a calorific value of a gas that has combustible portions, comprising:
- providing a device for ascertaining a calorific value of a gas having a diaphragm having a diaphragm having a first side and a second side that is different than the first side and configured to transport oxygen above a threshold value of a temperature, a heating apparatus configured to heat the diaphragm, a first electrode arranged on the first side of the diaphragm in a first environment that contains the gas;
- a second electrode arranged on the second side of the diaphragm in a second environment that contains a reference gas, which is different than the gas, with oxygen, one of a controllable voltage and a controllable current source for generating a respective control voltage or a control current between the first electrode and second electrode for controlling the transporting of the oxygen through the diaphragm, and an evaluation apparatus;
- arranging the device such that the first electrode is arranged in the first environment and the second electrode is arranged in the second environment;
- applying the respective control voltage or the control current between the first electrode and the second electrode with a level such that a quantity of oxygen is transported from the second environment through the diaphragm to the first environment such that the combustible portions of the gas burn;
- burning the oxygen in the first environment of the first electrode;
- acquiring the measure of the calorific value of the gas by evaluating one of a level of the temperature of the diaphragm or an impedance of the diaphragm during combustion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.