apparatus and method for determining a chemical element
First Claim
1. Method for determining a chemical element or a chemical compound in a gaseous medium that is supplied to a sensor for detecting a change in a reaction area, comprising applying or changing a control voltage (UC) at a moisture film over and/or in the reaction area to change the chemical composition in the reaction area of the sensor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Sensor for determining a chemical element and method for controlling such a sensor. The invention relates to a sensor (1) for determining a chemical element or a chemical compound (CO2) in a supplied gaseous medium with
- a reaction area (9), on and/or in which the element or the compound brings about a chemical reaction that changes a characteristic parameter (for example the work function), Version 3* of the reaction area (9),
- a sensor element (5) that is placed in the sensor (1) to detect the change in the characteristic parameter,
- a signal output (11) at which an output signal (UPS) corresponding to the chemical reaction detected by the sensor element can be detected as the measured variable, and
- a reaction control device (SC, 12) with an electrode system (10, 13) for applying a control voltage to affect a reaction in the reaction area (9).
To be able to use the sensor more variably and more reliably, it is proposed to produce a surface topology of such dimensions that during operation, a moisture film (16) of deposited ambient moisture continuously coats the surface area of both the electrode system and the reaction area. Possibilities in particular are correction of long-term changes from the influence of surrounding gases, checking probe functionality, and selective adjustment to measure given chemical variables.
21 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. Method for determining a chemical element or a chemical compound in a gaseous medium that is supplied to a sensor for detecting a change in a reaction area, comprising applying or changing a control voltage (UC) at a moisture film over and/or in the reaction area to change the chemical composition in the reaction area of the sensor.
-
7. Sensor for determining a chemical element or a chemical compound (CO2) in a supplied gaseous medium, the sensor comprising:
-
a reaction area, on and/or in which the element or the compound brings about a chemical reaction that changes a characteristic parameter of the reaction area, a sensor element that detects the change in the characteristic parameter, a signal output at which an output signal (UDS) corresponding to the chemical reaction detected by the sensor element can be detected as the measured variable, and a reaction control device with an electrode system for applying a control voltage to affect a reaction in the reaction area, and a surface topology/chemistry is provided of such dimensions/design that during operation a continuous moisture film of deposited moisture coats the surface area between at least two electrodes of the electrode system and the reaction area, and/or passes through the reaction area in this region. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification