Method of measuring the partial pressure of a gas

• US 3,149,921 A
• Filed: 07/20/1961
• Issued: 09/22/1964
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1961
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold Warner
• Original Assignee: Harold Warner
• Inventors: HAROLD WARNER
• Application Number:
  US04/125,592
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• US Class Current: 205/782.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/404 Cells with anode, cathode and cell electrolyte on the same side of a permeable membrane which separates them from the sample fluid , e.g. Clark-type oxygen sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/209163 Dissolved or trace oxygen or oxygen content of a sealed environment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/22 Hydrogen, per se

Claims

1. THE METHOD OF MEASURING THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF A CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF:

PROVIDING A FUEL CELL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE SAID CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS AT A FIRST ELECTRODE AND TO RECEIVE AT A SECOND ELECTRODE SEPARATED FROM THE FIRST ELECTRODE BY AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE BARRIER A REACTANT ADAPTED TO REACT STOICHIOMETRICALLY WITH THE SAID CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS WITH PRODUCTION OF AN EQUIVALENT FLOW OF ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRODES;

PROVIDING THE SAID REACTANT AT THE SAID SECOND ELECTRODE AT A RATE IN EXCESS OF THE RATE OF CONSUMPTION OF THE SAID REACTANT AT THE HIGHEST PARTIAL PRESSURE OF THE SAID CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS TO BE MEASURED;

PROVIDING BETWEEN THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRODES A PATH FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT OF RESISTANCE SUFFICIENTLY LOW NOT TO LIMIT THE FLOW OF CURRENT BETWEEN THE SAID ELECTRODES AT A PARTIAL PRESSURE OF THE SAID CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS TO BE MEASURED;

APPLYING THE SAID CHEMICALLY ACTIVE GAS AT THE SAID FIRST ELECTRODE, AT A PARTIAL PRESSURE TO MEASURED;

MEASURING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT IN THE SAID PATH AS A MEASURE OF THE SAID PARTIAL PRESSURE.