Device for quickly sensing the amount of O.sub.2 in a combustion product gas

US4911890A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Jag J. Singh · Yorktown, US
• William T. Davis · Yorktown, US
• Richard L. Puster · Hampton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 1988
• Grant date: Mar 27, 1990
• Expiry date: Mar 9, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/218
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A sensing device 50 comprising an O.sub.2 sensor 22, a pump 37, a compressor 19, and a heater 21 is provided to quickly sense the amount of O.sub.2 in a combustion product gas. A sample of the combustion product gas is compressed to a pressure slightly above one atmosphere by compressor 19. Next, heater 21 heats the sample between 800.degree. C. and 900.degree. C. Next, pump 37 causes the sample to be flushed against electrode 32 located in O.sub.2 sensor 22 6000 to 10,000 times per second. Reference air at approximately one atmosphere is provided to electrode 31 of O.sub.2 sensor 22. Accordingly, O.sub.2 sensor 22 produces a voltage which is proportional to the amount of oxygen in the combustion product gas. This voltage may be used to control the amount of O.sub.2 entering into the combustion chamber 10 which produces the combustion product gas.