Sensor for Operational Control of Oxygen and Combustible Gases Concentration in Waste Gases of Thermal Units

Abstract

A new sensor has been developed for continuous monitoring of oxygen and combustible gases content in the waste gases of thermal units. The target application of the sensor is its installation in shunt pipes of thermal units, directly into the waste gas flow. The sensor is characterized by one reference gas electrode and three measuring electrodes applied on the surface of a solid electrolyte tube made of a zirconia electrolyte (e.g., 8YSZ). The reference gas electrode and one of the measuring electrodes were made of silver, the second measuring electrode was made of platinum, the third measuring electrode was made of a mixture of zinc oxide (95 wt %) and lanthanum-strontium manganite (5 wt %). The oxygen content in the gas mixture was determined by the well-known potentiometric method in accordance with the Nernst equation, i.e. an Ag|8YSZ|Ag electrochemical cell was used. To determine the products of incomplete combustion of fuel, the method of mixed potential between Pt- and Zn-based electrodes was used; the obtained potential value was determined by the difference in the oxidation rate of carbon monoxide as the main component of unburned fuels, on different materials of measuring electrodes. The experimental results of the sensor for the determination of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane in a gas mixture are presented.