Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Hirotoshi Inoue

Takashi Sasaki

Takashi Saito

Hidetoshi Oishi

A gas sensor includes a gas detection chamber into which a detection gas is introduced, a detecting element and a compensating element each disposed in the gas detection chamber, a detection device which detects the concentration of a detection target gas contained in the detection gas, in accordance with a difference in electrical resistance values between the detecting element and the compensating element, and a dehumidifying element which is provided in the gas detection chamber, and reversibly absorbs water contained in the detection gas and drains off the water absorbed in the dehumidifying element.

Gas sensor and control method therefor

The gas detecting system of the present invention is equipped with a catalytic combustion type gas sensorand a semiconductor type gas sensor, in a gas detecting systemhaving an operating sate in which generation of electricity is performed, and an idling state, at the time of the operating state, detection of the detection target gas is performed by the catalytic combustion type gas sensor, whereas at the time of the idling state, detection of the detection target gas is performed by the semiconductor type gas sensor

Gas detecting apparatus, gas detecting method and fuel cell vehicle

A control device determines whether or not the detected value of a unit conducting current output from a current sensor at least plural times is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit current at time of the start of the actuation of a gas sensor, and furthermore, determines that each of the units of the gas sensor is set in an abnormal state if a duration for a state in which it is determined that the detected value of the unit conducting current is equal to or greater than the predetermined upper limit current is equal to or longer than a predetermined upper limit time. On the other hand, if the duration for the state in which it is determined that the detected value of the unit conducting current is equal to or greater than the predetermined upper limit current is shorter than the predetermined upper limit time, it is determined that the detected value of the unit conducting current temporarily becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined upper limit current and each of the units is set in a normal state.

Control device used for a gas sensor

When the ignition switch of a vehicle is turned OFF, a purging process for increasing the flow of an off-gas fluidizing in each of the outlet side pipings of a fuel cell and discharging water remaining in a fuel cell system to an outside is started to be executed, and the amount of current conductance to the heater of the gas sensor is increased synchronously with the start of the execution of the purging process. With the completion of the purging process, the fluidization of the off-gas in each of the outlet side pipings stops, and the amount of current conductance to each of the units of the gas sensor (for example, an electrifying voltage) is gradually decreased depending on a predetermined current conductance reducing amount which is preset, thereby stopping the current conductance to each of the units and the amount of current conductance to the heater is gradually decreased, thereby stopping the current conductance to the heater.

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Utsunomiya, Japan

Hirotoshi Inoue