Gas sensor, method of manufacturing the same, and gas sensor system using the gas sensor

Abstract

A gas sensor which can detect the concentration of a combustible gas component in a measurement gas with high accuracy even when the oxygen concentration of the measurement gas or the element temperature changes and which has an excellent response in detecting the combustible gas component is disclosed. In a gas sensor , the oxygen concentration of a measurement gas is adjusted to a predetermined level within a first processing space through operation of a first oxygen pump element . The measurement gas having an adjusted oxygen concentration is then introduced into a second processing space , where a combustible gas component is burned through the assistance of electrodes and functioning as oxidation catalyst sections. Constant voltage is applied to a combustible gas component concentration detection element . In this state, when the amount of oxygen changes due to the combustion of the combustible gas component, the output current of the combustible gas component concentration detection element changes with change in the amount of oxygen. Therefore, information regarding the combustible gas component concentration of the original measurement gas can be obtained from the value of the output current. Further, oxygen required to burn the combustible gas component within the second processing space is supplemented by a second oxygen pump element . Unlike conventional apparatuses, no feedback system is used, and a variation in the concentration of the combustible gas component appears directly as a variation in the current of the combustible gas component concentration detection element . Therefore, a high detection response is obtained.