Gas Sensor with Porous Adsorption Material for Low-Temperature Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional humidity sensors face issues with high energy consumption, short lifespan, and low gas detection sensitivity at low temperatures, and are unable to detect inert gases due to reliance on electrical resistance changes and chemical reactions.
Innovation Solution
A gas sensor design featuring a heat-sensitive resistive element with a thermally coupled porous gas molecule adsorption material, such as zeolite or metal organic frameworks, and a thermistor, which maintains a constant temperature using a heating and/or cooling element, reducing heat capacity and enhancing sensitivity and thermal response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a metal resistance wire is heated to 300-500°C for humidity detection, then gas detection sensitivity is improved, but energy consumption increases and lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (300-500°C) to low temperature operation. This is achieved by using a different detection mechanism that does not require thermal heating of the sensing element, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining detection capability through alternative physical principles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal/mechanical heating system with an electrical field-based detection system. Instead of heating the metal resistance wire to detect gas molecules, the invention uses electrical field interactions with the sensing material, eliminating the need for high-temperature operation and associated energy consumption.
2Measurement precision
If a metal resistance wire is heated to 300-500°C for humidity detection, then gas detection sensitivity is improved, but lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating temperature parameter from high temperature (300-500°C) to low temperature operation. This temperature parameter change prevents thermal degradation of the sensing materials and structural components, thereby extending the operational lifespan of the sensor while maintaining detection sensitivity through alternative mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal heating system with an electrical field-based detection system, eliminating the high-temperature operational stress that causes material degradation and failure. This substitution directly addresses the lifespan issue by removing the primary stressor (thermal cycling and high-temperature exposure).
3Use of energy by moving object
If conventional humidity sensors are used at low temperature, then energy consumption is reduced, but gas detection sensitivity becomes low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-based detection mechanism with an electrical field-based mechanism that is effective at low temperatures. The sensing material's electrical properties change in response to gas molecule interactions, allowing sensitive detection without thermal heating, thus maintaining low energy consumption while achieving high sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite sensing materials that combine properties enabling low-temperature operation with high detection sensitivity. The composite structure allows the sensor to respond to gas molecules through electrical property changes rather than thermal effects, achieving both low energy consumption and high sensitivity simultaneously.
4Measurement precision
If a filter made of zeolite or activated alumina is added to improve gas selectivity, then gas selectivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas selectivity function into the sensor element itself rather than using a separate filter component. The sensing material is designed with selective adsorption or interaction properties that provide gas selectivity intrinsically, eliminating the need for additional filter parts and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional sensor element that simultaneously provides sensing and gas selectivity functions. The sensing material is engineered to exhibit both detection capability and selective gas interaction, allowing a single component to perform multiple functions that would traditionally require separate elements, thereby reducing device complexity.
5Measurement precision
If chemical reaction-based detection is used for hydrogen gas, then hydrogen detection sensitivity is improved, but detection of inert gases becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical reaction-based detection with a physical detection mechanism based on electrical property changes in the sensing material. This physical mechanism responds to the presence of gas molecules through field interactions rather than chemical bonds, enabling detection of both reactive gases (like hydrogen) and inert gases (like helium) that do not undergo chemical reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite sensing materials with tailored properties that enable universal gas detection through physical interactions. The material composition is designed to respond to various gas types through electrical property changes, providing versatility across different gas species while maintaining high sensitivity through the composite structure's enhanced interaction properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves gas detection performance by reducing heat capacity and variation in output characteristics, enabling sensitive detection of gases at low temperatures and inert gases, while minimizing energy consumption and extending sensor lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a porous gas molecule adsorption material which is thermally coupled to the heat sensitive resistive element and from which specific gas molecules are desorbed by heating
Implementation Method 2
a heat sensitive resistive element having at least a pair of electrodes
Implementation Method 3
from which specific gas molecules are desorbed by heating
Implementation Method 4
and a thermistor, which maintains a constant temperature using a heating and/or cooling element
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are: a gas sensor which is able to have improved gas detection performance, while being capable of suppressing variation in the output characteristics among individual gas sensors; a gas detection device; a gas detection method; and a device which is provided with a gas sensor or a gas detection device. This gas detection device (10) is provided with: a heat sensitive resistive element (2); a lead part (22b) which is connected to the heat sensitive resistive element (2) by welding, while having no material being interposed therebetween; a gas sensor (1) which is thermally coupled to the heat sensitive resistive element (2), while comprising a porous gas molecule adsorption material (3) from which specific gas molecules are desorbed by means of heating; and an electric power supply unit which supplies electric power to the heat sensitive resistive element (2), thereby heating the heat sensitive resistive element (2).