Gas Sensor Short Anomaly Diagnosis via Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas sensor systems fail to accurately diagnose short anomalies, particularly at low temperatures, due to high internal resistances of cells, which hinder the determination of whether a short anomaly exists, its location, and its source.
Innovation Solution
A gas sensor system with a sensor control section that includes terminal potential detection circuits and examination potential circuits, allowing for the application of a specific examination potential to diagnose short anomalies by comparing terminal potentials, regardless of the sensor's temperature, and determining the presence and location of short circuits through voltage division principles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anomaly diagnosis is performed by supplying current to each cell at low temperature, then the internal resistance of cells is high, but the potential of connection points fails to change making it impossible to determine short anomaly location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by heating the gas sensor to high temperature before performing anomaly diagnosis. This ensures that the cells have low internal resistance, enabling the potential of connection points to change sufficiently when current is supplied, thus making it possible to accurately detect and locate short anomalies. The heating step is performed in advance to create optimal conditions for subsequent measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the temperature of the gas sensor from low to high. At high temperature, the internal resistance of the cells decreases, which enhances the potential change at connection points when diagnosis current is supplied. This parameter change (temperature) directly affects the measurability of short anomalies, allowing accurate diagnosis only when the sensor is heated to operating temperature.
2Measurement precision
If the gas sensor is heated to high temperature for activation, then the internal resistance of cells decreases, but energy consumption increases and diagnosis time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the activation heating process with the anomaly diagnosis timing. Instead of separating these functions, the system performs short anomaly diagnosis during the heating period or immediately after reaching operating temperature. This combination allows the sensor to be activated while simultaneously checking for faults, optimizing energy utilization and reducing total operation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs anomaly diagnosis as a preliminary action during the heating phase before the sensor is fully activated for normal operation. By checking for short anomalies while the sensor is being heated or just reaching operating temperature, the system avoids requiring extended heating periods solely for diagnosis purposes, thereby reducing overall energy consumption and time requirements.
3Use of energy by moving object
If anomaly diagnosis is performed at low temperature, then heating energy is saved, but the high internal resistance prevents accurate determination of short anomaly location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs anomaly diagnosis as a preliminary action during the heating phase or immediately after reaching operating temperature. By checking for short anomalies while the sensor is being heated or just reaching operating temperature, the system ensures accurate detection without requiring extended heating periods solely for diagnosis, thereby optimizing energy utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the temperature of the gas sensor from low to high. At high temperature, the internal resistance of the cells decreases, which enhances the potential change at connection points when diagnosis current is supplied. This parameter change (temperature) directly affects the measurability of short anomalies, allowing accurate diagnosis only when the sensor is heated to operating temperature.
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
Enables the reliable detection of short anomalies and their sources in gas sensors, both at high and low temperatures, ensuring proper functioning and preventing damage by maintaining the examination potential and disconnecting faulty circuits.
Implementation Method 1
determining the presence and location of short circuits through voltage division principles
Implementation Method 2
in a state in which the temperature of the gas sensor is low (for example, before the gas sensor is activated), the method may fail to properly determine whether or not a short anomaly has occurred, the location where the short anomaly has occurred, and the source (end) of the short-circuit. This is because, in a state in which the temperature of the gas sensor is low; i.e., in a state in which the internal resistance of each cell is high
Data Source
AI summary
A gas sensor system (1) including a gas sensor (2) and a sensor control section (40) including detection circuits (41), (42) and (43) for detecting the terminal potentials V1, V2, and V3 of first to third terminal T1 through T3. The sensor control section (40) includes a circuit (44) for applying an examination potential Vex to the second terminal T2, a first circuit (45) which has a predetermined resistance R1c and disconnectably connects the first terminal T1 and the second terminal T2, a second circuit (46) which has a predetermined resistance R2c and disconnectably connects the second terminal T2 and the third terminal T3, and terminal potential detection means S5 for detecting the terminal potentials V1, V2, and V3 using the detection circuits in a state in which the examination potential Vex is applied to the second terminal T2 and switches SW1 and SW2 are turned on.