Optical Hydrogen Sensor Back-Illumination Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen sensors in automotive and heating applications lack ruggedness, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, and are not designed to detect multiple gases efficiently, particularly hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which are crucial for optimized fuel cell control and safety monitoring.
Innovation Solution
An optical sensor arrangement with a radiation source, a measuring transducer that modifies optical characteristics in response to hydrogen presence, and a light conducting body that interacts with emitted radiation on a surface facing away from the medium, combined with redundant detection and shared components for improved reliability and cost-effectiveness, allowing for simultaneous detection of hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the measuring transducer is attached to a light conducting body so that radiation impinges on the back surface, then reliability and service life are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by having the radiation impinge on the back surface of the measuring transducer rather than the front surface. The light conducting body guides radiation through its transparent structure to reach the back side of the transducer, reversing the conventional illumination direction. This protects the front sensing surface from contamination and damage, improving reliability while the light conducting body manages the optical path.
Solution Approach 2:
The light conducting body acts as an intermediary element that transfers radiation from the source to the back surface of the measuring transducer. This mediator component enables the inverted illumination scheme by guiding light through its transparent structure, allowing the radiation to reach the transducer from the rear without direct exposure of the front sensing surface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gases are detected using separate sensors, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling a single sensor platform to detect multiple gas types. The measuring transducer can respond to different analytes (hydrogen and other gases like CO2), and the system can operate in different detection modes (hydrogen-specific detection and broadband absorption detection), making one device perform multiple sensing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines hydrogen detection functionality with broadband gas detection capability in a single integrated sensor arrangement. The same radiation source, light conducting body, and measuring transducer structure support both specific hydrogen sensing and general gas absorption spectroscopy, merging multiple detection functions into one unified device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gases are detected using separate sensors, then detection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling a single sensor platform to detect multiple gas types. The measuring transducer can respond to different analytes (hydrogen and other gases like CO2), and the system can operate in different detection modes (hydrogen-specific detection and broadband absorption detection), making one device perform multiple sensing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines hydrogen detection functionality with broadband gas detection capability in a single integrated sensor arrangement. The same radiation source, light conducting body, and measuring transducer structure support both specific hydrogen sensing and general gas absorption spectroscopy, merging multiple detection functions into one unified device.
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 provides a rugged, reliable, and cost-effective hydrogen sensor with extended service life, capable of detecting multiple gases, ensuring improved accuracy and safety through redundant analysis and shared components, while enabling compact and affordable construction.
Implementation Method 1
a light conducting body (106) which is transparent to the emitted radiation
Implementation Method 2
a measuring transducer (102) which modifies its optical characteristics in response to the presence and/or concentration of at least one analyte in a measured medium
Implementation Method 3
a first detector unit (112) for capturing a change in radiant intensity due to the changed optical characteristics of the measuring transducer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to optical sensor arrangements, especially sensors of the type that can be used in motor vehicles and which can detect hydrogen in a gaseous measured medium. According to the invention, an optical sensor arrangement has the at least one radiation source (108) for emitting radiation, the at least one measuring transducer which modifies its optical characteristics in response to the presence and/or concentration of at least one analyte in a measured medium (104) and is arranged so that it interacts with at least part of the emitted radiation (110), a first detector unit (112) for capturing a change in radiant intensity due to the changed optical characteristics of the measuring transducer and for outputting a first measuring signal and a light conducting body (106) which is transparent to the emitted radiation, wherein the measuring transducer, which is sensitive to the analyte, is arranged on at least one surface of the light conducting body (106) so that the emitted radiation impinges on a surface of the measuring transducer which faces away from the measured medium (104).