Quartz Vibrator Hydrogen Sensor with Segmented Catalytic Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen sensors face challenges in maintaining measurement accuracy due to environmental temperature changes and require higher sensitivity while preserving mechanical strength and achieving mass-productivity.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen sensor design featuring a first quartz vibrator with a platinum film catalytic layer and a second quartz vibrator with a non-reactive layer, where the platinum film has protrusions for enhanced surface area, allowing for accurate hydrogen concentration measurement by isolating heat influences and maintaining mechanical strength through identical quartz plate regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a hydrogen reaction catalytic layer is formed on a quartz vibrator to measure hydrogen concentration based on temperature change, then sensitivity is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to environmental temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The quartz plate is divided into two separate quartz vibrators: a first quartz vibrator with a hydrogen reaction catalytic layer for detecting hydrogen oxidation, and a second quartz vibrator without the catalytic layer for detecting environmental temperature changes. This segmentation allows independent measurement of hydrogen-related temperature changes and environmental temperature changes, enabling compensation to eliminate environmental temperature influence on measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The second quartz vibrator acts as an intermediary that detects environmental temperature changes without participating in the hydrogen oxidation reaction. By using this intermediary device to measure environmental temperature, the system can compensate for its influence on the first quartz vibrator's measurements, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of environmental temperature on hydrogen concentration measurement accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If the sensitivity of the hydrogen sensor is increased, then measurement precision is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogen reaction catalytic layer is formed only on specific regions (first and fourth regions) of the quartz plate, while other regions (second and third regions) remain without the catalytic layer. This local quality differentiation allows the sensor to achieve high sensitivity through the catalytic regions while maintaining the mechanical strength of the overall quartz structure by preserving intact quartz regions without additional layer stress.
3Measurement precision
If high sensitivity is achieved through catalytic layer configuration, then measurement precision is improved, but mass-productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The quartz plate is designed with asymmetric functional regions: the first and fourth regions contain the hydrogen reaction catalytic layer while the second and third regions do not. This asymmetric configuration achieves high sensitivity through the catalytic regions while maintaining symmetry in the overall plate structure, which facilitates standardized manufacturing processes and excellent mass-productivity by allowing consistent production using established techniques.
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 design enables precise hydrogen concentration measurement, improved sensitivity, and excellent mass-productivity by excluding non-combustion heat influences and maintaining mechanical strength, thus addressing the limitations of prior art.
Implementation Method 1
heat of combustion caused by oxidization of hydrogen by the hydrogen reaction catalytic layer
Implementation Method 2
hydrogen reaction catalytic layer including a platinum film of platinum black
Implementation Method 3
a temperature of the quartz vibrator increases by the heat generated from the hydrogen reaction catalytic layer, and the hydrogen concentration is measured on the basis of the temperature change
Data Source
AI summary
In order to provide a hydrogen sensor for measuring a hydrogen concentration with high sensitivity and excellent mass-productivity, the hydrogen sensor includes: at least a first quartz vibrator and a second quartz vibrator formed in a quartz plate; a hydrogen reaction catalytic layer including a platinum film of platinum black formed on both sides of the first quartz vibrator; and a hydrogen non-reactive layer formed in the second quartz vibrator, wherein a hydrogen concentration is measured by measuring a temperature of the first quartz vibrator increasing by heat of combustion caused by oxidization of hydrogen by the hydrogen reaction catalytic layer as a change of a natural frequency of the first quartz vibrator with respect to a natural frequency of the second quartz vibrator.