Gas analyzer sample pump s the device that monitors oxygen levels in your car’s exhaust fumes, sending the results to your Powertrain Control Module. It’s one of the most important sensors in your vehicle, as it helps maintain proper air-fuel ratio for optimal engine performance and efficiency, while also keeping you safe by detecting dangerous emissions.
There are several different ways of measuring oxygen including a chemical reaction, fluorescing materials and magnetic sensor techniques. These vary in price, response time and durability. The most common are electrochemical and optical. Electrochemical sensors use a pair of electrodes (anode and cathode) immersed in an aqueous electrolyte such as potassium chloride. The electrolyte diffuses oxygen into the sensor, where a change in oxygen concentration will create a voltage that the electronics will measure and interpret. Optical sensors, such as the Clark type, use a luminescent material that changes color in the presence of oxygen. In this design, the anode and cathode are separated by a semi-permeable membrane. The sensor will generate a voltage that will be proportional to the oxygen level within the sensor, and the anode and cathode will have the same electrical resistance at the same temperature.
Understanding the Importance of O2 Detectors
Oxygen is abundant in our everyday air at 20.9% – it’s life-sustaining and safe. However, when oxygen concentrations drop below this, anoxia occurs and it’s life threatening for humans. This is why oxygen gas detectors are so crucial to human safety and occupational health, used in places like hospitals, laboratories, universities, and in confined work spaces.
