Hydrogen sensor

A hydrogen sensor is a gas detector that detects the presence of hydrogen. They contain micro-fabricated point-contact hydrogen sensors and are used to locate leaks. They are considered low-cost, compact, durable, and easy to maintain as compared to conventional gas detecting instruments.[1]
Contents
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* 1 Key Issues
o 1.1 Additional requirements
* 2 Types of microsensors
o 2.1 Optical fibre hydrogen sensors
o 2.2 Other type hydrogen sensors
o 2.3 Enhancement
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links

[edit] Key Issues

There are five key issues with hydrogen detectors:[2]

* Reliability: Functionality should be easily verifiable.
* Performance: Detection 0.5% hydrogen in air or better
* Response time < 1 second.
* Lifetime: At least the time between scheduled maintenance.
* Cost: Goal is $5 per sensor and $30 per controller.

[edit] Additional requirements

* Measurement range coverage of 0.1%–10.0% concentration[3]
* Operation in temperatures of -30°C to 80°C
* Accuracy within 5% of full scale
* Function in an ambient air gas environment within a 10%–98% relative humidity range
* Resistance to hydrocarbon and other interference.
* Lifetime greater than 10 years

[edit] Types of microsensors

There are various types of hydrogen microsensors, which use different mechanisms to detect the gas. Palladium is used in many of these, because it selectively absorbs hydrogen gas and forms the compound palladium hydride.[4] Palladium-based sensors have a strong temperature dependence which makes their response time too large at very low temperatures.[5] Palladium sensors have to be protected against carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
[edit] Optical fibre hydrogen sensors

Several types of optical fibre surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor are used for the point-contact detection of hydrogen:

* Fiber Bragg grating coated with a palladium layer - Detects the hydrogen by metal hindrance.
* Micromirror - With a palladium thin layer at the cleaved end, detecting changes in the backreflected light.
* Tapered fibre coated with palladium - Hydrogen changes the refractive index of the palladium, and consequently the amount of losses in the evanescent wave.

[edit] Other type hydrogen sensors

* MEMS hydrogen sensor - The combination of nanotechnology and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology allows the production of a hydrogen microsensor that functions properly at room temperature. The hydrogen sensor is coated with a film consisting of nanostructured indium oxide (In2O3) and tin oxide (SnO2).[6]
* Thin film sensor - A palladium thin film sensor is based on an opposing property that depends on the nanoscale structures within the thin film. In the thin film, nanosized palladium particles swell when the hydride is formed, and in the process of expanding, some of them form new electrical connections with their neighbors. The resistance decreases because of the increased number of conducting pathways.[2][7]
* Thick film sensor - Thick film hydrogen sensors rely on the fact that palladium hydride's electrical resistance is greater than the metal's resistance. The absorption of hydrogen causes a measurable increase in electrical resistance.
* Chemochromic hydrogen sensor - Reversible and irreversible chemochromic hydrogen sensors, a smart pigment paint that visually identifies hydrogen leaks by a change in color. The sensor is also available as tape. [8] [9]
* Diode based Schottky sensor - A Schottky diode-based hydrogen gas sensor employs a palladium-alloy gate. Hydrogen can be selectively absorbed in the gate, lowering the Schottky energy barrier.[10] A Pd/InGaP metal-semiconductor (MS) Schottky diode can detect a concentration of 15 parts per million (ppm) H2 in air.[11] Silicon carbide semiconductor or silicon substrates are used.
* Metallic La-Mg2-Ni which is electrical conductive, absorbs hydrogen near ambient conditions, forming the nonmetallic hydride LaMg2NiH7 an insulator[12].

Sensors are typically calibrated at the manufacturing factory and are valid for the service life of the unit.
[edit] Enhancement

Siloxane enhances the sensitivity and reaction time of hydrogen sensors.[4] Detection of hydrogen levels as low as 25 ppm can be achieved; far below hydrogen's lower explosive limit of around 40,000 ppm.

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