Teledyne BDS-3960 Operational Theory, Introduction, BDS Sensor, Principles of Operation

Operational Theory BDS 3960

Operational Theory

2.1Introduction

The analyzer is composed of four subsystems:

•BDS Sensor

•Sample System

•Pocket PC

•Electronic I/O Signal Processing and Display

The sample system is designed to accept the sample gas and

transport it through the analyzer without contaminating or altering the sample prior to analysis. The BDS Sensor is an electrochemical device that translates the amount of oxygen present in the sample into an electrical current. The Pocket PC processes the sensor signal and sends messages to the I/O electronics to correctly display oxygen value as well as control other signals to the customer interface. The Electronic I/O signal processing amplifies the sensor signal, digitizes the sensor reading and sends them to the pocket PC for processing. Then it receives commands from the pocket PC to manipulate signals for the customer interface.

2.2BDS Sensor

2.2.1 Principles of Operation

The BDS oxygen sensor technology developed at Teledyne Analytical Instruments is a result of TAI’s heavy investment on R&D and expertise established during the half-century’s manufacturing of electrochemical oxygen sensor. It stands for Bipotentiostat Driven Sensor. A BDS oxygen sensor accurately translates the oxygen level in the sample gas into to an electrical current signal.

A potentiostat contains three electrodes: a working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrode. A Bipotentiostat is a combination of two potentiostats that share the reference electrode and the counter electrode. The potential at the working electrode is precisely

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