Operational Theory
2.1Introduction
The analyzer is composed of two subsystems:
3300/OT-3 control unit
OT-3 sample sys.
The OT-3 sample system is designed to accept the sample gas and direct it to the sensitive surface of the Micro-fuel Cell sensor. The Micro-fuel Cell is an electrochemical galvanic device that translates the amount of oxygen present in the sample into an electrical current.
The 3300/OT-3 control unit processes the sensor output and translates it into electrical concentration, range, and alarm outputs, and a trace oxygen meter readout. It contains a microcontroller that manages all signal processing, input/output, and display functions for the analyzer.
2.2Micro-fuel Cell Sensor
2.2.1 Principles of Operation
The oxygen sensor used in the Model OT-3 is a Micro-fuel Cell designed and manufactured by TAI. It is a sealed, disposable electrochemical transducer.
The active components of the Micro-fuel Cell are a cathode, an anode, and the aqueous electrolyte in which they are immersed. The cell converts the energy from a chemical reaction into an electrical potential that can produce a current in an external electrical circuit. Its action is similar to that of a battery.
There is, however, an important difference in the operation of a battery as compared to the Micro-fuel Cell: In the battery, all reactants are stored within the cell, whereas in the Micro-fuel Cell, one of the reactants (oxygen) comes from outside the device as a constituent of the sample gas being analyzed. The Micro-fuel Cell is therefore a hybrid
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