Abstract: A combination sensor and corresponding method of measuring a plurality of environmental parameters uses a pressure sensor disposed on an integrated circuit die; a humidity sensor disposed on the integrated circuit die; and a circuit coupled to and shared by the pressure sensor and the humidity sensor to facilitate pressure and humidity sensing.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed including an automatic sensor excitation voltage adjustment feature, a multi-range concentration feature, and a single calibration feature. The automatic sensor excitation voltage adjustment feature may include a transmitter having an associated microprocessor that provides an initial voltage to an associated sensor. The sensor may include a microprocessor, and as the voltage changes a correction signal may be relayed from the sensor microprocessor to the transmitter microprocessor. The correction signal may be used by the transmitter microprocessor to adjust the voltage applied to the sensor. The multi-range concentration sensor feature may include an amplifier associated with the sensor/microprocessor to create gain settings used to optimize sensor resolution by changing a gain value associated with the sensor. This, in turn, enables a single sensor to be used for a variety of different concentration ranges, as desired by a user.

Abstract: A liquid-metering device comprising a droplet generator including a reservoir and, connected to the latter, a displacement space which is modifiable by an electromechanical transducer and which has an outlet opening and, upon excitation of the transducer, shoots a liquid droplet from a cold area into a heatable area through or counter to a gas stream generated by a gas source. To make the device suitable for automatic and quasi-continuous liquid metering in process analysis, a heatable evaporation chamber is provided through which the liquid to be metered flows via valves, and, between the evaporation chamber and the reservoir, a condensate chamber is connected via further valves. The condensate chamber and the reservoir are connected via additional valves and a pressure regulator to the gas source.

Abstract: A method of measuring density of a sterilant aerosol e.g. aqueous hydrogen peroxide, in a gas stream (such as a stream of air) for the purposes of measuring sterilant dosage comprising: passing a gas stream at flow rate past an electrically heated element and measuring a first cooling effect, passing an aerosol suspended in a gas stream at flow rate past an electrically heated element and measuring a second cooling effect and measuring the difference between the first cooling effect and second cooling effect and correlating the difference with aerosol density. The total dosage can thus be determined. A measured dosage of a sterilant aerosol can be delivered by way of a feedback loop to halt further delivery of sterilant aerosol when the amount of aerosol delivered reaches a predetermined dosage. The methods allow sterilization to be certified.

Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes a first electrode, a humidity sensitive dielectric layer, and a second electrode. The humidity sensitive dielectric layer is between the first and the second electrodes. The humidity sensitive dielectric layer is etched at selected regions to form hollow regions between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A method manufactures a sensor device for sensing a gaseous substance and includes a thin film transistor, which includes a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode; and an element sensitive to the gaseous substance. In particular, the method includes: forming a first metallic layer on a substrate; defining and patterning the first metallic layer for realizing the gate electrode; depositing a dielectric layer above the gate electrode; depositing a second metallic layer above the layer of dielectric material, defining and patterning the second metallic layer for realizing the source electrode and the drain electrode, and forming the sensitive element by filling a channel region of the thin film transistor with an active layer sensitive to the gaseous substance.

Abstract: To provide a gas sensor which can stably carry out a retention of a sensor element by a contact member and a reservation of an electric continuity between them. A contact member has an insertion port in which the sensor element is inserted and retained to obtain an electric connection with the sensor element. The contact member is provided with a plurality of sensor element retaining members which respectively have a plurality of abutting parts abutting on the sensor element, at least a part of a plurality of abutting parts is a first abutting part which has a leading end part formed as a linear shape or a point-like shape, and the leading end part of the first abutting part is a free end part which applies an elastic force to the sensor element while having point contact or line contact with the sensor element.

Abstract: A measuring device according to the invention for determining the fill quantity of SF6 gas in an insulating chamber comprises a pressure transducer, a temperature measuring element and a processing device for determining the fill quantity of the SF6 gas from the pressure measurement value and the pertinent temperature measurement value, wherein the measuring device seals a corresponding opening of the insulating chamber and the SF6 gas to be measured acts directly upon both the pressure transducer and the temperature measuring element.

Abstract: A PM amount detecting apparatus having a PM sensor installed in a sensor case into which a part of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine allowed to flow through an exhaust gas passage is intaken. The sensor case has a structure which lowers a flow rate of the exhaust gas therein to such an extent that PM is capable of performing thermal phoresis, and a structure which generates therein such a temperature difference that PM is guided to the PM sensor in accordance with the thermal phoresis.

Abstract: Reliable, fast and inexpensive breath gas detector systems for medical diagnostics, including personal, handheld monitoring devices for a variety of diseases and conditions, including, for example, asthma, diabetes, blood cholesterol, and lung cancer. A sensor device (100) for detecting gases includes a sensing element (109) having an electrical resistance that changes in the presence of a target gas; a readout circuit, electrically coupled to the sensing element due to the presence of the target gas and converts the measurement to a digital signal; and a feedback loop (203) from a digital unit (205) to the readout circuit to compensate for variations in a baseline resistance of the sensing element.

Abstract: Method and thermal, flow measuring device for determining at least one variable dependent on at least the chemical composition of a measured medium, wherein the measured medium has n components, wherein n is greater than or equal to two, wherein each mole fraction, volume fraction and/or mass fraction of m components of the medium is measured, wherein m is smaller than or equal to n minus one, wherein the mole fractions, volume fractions and/or mass fractions of the k components of the measured medium which are not measured, and wherein k is equal to n minus m, are established in such a manner, that the sum of the mole fractions, volume fractions and/or mass fractions of the n components amounts to one.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprising a pressure vessel, a pressurization system connected to the pressure vessel, and a sensor system. The pressurization system may be configured to change a pressure in an interior of the pressure vessel. The sensor system may be configured to monitor a number of characteristics with respect to a fluid line in the pressure vessel while the pressurization system changes the pressure in the interior of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: Sizes or size distribution of aerosol particles of an aerosol gas stream is detected. A particle-free carrier flow is saturated in a saturator by a first condensing medium, after which, the carrier flow is mixed in a mixing section turbulently with aerosol particle flow. Advantageously, a plurality of separate mixtures with different saturation ratios are provided and introduced to the first condensing environment in order to condensate the condensing medium onto the aerosol particles. Depending on the saturation ratio, the particles with different lowest original size are activated and grown in a growing section and/or in the condensing environment. After activation and growing, the particles are detected by a detecting means.

Abstract: For mass production of anemometers for EGR systems with hot exhaust gas streams having temperatures up to 200° C. or 300° C., conductors and film resistors are placed onto a bed, and are covered on this bed, e.g. A sensor tip of the flow sensor of the anemometer is made of inorganic materials up to the housing cover. A cable is led into a housing and self-supporting electrical conductors are led through the housing cover. In the housing, leads of the cable are connected to the self-supporting electrical conductors. Using bed profiles passing through the cover, the film resistors are spaced from the housing sufficiently far that the film resistors and the housing are largely thermally decoupled. As an intermediate product, a measurement tip or a sensor bar as part of a sensor tip is made of purely inorganic components, in order to make the mass production efficient.

Abstract: A sensor element of a gas sensor for determining gas components in gas mixtures, having at least one electrochemical measuring cell which is formed by a ceramic substrate and electrodes placed thereon. The sensor element includes at least one interior chamber which is sealed in a gas-tight manner, in which at least one first internal electrode is positioned, which forms an electrochemical cell with each of a second and an additional electrode of the sensor element, one of the electrochemical cells being an electrochemical pump cell, and the second or other electrode being exposed to the measuring gas.

Abstract: A pressure sensor is provided which is suitable as an airbag sensor of a vehicle. The pressure sensor includes a pressure chamber having a small opening and a large opening, a pressure sensor element having a pressure receiving surface, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is designed to seal the large opening. The pressure sensor element is designed to seal the small opening at least using the pressure receiving surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine ozone concentration in a gas mixture of ozone and oxygen, based on measurements of a total mass flow and a corresponding change in a chamber pressure accepting the mixture flow, can enable the measurements of ozone concentration at low pressure settings. The ozone concentration determination can be applied to a vacuum processing chamber, enabling precision semiconductor processing.

Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a particulate matter (PM) detection unit, a temperature detection unit, and a correction unit. The PM detection unit includes an insulator, a pair of electrodes, and a detector. The insulator is disposed in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine through which an exhaust gas flows. The pair of electrodes are arranged in contact with at least a part of the insulator. The detector detects a PM detection value which is a value correlated to an amount of PM in the exhaust gas. The temperature detection unit detects at least one of an exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas passing through the PM detection unit and an insulator temperature of the insulator. The correction unit corrects the PM detection value detected by the PM detection unit based on at least one of the exhaust temperature and the insulator temperature.

Abstract: We have demonstrated that a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor coated with a nanoporous framework material (NFM) film can perform ultrasensitive water vapor detection at concentrations in air from 0.05 to 12,000 ppmv at 1 atmosphere pressure. The method is extendable to other MEMS-based sensors, such as microcantilevers, or to quartz crystal microbalance sensors. We identify a specific NFM that provides high sensitivity and selectivity to water vapor. However, our approach is generalizable to detection of other species using NFM to provide sensitivity and selectivity.

Abstract: A system and method for taking a sample of hydrogen gas and conditioning that sample so that extremely low levels of contamination can be more accurately detected. Initially a sample of hydrogen gas is captured and isolated in a collection chamber. A hydrogen permeable membrane is provided having a first side and a second side. The first side of the hydrogen permeable membrane is exposed to the gas sample held within the collection chamber. The hydrogen gas contained within the gas sample begins to permeate through the hydrogen permeable membrane and exit the collection chamber. This causes the pressure of the gas sample within the collection chamber to decrease. Since contaminants remain in the collection chamber, the concentration of contaminants within the remaining sample increases exponentially. The residual pressure within the collection chamber is measured and converted into a contaminant level reading.