Solid-state oxygen sensors based on optical technology surpass electrogalvanized fuel cell oxygen sensors in almost every aspect. Although the latter was once the benchmark for oxygen sensing technology, its accuracy has been repeatedly questioned. In some applications such as glove boxes, ventilators, warehousing or building monitoring, both optical and electrochemical sensors are suitable, but there is a big difference between the two. So in this article, I will explore in more detail the four main advantages of optical-based solid-state oxygen sensors.

1. Low cost solid state oxygen sensor

In general, solid-state oxygen sensors are less expensive than electrochemical sensors. There is a common misconception that optical technology requires more upfront investment than electro-galvanized fuel cells, but in fact not all of them. The adoption of non-expendable measurement techniques in solid-state optical oxygen sensors can provide considerable long-term cost savings, along with important benefits not found in electrochemistry.

2. Solid-state oxygen sensors withstand greater temperature range

Electrochemical sensors are sensitive to temperature, so external compensation using hardware or software is required. The LuminOx is equipped with built-in temperature and pressure sensors, which can work below freezing point. Not only can the LuminOx perform temperature compensation while measuring, but its two-wire communication interface supports measuring and transmitting gas temperature and pressure values.

3. Long service life

One of the main disadvantages of electrochemical oxygen sensors is that they detect a certain depletion of substances. Optical techniques are usually based on non-exhaustion techniques, such as fluorescence quenching, which uses an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent dye that generates a pulsed light when activated, and then simply detects the rate of decay time of this fluorescence as a function of ppO2 (oxygen bias). Under normal circumstances, the LuminOx solid-state oxygen sensor can last for more than 5 years and provide high-performance and highly reliable oxygen measurement data for a long time.

4. Almost no cross-sensitivity

Electrochemical sensors are usually disturbed by a series of cross-sensitive gases, which directly affects the oxygen reading and therefore increases or decreases the output current. However, the optical solid-state oxygen sensor has very small cross sensitivity, and the conditions for fluorescence quenching are highly selective and only work with oxygen molecules.

After zui, look at the main characteristics of the fluorescent oxygen sensor with constant oxygen (0 ~ 25%):

Advantages: replaceable electrochemical sensor, low power consumption, RoHS standard, built-in environmental temperature compensation;

Application: medical, ventilator, incubator, inerting and other fields;

Range: 0 ~ 25%(O2%) or 0~300mbar(ppO2);

Accuracy:

Response time:

Working voltage: 4.75~5.25V (recommend 5V), peak current:

Output signal: 3.3V TTL level UART.