AIR/FUEL RATIO SENSOR

Abstract: An air/fuel ratio sensor to be used for control­ ling the ratio between the air and fuel through the de­ tection of the air and the fuel in the exhaust gas of gas and oil combustion appliances, automobile engines or the like. The air/fuel ratio sensor has a first electrode on one face of porous zirconia electrolytic plate of through-holes, a second electrode containing at least electrode -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor on the other face. The controlling of the air/fuel ratio from the excessive fuel to the excessive air may be performed in the condition of the high S/N ratio from the excessive fuel to the excessive air through the measurement of the changes in the electric resistance of the second electrode by the third electrode provided on the second electrode. The sensor is simpler in construction and is smaller and thinner in size.

Description: The present invention relates to an air/fuel ratio sensor which is inserted into the exhaust gases of a gas appliance, an oil appliance or an automobile engine to detect the ratio between the air and the fuel so as to control it. Generally, a sensor of a concentration cell type is known which has a platinum black electrode on both sides of a stabilizing or a partially stabilizing zirconia electrolytic plate. Suppose the oxygen partial pressures on both the electrodes are respectively P′O₂, and P″O₂, the sensor causes such electromotive force E shown in the following equation (1) between both the electrodes. E = RT/4F·ℓn (P′O₂/P″O₂) (1) wherein R is a gas constant, T is an absolute temperature, and F is a Faraday constant. Accordingly, when the temperature T and the electromotive force E are measured with one electrode being exposed into the atmosphere, which is approximately constant in oxygen partial pressure as in air, the oxygen partial pressure on the other electrode may be detected. In order to know the oxygen partial pressure in the exhaust gas, a cylindrical pipe 101 blocked at one end of the cylindrical pipe is composed of zirconia electrolyte as shown in Fig. 1, electrodes 102, 103 made of platinum black connected with an anode terminal 104 and a cathode terminal 105 inside and outside it, and they are inserted into the exhaust pipe from the blockade side, so that the measuring operation is effected with the electrode 102 on the inner side being exposed to the air, the electrode 103 on the outer side being exposed to the exhaust gas. However, in the sensor of this concentration cell type, the electromotive force varies in proportion to the logarithm of the oxygen partial pressure, so that it is suitable when the oxygen partial pressure in the exhaust gas varies extremly, with the air/fuel composition of the equivalent point of the combustion being the border of detection. However, as the electromotive force is small in change when the controlling operation is performed through the detection of the arbitrary air/fuel ratio, the high precision of the S/N ratio can not be performed. In order to optionally detect the air/fuel ratio, the above portion of the external electrode 103 is covered with porous film 106 made of Aℓ₂O₃ or MgAℓ₂O₄ as shown in Fig. 1, the DC voltage is applied from the terminals 104, 105 between both the electrodes 102, 103 to measure the diffusion limit current. As the diffusion limit current iℓ changes in proportion to the oxygen partial pressure P'O₂ in the exhaust gas as shown in the following equation (2), the arbitrary air/fuel ratio may be detected through the measurement of it. iℓ = 4FDAP'O₂/ℓ (2) wherein D is a diffusion constant of oxygen gas, A is the total of the sectional area of holes in the porous film 106 covering the external electrode 103, ℓ is film thickness. Among these constants, D changes depending upon temperatures, so that the applied DC voltage by which the diffusion limit current is provided must be required to be increased more, depending upon the temperature, when the temperature is lower as shown in Fig. 2. To avoid such a complicacy in controlling DC application voltage, a heater 107 which is connected with the terminal 108 has to keep the temperature approximately constant. Also, the construction shown in Fig. 3 is known as the other conventional diffusion limit current type sensor. In Fig. 3, an oxygen pump cell 111 made of zirconia electrolytic plate has electrodes 112, 113 provided on both faces thereof. A detection cell 114 made of the zirconia electrolytic plate has electrode 115, 116 on both faces thereof. A heater 118 is buried in the base plate 117. A spacer 119, a spacer 120 are respectively interposed between the oxygen pump cell 111 and the detection cell 114, and between the detection cell 114 and the base plate 117. Diffusion gap 121 is provided between the oxygen pump cell 111 and the detection cell 114, and an air layer 122 is provided between the detection cell 114 and the base plate 117. A gas introduction hole 123 is formed in the oxygen pump cell 111. In this sensor, a current of the oxygen pump cell 111 is previously settled to a fixed value and direction, and a fuel injection is controlled by a potential of the detection call 114. However, in the conventional construction shown in Fig. 1, the temperature of the exhaust gas considerably changes through the operating conditions as in an automobile. It is difficult to keep the sensor temperature constant in the high speed. In the sensor, the controlling operation can not be performed in the case of fuel excess. In the conventional construction shown in Fig. 3, the problems of the conventional embodiment shown in Fig. 1 may be removed. However, the construction may be made complex and larger as the detection cell 114 is provided separately from the pump cell 111. Also, using air electrode as a reference electrode of the detection cell 114 gives a difficult to provide for equipment. The English abstract of JP-A 61-278748 (patent abstracts of Japan, vol. 11, No. 142, page 573 (2589)) discloses a lean burn exhaust gas sensor having a solid electrolytic plate of zirconia, a sensitive body at the center of the front surface of the plate, an annular electrode attached to the outside circumference on the front surface of the plate, a counter electrode attached to the entire rear surface of the plates and a third electrode for resistance measurement attached to the sensitive body. The sensitive body is made of Sr (1+X)/2 La (1-x)/2 Co 1-x Me x O 3-δ . The arrangement of the three electrodes and the sensitive body attached to the solid plate is rather involved to implement. DE-A 33 05 706 discloses an exhaust gas sensor containing a zirconia solid electrolyte layer which may be stabilized by a certain amount of an oxyde. To both sides of the layer porous electrodes made of platinum are attached. Two additional layers and two additional electrodes are provided for detecting the actual air/fuel ratio. This sensor is relatively thick because of the plurality of layers and electrodes arranged on each other. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air/fuel ratio sensor wherein the control of the air/fuel ratio from the fuel excess to the air excess may be performed, in a condition high in the S/N ratio, by the strict and fast temparature control, and further, the construction may be made simpler, smaller and thinner. In accomplishing this object, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are provided technical means of the present invention which include a porous stabilizing or partially stabilizing zirconia electrolytic plate made of through-holes, a first electrode which is provided on one face of this porous zirconia electrolytic plate and a second electrode which is provided on the other face of the porous zirconia electrolytic plate both being composed of a mixed sinter member made of electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor and SrTiO₃ which is a grain separating agent or a sinter member wherein at least one kind of element selected from Ag, Pd, or Pt is added as an electric charge transfer reaction catalyst to the electron -2²⁻ ion mixed conductor and the grain separating agent, a third electrode for measuring the electric resistance provided on the second electrode, a gas impermeable base plate provided with the heater, a gas sealing material for preventing the entry of the gas, together with the base plate, which does not pass through the porous zirconia electrolytic plate to the second electrode. In the present invention, the mixed conductor is used for at least the second electrode, the first and second electrodes provided on both sides of the porous zirconia electrolytic plate, so that it may work as the catalyst of the equilibrium reaction between the reducing gas and the oxygen, and the resistance variation of the second electrode may detect that the atmosphere is the equivalent composition of the combustion. Accordingly, the construction is simplified, and the temperature of the sensor is not required to be set within the narrow range. Also, the controlling operation is effected so that the fuel supply may be throttled when the resistance of the second electrode has been detected to be in a high resistance region, and the air/fuel ratio which is high in the S/N ratio may be controlled. Also, as the first electrode of the present invention, the porous platinum black, or a mixed sinter member made of (which is electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor (which is 0≦x≦1, δ≦0.5) and SrTiO₃ which is a grain separating agent or/and a sinter member wherein at least one kind of element selected from Ag, Pd, Pt is added as an electric charge transfer reaction catalyst to the electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor and the grain separating agent, is preferable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Of THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional type of diffusion limit current sensor; Fig. 2 is a view showing the current-voltage relationship at each temperature in the sensor of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a diffusion limit current sensor of improved type in another conventional embodiment; Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing an air/fuel ratio sensor in one embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a chart showing the relationship between the air/fuel ratio of the sensor of the present invention and the pump current thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 4 a sectional view of an air/fuel ratio sensor in one embodiment of the present invention. The air/fuel ratio sensor generally includes a disc-shaped porous stabilizing or a partially stabilizing zirconia electrolytic plate 1 (hereinafter referred to as zirconia electrolytic plate) which is perforated through, a first electrode 2 which is provided on one face of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1 to be exposed to the exhaust gas, a second electrode 3 provided on the other face of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1, the first and second electrode 2 and 3 are made of a mixed sinter member or a sinter member. The mixed sinter member is made of (0≦x≦1, δ≦0.5) which is electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor, and SrTiO₃ which is a grain separating agent. The sinter member, wherein at least one kind of element selected from Ag series, Pd series, or Pt series, is added as an electric charge transfer reaction catalyst to the electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor and the grain separating agent. A third electrode 4 is provided in, for example, the center shape on the second electrode to measure the electrode resistance of the second electrode 3, this electrode is made of platinum. A terminal 5 is disposed on the first electrode 2 to flow the pump current between the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 3, the terminal 5 being connected with a led 6. A terminal 7 is provided on the second electrode 3 to flow the pump current to the second electrode 3 or to measure the resistance of the second electrode 3, with the terminal 7 being connected with a lead 8. A terminal 9 is provided on the third electrode 4 to measure the resistance of the second electrode 3, the terminal 9 being connected with a lead 10. A base plate 11 is made of a saphire impermeable to gas, with zirconia electrolytic plate 1, the second electrode, third electrode, and terminal 7, 9 being accommodated in the concave portion 12. A gas sealing material 13 made of ceramic cement, etc. is interposed between the zirconia electrolytic plate 1 and base plate 11. It sealingly covers the second electrode 3 so that the gas except for gas which passes through the zirconia electrolytic plate 1, may be prevented from penetrating into the second electrode 3. A heater 14, which is buried in the base plate 11, heats the entire sensor to a predetermined temperature (500°C or higher when the charge transfer reaction catalyst is not added to the second electrode 3, 350°C or higher when it is added). The stabilizing or partially stabilizing zirconia electrolytic plate of the present embodiment is provided by the addition of Y, Ca, etc. to the zirconia. The operation of the embodiment will be described hereinafter. Flow a current into a zirconia electrolytic plate 1 by the first 2 and second electrode 3, and the oxygen gas becomes ions at the first electrode 2 on the side of the cathode, and is taken into the zirconia electrolytic plate to move to the second electrode 3 on the side of the anode, where it is discharged as oxygen again. In this case, the speed moving from the cathode side (first electrode 2) onto the side of the anode (second electrode 3) is proportional to the value of current. This operation is referred to as an oxygen pump, as it operates like a pump, of which the fundamental principle has been well known. In the present invention, the zirconia electrolytic plate 1 is porous and perforated through, with mixed conductors being used in the first 2 and second electrode 3. In the case of less air/fuel ratio than an equivalent point, the exhaust gas contains a large amount of moisture. The moisture of the exhaust gas is reduced by the first electrode 2 (cathode side) and is received as the O²⁻ ion. It moves in the zirconia electrolytic plate to arrive at the second electrode 3 on the side of the anode. It reacts to the reducing gas (HC, CO or the like) which has been diffused through the hole of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1, and is removed, so that the large influence is not applied upon the increase and decrease of the O²⁻ ion among the lattices within the second electrode 3. The excessive degree of the reducing gas in the exhaust gas lowers by the squeezing operation of the supply of the fuel while the resistance is high, thus resulting in less reduction gas, which diffuses into the hole of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1 so as to soon reach the equivalent point in air/fuel ratio. When the air/fuel ratio exceeds the equivalent point, the amount of the oxygen in the exhaust gas widely increases. The oxygen partial pressure in the atmosphere of the second electrode 3 composed of the mixing conductor rises several orders of magnitude or more to rapidly reduce the electric resistance of the second electrode 3. Detect it when the resistance has been reduced so as to increase the supply of the fuel, and the driving operation may be effected at the air/fuel ratio of the excessive fuel according to the pump current i R . At the air/fuel ratio of the excessive oxgyen, the excessive O₂ or NO x diffuses in the porous zirconia electrolytic plate 1. When the oxygen, which is discharged onto the exhaust side through the current flow in the reverse direction, is more than the oxygen portion of the O₂ and the NO x to be diffused, the electric resistance of the second electrode 3 becomes larger. When the oxygen is less than the oxygen portion, the electric resistance becomes smaller, so that the supply of the fuel is controlled correspondingly. Suppose that the partial pressure of the excessive fuel in the exhaust gas is P R , the pump current i R is expressed by the following equation (3). i R = 4FD RA P R /ℓ (3) When the driving operation is effected at the excessive oxygen of the air/fuel ratio, flow the current iO in the reverse direction and perform the controlling operation likewise, and the operation may be performed by the following equation (4). i O = 4FDoAPO₂/ℓ (4) The relationship between the air/fuel ratio to be controlled and the current flowing into the oxygen pump is shown in Fig. 5. When the mixed conductor is used for both of the electrodes 2 and 3, it works as the catalyst of the equilibrium reaction between the reducing gas and the oxygen to increase the speed of the electrode reaction, so that the performance of the oxygen pump may be improved as compared with the use of Pt as an electrode as before. Also, the operation of the grain separating agent SrTiO₃ is useful in the increase of oxide ion conductivity δO²⁻, and the addition of the catalytic element is useful in the speed increase of the electric charge transfer reaction so as to serve towards the improvements in the sensitivity and response property of the sensor performance. The following properties are demanded as the second electrode 3 composed of the mixed conductor of the present embodiment. (1) The operation as the catalyst of the equilibrium reaction between the reducing gas and the oxygen is provided. (2) The balance between the external oxygen and the oxygen ions within the lattices is provided as quickly as possible in the sensitivity and the response property. (3) The thermal expansion coefficient is close to that of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1. It is helpful to the above-described item (1) to use which is an electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor. It is helpful to the increase of the above-described δO²⁻ and the above-described item (3) to use the grain separating agent SrTiO₃. It is helpful to the electric charge transfer reaction speed of the above-described item (2) to add the electric charge transfer reaction catalyst element. According to the above-described embodiment, the mixed conductor is used for the second electrode 3 of the porous oxygen pump. It is detected by the resistance charges thereof that the atmosphere is in the equivalent composition of the combustion. Thus, it becomes extremely simplified as compared with the conventional construction of each type, and it becomes simplified to make the size smaller and thinner. Also, the temperature of the sensor is not required to be set in a narrow range. Also, a current corresponding to the predetermined air/fuel ratio is flowed in the direction along which the controlling operation is effected between both the electrodes 2 and 3, namely, with the second electrode 3 provided on the cathode side in the case of excessive air, and with the second electrode 3 provided on the anode side in the case of excessive fuel. The fuel supply is throttled in control when the resistance of the second electrode 3 is high, so that the controlling operation of the air/fuel ratio, which is high in the S/N ratio, may be effected. Furthermore, as the sensitivity, the response property is superior, and the fast controlling operation may be effected. A trial manufacture example will be described hereinafter. (Trial Manufacture Example 1) As a zirconia electrolytic plate 1 methylcellulose is added by 20 % to stabilizing ZrO₂ powder with Y₂O₃ added thereto. It is molded into 5 mm in diameter, 0.5 mm in thickness under the pressure of 2 t/cm², and is burned at 1400°C for two hours. This percentage of void is approximately 45 %. After the sintering operation, the first and second electrodes are prepared by hydrogen flame spraying of a mixture of Sr0.65La0.35 Co0.7Fe0.30 3-δ and SrTiO₃, the molar fraction of 0.4:0.6, on both side of the zirconia electrolytic plate 1. A plurality of units are manufactured. Half of them are heated at approximately 150°C. They are heated at 900°C for thirty minutes and the saturated acetone solution of PdCℓ₂·H₂O is sprayed and are thermally decomposed. Pt paste is provided by screen printing as the third electrode 4 and terminal of the second electrode 4′ on the second electrode 3 of the units. They are burned at 900°C for thirty minutes. Leads 6, 8 and 10 made of Pd are connected by the pastes of the Pt, which becomes the terminals 5, 7 and 9 with respective electrodes 2 and 4. It is accommodated into the concave portion 12 of the base plate 11 made of sapphire having a heater 14. The second electrode 3 is completely sealed with hard glass, which is gas sealing material 13. These sensors are inserted into the exhaust manifold of an automobile. The operation is effected with the air/fuel ratio changed, with the current flowing into the heater 13 for the heating operation. The pump current is scanned with the electrode 3 as the anode when the resistance of the second sealed electrode 3 is high, and with the electrode as the cathode when the resistance is low and the value of the pump current which rapidly changed in the resistance of the electrode 3 is obtained. The current value is constant independently on temperature with 500°C or more when the Pd is not added or with 350°C or more when it is added. It is found out that the current value is determined, as in Fig. 5, only with air/fuel ratio. It is found out from the fact that if the fuel supply is to be throttled when the resistance of the second electrode is high, with the current correspond to the air/fuel ratio to be controlled in advance being flowed through the oxygen pump, the controlling operation may be effected into the predetermined air/fuel ratio. As is clear from the foregoing description, according to the arrangement of the present invention, first and second electrodes are provided on both faces of the porous stabilizing or partially stabilizing zirconia electrolytic plate of through-holes. The electrodes are composed of the mixed sinter member made of which is an electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor, and SrTiO₃ which is grain separating agent or the sinter member in which at least one kind of element selected from Ag series, Pd series, or Pt series is added as the electric charge transfer reaction catalyst to the electron -O²⁻ ion mixed conductor and the grain separating agent. A third electrode for measuring the electric resistance is provided on the second electrode. A gas impermeable base plate provided with a heater, a gas sealing member, together with the base plate, for preventing the penetration of the gas, which does not pass through the porous zirconia electrolytic plate to the second electrode, are provided to detect the resistance changes of the second electrode. The second electrode has a function of the equilibrium reaction between the reducing gas and the oxygen gas, capable of providing the equilibrium as much as possible, between the external oxygen and the oxygen ion within the lattice with respect to the sensitivity, response property, with the thermal expansion coefficient being close to that of the porous zirconia electrolytic plate. Therefore, the construction is simplified, may be made thinner and smaller with the sensor temperature not being required to be set within a narrow range. Also, the supply of the fuel may be controlled so as to be throttled when the resistance of the second electrode has been detected to be located in the high resistance region, so that the air/fuel ratio, which is high in the S/N ratio, may be controlled and, further, the fast control may be performed. Although the present invention has been fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted here that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims: An air/fuel ratio sensor comprising a porous stabilized or partially stabilized zirconia electrolytic plate (1) a first electrode (2) provided on one side of the zirconia electrolytic plate (1) a second electrode (3) provided on the other side of the zirconia electrolytic plate (1) a third electrode (4) provided on the second electrode (3) to measure the electric resistance of the second electrode (3), characterized in that the first and second electrodes are made of an electron-O²⁻ ion mixed conductor. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a grain separating agent is added to the electron-O²⁻ ion mixed conductor of first and/or second electrode. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an electric charge transfer reaction catalyst is added to the electron-O²⁻ ion mixed conductor of first and/or second electrode. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the electron-O²⁻ ion mixed conductor is made of Sr (1+x)/2 La (1-x)/2 Co 1-x Fe x O 3-δ (0 ≦ x ≦ 1, δ ≦ 0,5). An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the grain separating agent is made of SrTiO₃. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the electric charge transfer reaction catalyst comprises at least one type of element selected from among Ag, Pd, or Pt. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in one of the preceding claims, further comprising a gas impermeable base plate (11) and a gas sealing member (13) preventing the entry of gas which does not pass through the zirconia electrolytic plate (1) into the second electrode (3). An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the base plate (11) is made of sapphire. An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the base plate (11) is provided with a heater (14). An air/fuel ratio sensor as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third electrode (4) is made of platinum.

Inventors: SEKIDO, SATOSHI, TAKEDA, TAKESHI, TSUCHIYA, SHOJI
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G01N27
IPC codes: G01N27