Patent ID: 7837846

Claim:
An organic contaminant molecule sensor for use in a process environment having a low oxygen concentration comprising: an electrochemical cell comprising: a solid state oxygen anion conductor in which oxygen anion conduction occurs at or above a critical temperature; a measurement electrode formed on a first surface of the anion conductor for exposure to the monitored environment, the measurement electrode comprising a material for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of an organic contaminant molecule wherein at temperatures below the critical temperature, organic contaminant molecules are adsorbed onto and dehydrogenated at the surface of the material of the measurement electrode to form a carbonaceous deposit on the surface of the material of the measurement electrode; and a reference electrode formed on a second surface of the anion conductor for exposure to a reference environment, the reference electrode comprising a material for catalyzing the dissociation of oxygen to oxygen anions; a heater for controlling the temperature of the electrochemical cell in a manner that the heater sets a temperature of the solid state oxygen anion conductor below the critical temperature during an adsorption phase, and at or above the critical temperature during a titration phase; and a current source for controlling the electrical current between the reference electrode and the measurement electrode wherein at temperatures above the critical temperature, an electrical current is passed between the reference electrode and the measurement electrode to control the number of oxygen anions passing from the reference electrode to the measurement electrode to oxidize the carbonaceous deposit.