Alphasense Application Note AAN 003

AAN 003 NON-LINEARITY OF MASS FLOW

CONTROLLED OXYGEN SENSORS

Electrochemical mass flow oxygen sensors, using a capillary for oxygen diffusion
control, show a non-linear response to oxygen, as shown in Figure 1. This non-
linearity is due to a pressure difference across the capillary, so is the same for all
sensors.
5000

4000

O 2 -E 1
output/ uA

3000

2000

1000 O 2 -A 1

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
O 2 C o n c e n tr a tio n

Figure 1 Output versus % oxygen concentration for an oxygen sensor

If a straight line intersecting at 0% and 20.9% oxygen is drawn through the non-linear
response curve of an oxygen sensor, then the greatest non-linearity is half way, at
10% oxygen; see Figure 2 below.

2 .0

1 .5

1 .0
Deviation %O2

0 .5

0 .0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

-0 .5

-1 .0
%O2

Figure 2. Non-linearity from 0 to 30% oxygen for mass flow oxygen sensors

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Email: sensors@alphasense.com - Web: www.alphasense.com
 Alphasense Application Note AAN 003

In practice this error is insignificant at normal oxygen concentrations in safety devices

and can be compensated by using either the formula below or by simulating the non-
linear curve with a polynomial.

Output = K*ln(1/(1-C))

(C is the fractional concentration of oxygen between 0 and 1 (ambient oxygen is

0.209), and K is a constant). This linearisation is shown in figure 3 below for oxygen
sensors from 0 to 95% oxygen.

The above equation shows that at high oxygen concentrations the output of the
sensor becomes very non-linear. In fact, at 100% oxygen the sensor output is about
20 times the output at 20% oxygen. Mass flow oxygen sensors are not
recommended for measuring oxygen concentrations above 95% oxygen
concentration because the non-linearity is no longer repeatable.
5000
2
R = 0 .9 9 9 9

4000
Mean Output/ uA

3000

2
R = 0 .9 9 9 9
2000

1000

0
0 0 .2 0 .4 0 .6 0 .8 1 1 .2 1 .4
lo g (1 / (1 -C ))

Figure 3 Linearised output for mass flow oxygen sensors: compare with figure 1.

Summary
1 The small non-linearity shown by Alphasense mass flow control oxygen
sensors at normal oxygen concentrations can be ignored.

2 For sensors calibrated at 20.9% oxygen, the non-linearity is worse at half

range: 10% oxygen.

3 If you wish to compensate for this non-linearity, then use either the log
formula shown above or an equivalent polynomial expansion.

4 Do not use this type of oxygen sensor to measure oxygen concentrations

above 30% oxygen continuously, or 95% oxygen for short times. Alphasense
oxygen sensors are specified for use up to 25% oxygen but can, with
shortened lifetime, be used at higher concentrations. For use above 25%
oxygen with reduced warranty period, consult Alphasense.

© Alphasense Ltd Page 2 of 2 Issue 12

Sensor Technology House, 300 Avenue West, Skyline 120, Great Notley. Essex.CM77 7AA. UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1376 556700 - Fax: +44 (0) 1376 335899
Email: sensors@alphasense.com - Web: www.alphasense.com