Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 22:34:59 -0500 From: John <papalia@udel.edu> To: cjclark@home.com, Terry Lambert <tlambert@primenet.com> Cc: cjclark@home.com, Alex Zepeda <jazepeda@pacbell.net>, Olaf Hoyer <ohoyer@fbwi.fh-wilhelmshaven.de>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Great American Gas Out Message-ID: <4.1.20000308222226.00964760@mail.udel.edu> In-Reply-To: <20000307213615.A73820@cc942873-a.ewndsr1.nj.home.com> References: <200003072343.QAA04369@usr09.primenet.com> <20000305185712.H62310@cc942873-a.ewndsr1.nj.home.com> <200003072343.QAA04369@usr09.primenet.com>
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Finally got an answer on the functionality of the oxygen sensor. Hopefully this provides some basic information that answers curiosities =) "The oxygen sensor is placed in the exhaust system very near the engine. When the sensor is heated to the correct operating temperature, it produces a voltage that varies according to the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust gas passing by it. The sensor can be called 'a galvanic battery'. The voltage varies from zero to a positive voltage on some O2 sensors, and plus/minus voltages going through zero on other O2 sensor types. Voltage generated is the sensor signal to the computer. The sensor can be constructed in different ways, but they are all similar. One common type uses a Zirconium Dioxide element in the shape of a tube, with one end bulb-shaped. Both the inside and outside of the tube are plated with platinum. The inside of the tube is vented to the atmosphere, and the outside is bombarded with hot exhaust gases. The Zirconium Dioxide, with the help of the platinum coating, transfers ions from the exhaust side to the platinum inner surface when there is O2 present in the exhaust gas. That voltage is conducted out by means of a wire attached tothe inner surface of the bulb. An outter metal shell and housing hold the sensor element in place and protected. Some of the newer O2 sensors have a heating element built into them. This sensor does not produce output until it reaches above 600 DegreesF. The incorporated heating element will heat the sensor faster and allow it to respond more quickly when the engine is running at very low output." The source from which this is quoted is: "Mitchell Automotive Fuel and Emissions Systems, Mitchell Automotive Technology Series" Mitchell International, Inc. Printed: Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (c) 1991, ISBN # 0-13-584103-8 Hope that helps!!!! --John To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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