B4.2 - Achievements and Challenges in Catalytic Combustion Hydrogen Sensors: Commercial Use in Fuel Cell Vehicles and Miniaturization using MEMS Technology
- Event
- ETTC 2024 - European Test and Telemetry Conference
2024-06-11 - 2024-06-13
Nuremberg - Chapter
- Sustainable Testing & Materials
- Author(s)
- G. Yamamoto, S. Nakao, H. Miyazaki - New Cosmos Electric Co. Ltd., Miki (Japan)
- Pages
- 226 - 231
- DOI
- 10.5162/ETTC2024/B4.2
- ISBN
- 978-3-910600-02-7
- Price
- free
Abstract
Safe use of hydrogen in future low-carbon society requires hydrogen sensors that detect hydrogen leakage with high sensitivity and selectivity. For this purpose, we developed bead-shaped catalytic combustion sensors for hydrogen detection. The sensors consist of an alumina bead loaded with precious metal and a platinum heater coil. Developing the proprietary catalysts and downsizing the sensor elements led to very fast startup, extremely quick response to hydrogen, and long-term stability of the sensors. These features make the sensors very suitable for detecting hydrogen leakage in fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). Indeed, the sensor modules equipped with the sensor elements fulfilled strict demands such as high detection accuracy and durability against various harsh environments possible in FCVs. Consequently, the sensor modules have been installed in a commercial FCV (MIRAI, Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.) since 2020. An important challenge in catalytic combustion sensors is miniaturizing the sensors using micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Miniaturized sensors exhibit reduced power consumption and thus can be operated with a battery. Indeed, we have already launched battery-operated city gas alarms equipped with MEMS chemo-resistive sensors in Japan and the USA. In this paper, we present various properties of MEMS catalytic combustion sensors together with bead-shaped ones.