Oxygen Sensor
Oxygen Sensor
Oxygen sensor
An oxygen sensor (or lambda sensor, where lambda refers to air–fuel equivalence ratio,
usually denoted by λ) or probe or sond, is an electronic device that measures the proportion of
oxygen (O2) in the gas or liquid being analysed.
It was developed by Robert Bosch GmbH during the late 1960s under the supervision of Dr. Günter
Bauman. The original sensing element is made with a thimble-shaped zirconia ceramic coated on
both the exhaust and reference sides with a thin layer of platinum and comes in both heated and
unheated forms. The planar-style sensor entered the market in 1990 and significantly reduced the
mass of the ceramic sensing element, as well as incorporating the heater within the ceramic
structure.[1] This resulted in a sensor that started sooner and responded faster.
The most common application is to measure the exhaust-gas concentration of oxygen for internal
combustion engines in automobiles and other vehicles in order to calculate and, if required,
dynamically adjust the air-fuel ratio so that catalytic converters can work optimally, and also
determine whether the converter is performing properly or not. An oxygen sensor will typically
generate up to about 0.9 volt when the fuel mixture is rich and there is little unburned oxygen in
the exhaust.
Scientists use oxygen sensors to measure respiration or production of oxygen and use a different
approach. Oxygen sensors are used in oxygen analyzers, which find extensive use in medical
applications such as anesthesia monitors, respirators and oxygen concentrators.
Divers use oxygen sensors (and often call them ppO2 sensors) to measure the partial pressure of
oxygen in their breathing gas. Open circuit scuba divers test the gas before diving as the mixture
remains unchanged during the dive and partial pressure changes due to pressure are simply
predictable, while mixed gas rebreather divers must monitor the partial pressure of oxygen in the
breathing loop throughout the dive, as it changes and must be controlled to stay within acceptable
bounds.
Oxygen sensors are also used in hypoxic air fire prevention systems to continuously monitor the
oxygen concentration inside the protected volumes.
There are many different ways of measuring oxygen. These include technologies such as zirconia,
electrochemical (also known as galvanic), infrared, ultrasonic, paramagnetic, and very recently,
laser methods.
Automotive applications
Automotive oxygen sensors, colloquially known as O2 ("ō two")
sensors, make modern electronic fuel injection and emission
control possible. They help determine, in real time, whether the
air–fuel ratio of a combustion engine is rich or lean. Since
oxygen sensors are located in the exhaust stream, they do not
directly measure the air or the fuel entering the engine, but
when information from oxygen sensors is coupled with A three-wire oxygen sensor suitable
information from other sources, it can be used to indirectly for use in a Volvo 240 or similar
determine the air–fuel ratio. Closed-loop feedback-controlled vehicle
fuel injection varies the fuel injector output according to real-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 1/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
time sensor data rather than operating with a predetermined (open-loop) fuel map. In addition to
enabling electronic fuel injection to work efficiently, this emissions control technique can reduce
the amounts of both unburnt fuel and oxides of nitrogen entering the atmosphere. Unburnt fuel is
pollution in the form of air-borne hydrocarbons, while oxides of nitrogen (NOx gases) are a result
of combustion chamber temperatures exceeding 1300 kelvins, due to excess air in the fuel mixture
therefore contribute to smog and acid rain. Volvo was the first automobile manufacturer to employ
this technology in the late 1970s, along with the three-way catalyst used in the catalytic converter.
The sensor does not actually measure oxygen concentration, but rather the difference between the
amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas and the amount of oxygen in air. Rich mixture causes an
oxygen demand. This demand causes a voltage to build up, due to transportation of oxygen ions
through the sensor layer. Lean mixture causes low voltage, since there is an oxygen excess.
Modern spark-ignited combustion engines use oxygen sensors and catalytic converters in order to
reduce exhaust emissions. Information on oxygen concentration is sent to the engine management
computer or engine control unit (ECU), which adjusts the amount of fuel injected into the engine
to compensate for excess air or excess fuel. The ECU attempts to maintain, on average, a certain
air-fuel ratio by interpreting the information gained from the oxygen sensor. The primary goal is a
compromise between power, fuel economy, and emissions, and in most cases is achieved by an air–
fuel ratio close to stoichiometric. For spark-ignition engines (such as those that burn gasoline or
autogas / liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as opposed to diesel), the three types of emissions
modern systems are concerned with are: hydrocarbons (which are released when the fuel is not
burnt completely, such as when misfiring or running rich), carbon monoxide (which is the result of
running slightly rich) and NOx (which dominate when the mixture is lean). Failure of these
sensors, either through normal aging, the use of leaded fuels, or fuel contaminated with silicones
or silicates, for example, can lead to damage of an automobile's catalytic converter and expensive
repairs.
Tampering with or modifying the signal that the oxygen sensor sends to the engine computer can
be detrimental to emissions control and can even damage the vehicle. When the engine is under
low-load conditions (such as when accelerating very gently or maintaining a constant speed), it is
operating in "closed-loop mode". This refers to a feedback loop between the ECU and the oxygen
sensor(s) in which the ECU adjusts the quantity of fuel and expects to see a resulting change in the
response of the oxygen sensor. This loop forces the engine to operate both slightly lean and slightly
rich on successive loops, as it attempts to maintain a mostly stoichiometric ratio on average. If
modifications cause the engine to run moderately lean, there will be a slight increase in fuel
efficiency, sometimes at the expense of increased NOx emissions, much higher exhaust gas
temperatures, and sometimes a slight increase in power that can quickly turn into misfires and a
drastic loss of power, as well as potential engine and catalytic-converter (due to the misfires)
damage, at ultra-lean air–fuel ratios. If modifications cause the engine to run rich, then there will
be a slight increase in power to a point (after which the engine starts flooding from too much
unburned fuel), but at the cost of decreased fuel efficiency, and an increase in unburned
hydrocarbons in the exhaust, which causes overheating of the catalytic converter. Prolonged
operation at rich mixtures can cause catastrophic failure of the catalytic converter (see backfire).
The ECU also controls the spark engine timing along with the fuel-injector pulse width, so
modifications that alter the engine to operate either too lean or too rich may result in inefficient
fuel consumption whenever fuel is ignited too soon or too late in the combustion cycle.
When an internal combustion engine is under high load (e.g. wide open throttle), the output of the
oxygen sensor is ignored, and the ECU automatically enriches the mixture to protect the engine, as
misfires under load are much more likely to cause damage. This is referred to as an engine running
in "open-loop mode". Any changes in the sensor output will be ignored in this state. In many cars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 2/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
(with the exception of some turbocharged models), inputs from the air flow meter are also ignored,
as they might otherwise lower engine performance due to the mixture being too rich or too lean,
and increase the risk of engine damage due to detonation if the mixture is too lean.
Lambda probes provide feedback to an ECU. Where applicable, gasoline, propane and natural gas
engines are fitted with three-way catalysts to comply with on road vehicle emissions legislation.
Using the lambda sensor signal, the ECU can operate the engine slightly rich of lambda = 1, this is
the ideal operating mixture for a three way catalyst to be effective.[2] Robert Bosch GmbH
introduced the first automotive lambda probe in 1976,[3] and it was first used by Volvo and Saab in
that year. The sensors were introduced in the US from about 1979 and were required on all models
of cars in many countries in Europe in 1993.
By measuring the proportion of oxygen in the remaining exhaust gas, and by knowing the volume
and temperature of the air entering the cylinders amongst other things, an ECU can use look-up
tables to determine the amount of fuel required to burn at the stoichiometric ratio (14.7:1 air:fuel
by mass for gasoline) to ensure complete combustion.
The probe
The sensor element is a ceramic cylinder plated inside and outside with porous platinum
electrodes; the whole assembly is protected by a metal gauze. It operates by measuring the
difference in oxygen between the exhaust gas and the external air and generates a voltage or
changes its resistance depending on the difference between the two.
The sensors only begin to work effectively when heated to approximately 316 °C (600 °F), so most
newer lambda probes have heating elements encased in the ceramic that bring the ceramic tip up
to temperature quickly. Older probes, without heating elements, would eventually be heated by the
exhaust, but there is a time lag between when the engine is started and when the components in
the exhaust system come to a thermal equilibrium. The length of time required for the exhaust
gases to bring the probe to temperature depends on the temperature of the ambient air and the
geometry of the exhaust system. Without a heater, the process may take several minutes. There are
pollution problems that are attributed to this slow start-up process, including a similar problem
with the working temperature of a catalytic converter.
The probe typically has four wires attached to it: two for the lambda output, and two for the heater
power, although some automakers use the metal case as ground for the sensor element signal,
resulting in three wires. Earlier non-electrically-heated sensors had one or two wires.
Zirconia sensor
The zirconium dioxide, or zirconia, lambda sensor is based on a solid-state electrochemical fuel cell
called the Nernst cell. Its two electrodes provide an output voltage corresponding to the quantity of
oxygen in the exhaust relative to that in the atmosphere.
An output voltage of 0.2 V (200 mV) DC represents a "lean mixture" of fuel and oxygen, where the
amount of oxygen entering the cylinder is sufficient to fully oxidize the carbon monoxide (CO),
produced in burning the air and fuel, into carbon dioxide (CO2). An output voltage of 0.8 V (800
mV) DC represents a "rich mixture", which is high in unburned fuel and low in remaining oxygen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 3/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
The ECU is a control system that uses feedback from the sensor
to adjust the fuel/air mixture. As in all control systems, the
time constant of the sensor is important; the ability of the ECU
to control the fuel–air ratio depends upon the response time of
the sensor. An aging or fouled sensor tends to have a slower
response time, which can degrade system performance. The
shorter the time period, the higher the so-called "cross
count"[4] and the more responsive the system. A planar zirconia sensor (schematic
picture)
The sensor has a rugged stainless-steel construction internally
and externally. Due to this the sensor has a high resistance to
corrosion, allowing it to be used effectively in aggressive environments with high
temperature/pressure.
The zirconia sensor is of the "narrow-band" type, referring to the narrow range of fuel/air ratios to
which it responds.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 4/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
The wiring diagram for the wideband sensor typically has six wires:
Titania sensor
A less common type of narrow-band lambda sensor has a ceramic element made of titania
(titanium dioxide). This type does not generate its own voltage, but changes its electrical resistance
in response to the oxygen concentration. The resistance of the titania is a function of the oxygen
partial pressure and the temperature. Therefore, some sensors are used with a gas-temperature
sensor to compensate for the resistance change due to temperature. The resistance value at any
temperature is about 1/1000 the change in oxygen concentration. Luckily, at λ = 1, there is a large
change of oxygen, so the resistance change is typically 1000 times between rich and lean,
depending on the temperature.
As titania is an N-type semiconductor with a structure TiO2−x, the x defects in the crystal lattice
conduct the charge. So, for fuel-rich exhaust (lower oxygen concentration) the resistance is low,
and for fuel-lean exhaust (higher oxygen concentration) the resistance is high. The control unit
feeds the sensor with a small electric current and measures the resulting voltage drop across the
sensor, which varies from nearly 0 volts to about 5 volts. Like the zirconia sensor, this type is
nonlinear, such that it is sometimes simplistically described as a binary indicator, reading either
"rich" or "lean". Titania sensors are more expensive than zirconia sensors, but they also respond
faster.
In automotive applications the titania sensor, unlike the zirconia sensor, does not require a
reference sample of atmospheric air to operate properly. This makes the sensor assembly easier to
design against water contamination. While most automotive sensors are submersible, zirconia-
based sensors require a very small supply of reference air from the atmosphere. In theory, the
sensor wire harness and connector are sealed. Air that leaches through the wire harness to the
sensor is assumed to come from an open point in the harness – usually the ECU, which is housed
in an enclosed space like the trunk or vehicle interior.
The probe is typically screwed into a threaded hole in the exhaust system, located after the branch
manifold of the exhaust system combines and before the catalytic converter. New vehicles are
required to have a sensor before and after the exhaust catalyst to meet U.S. regulations requiring
that all emissions components be monitored for failure. Pre- and post-catalyst signals are
monitored to determine catalyst efficiency, and if the converter is not performing as expected, an
alert gets reported to the user through on-board diagnostics systems by, for example, lighting up
an indicator in the vehicle's dashboard. Additionally, some catalyst systems require brief cycles of
lean (oxygen-containing) gas to load the catalyst and promote additional oxidation reduction of
undesirable exhaust components.
Sensor surveillance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 5/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
The air–fuel ratio and naturally, the status of the sensor, can be monitored by means of using an
air–fuel ratio meter that displays the output voltage of the sensor.
Sensor failures
Normally, the lifetime of an unheated sensor is about 30,000 to 50,000 miles (50,000 to
80,000 km). Heated sensor lifetime is typically 100,000 miles (160,000 km). Failure of an
unheated sensor is usually caused by the buildup of soot on the ceramic element, which lengthens
its response time and may cause total loss of ability to sense oxygen. For heated sensors, normal
deposits are burned off during operation, and failure occurs due to catalyst depletion. The probe
then tends to report lean mixture, the ECU enriches the mixture, the exhaust gets rich with carbon
monoxide and hydrocarbons, and the fuel economy worsens.
Leaded gasoline contaminates the oxygen sensors and catalytic converters. Most oxygen sensors
are rated for some service life in the presence of leaded gasoline, but sensor life will be shortened
to as little as 15,000 miles (24,000 km), depending on the lead concentration. Lead-damaged
sensors typically have their tips discolored light rusty.
Another common cause of premature failure of lambda probes is contamination of fuel with
silicones (used in some sealings and greases) or silicates (used as corrosion inhibitors in some
antifreezes). In this case, the deposits on the sensor are colored between shiny white and grainy
light gray.
Leaks of oil into the engine may cover the probe tip with an oily black deposit, with associated loss
of response.
An overly rich mixture causes buildup of black powdery deposit on the probe. This may be caused
by failure of the probe itself, or by a problem elsewhere in the fuel-rationing system.
Applying an external voltage to the zirconia sensors, e.g. by checking them with some types of
ohmmeter, may damage them.
Some sensors have an air inlet to the sensor in the lead, so contamination from the lead caused by
water or oil leaks can be sucked into the sensor and cause failure.[7]
Diving applications
The type of oxygen sensor used in most underwater diving applications is the electro-galvanic
oxygen sensor, a type of fuel cell, which is sometimes called an oxygen analyser or ppO2 meter.
They are used to measure the oxygen concentration of breathing gas mixes such as nitrox and
trimix.[9] They are also used within the oxygen control mechanisms of closed-circuit rebreathers to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 6/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
Soil respiration
Marine biology
In marine biology or limnology, oxygen measurements are usually done in order to measure
respiration of a community or an organism, but have also been used to measure primary
production of algae. The traditional way of measuring oxygen concentration in a water sample has
been to use wet chemistry techniques e.g. the Winkler titration method. There are however
commercially available oxygen sensors that measure the oxygen concentration in liquids with great
accuracy. There are two types of oxygen sensors available: electrodes (electrochemical sensors) and
optodes (optical sensors).
Brewing
In breweries, dissolved oxygen is measured at multiple places within a beer production operation,
from DO (dissolved oxygen) control at wort aeration, to measurement with a trace oxygen sensor
(low-PPB; low-parts per billion) at the filling line. These measurements are either taken with an in-
line dissolved oxygen sensor or a portable dissolved oxygen meter.[12]
Pharmaceutical production
Oxygen sensors play a critical role in the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients made in
a bioreactor by cell culture or fermentation. Because oxygen is important in cellular respiration,
the oxygen sensor provides a critical measurement to ensure that cells in the bioreactor are getting
the oxygen needed to maximize production. The accuracy of the oxygen sensor is critical, as a lack
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 7/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
of oxygen negatively impacts productivity and excess oxygen can lead to changes in cell
metabolism. In bioreactors, oxygen sensors can be installed vertically or at an angle. For vertical
installations, angled-tip oxygen sensors help to provide accurate readings.[13]
Electrodes
The Clark-type electrode is the most used oxygen sensor for measuring oxygen dissolved in a
liquid. The basic principle is that there is a cathode and an anode submersed in an electrolyte.
Oxygen enters the sensor through a permeable membrane by diffusion and is reduced at the
cathode, creating a measurable electric current.
There is a linear relationship between the oxygen concentration and the electric current. With a
two-point calibration (0% and 100% air saturation), it is possible to measure oxygen in the sample.
One drawback to this approach is that oxygen is consumed during the measurement with a rate
equal to the diffusion in the sensor. This means that the sensor must be stirred in order to get the
correct measurement and avoid stagnant water. With an increasing sensor size, the oxygen
consumption increases and so does the stirring sensitivity. In large sensors there tend to also be a
drift in the signal over time due to consumption of the electrolyte. However, Clark-type sensors can
be made very small with a tip size of 10 µm. The oxygen consumption of such a microsensor is so
small that it is practically insensitive to stirring and can be used in stagnant media such as
sediments or inside plant tissue.
Optodes
The signal (fluorescence) to oxygen ratio is not linear, and an optode is most sensitive at low
oxygen concentration. That is, the sensitivity decreases as oxygen concentration increases,
following the Stern–Volmer relationship. The optode sensors can, however, work in the whole
region 0% to 100% oxygen saturation in water, and the calibration is done the same way as with
the Clark-type sensor. No oxygen is consumed, and hence the sensor is insensitive to stirring, but
the signal will stabilize more quickly if the sensor is stirred after being put in the sample. These
type of electrode sensors can be used for in situ and real-time monitoring of oxygen production in
water-splitting reactions. The platinized electrodes can accomplish the real-time monitoring of
hydrogen production in water-splitting device.
Planar optodes are used to detect the spatial distribution of oxygen concentrations in a platinized
foil. Based on the same principle than optode probes, a digital camera is used to capture
fluorescence intensities over a specific area.
See also
Exhaust gas analyzer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 8/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
References
1. "40 Years of Bosch Lambda Sensor" (http://blog.bosch.com/history/en/2016/07/20/939/). Bosch
History Blog. 2016-07-20. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
2. "Three-way catalyst" (https://matthey.com/en/products-and-services/emission-control-technolo
gies/stationary-emissions-control/three-way-catalyst). Johnson Matthey.
3. "30 years of the Bosch lambda sensor" (http://www.bosch-presse.de/TBWebDB/en-US/PressT
ext.cfm?CFID=92815&CFTOKEN=62b94d8b3df48a9-40C1C366-EB6C-77EF-63359AA0DD3D
04A0&ID=2599) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20191218063342/https://www.bosch-pr
esse.de/pressportal/de/de/404.html) 2019-12-18 at the Wayback Machine.
4. "Zirconia sensors" in Spark Plug 411 (http://www.sparkplugs.com/sparkplug411.asp?kw=Zircon
ia&mfid=0), at sparkplugs.com.
5. Citation: Yamada, T., Hayakawa, N., Kami, Y., and Kawai, T., "Universal Air-Fuel Ratio Heated
Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor and Further Applications", SAE Technical Paper 920234, 1992,
doi:10.4271/920234.
6. "Any recent car utilising lean-burn or direct-injection engine technology uses a Wideband
Sensor" (http://www.lambdapower.co.uk/TechNotes/Tech-8.asp.) Archived (https://web.archive.
org/web/20140421050758/http://www.lambdapower.co.uk/TechNotes/Tech-8.asp.) 2014-04-21
at the Wayback Machine, info by lambdapower.co.uk.
7. NGK: Some sensors "breathe" through their leads, so are susceptible to contamination of the
leads. (http://www.ngkntk.co.uk/working/RunScript.asp?sname=Lambda+Sensors&smenu=Tec
hLambda&page=102&submenu=TechLambda&p=ASP\Pg102.asp)
8. Miller, Tim (2019-04-11). "How To Test An O2 Sensor With An OBD2 Scanner" (https://obdplan
et.com/test-o2-sensor-with-obd2-scanner/). OBD Planet. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
9. Lang, M.A. (2001). DAN Nitrox Workshop Proceedings (https://web.archive.org/web/20110916
013500/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4855). Durham, NC: Divers Alert Network. p. 197.
Archived from the original on 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
10. Goble, Steve (2003). "Rebreathers" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090808203822/http://archiv
e.rubicon-foundation.org/7782). South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal. 33 (2):
98–102. Archived from the original on 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
11. "Estimation of Soil Respiration: Improved Techniques for Measurement of Soil Gas" (http://ww
w.apogeeinstruments.com/pdf_files/O2_Sensor_Soil_Respiration.pdf) Archived (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20110707152105/http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/pdf_files/O2_Sensor_Soil_
Respiration.pdf) 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine.
12. "Guide to Brewing Process Optimization" (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/library/guides/pr
ocess-analytics/brewing-process-optimization-guide.html). Mettler-Toledo LLC. Retrieved
20 July 2021.
13. Tarancon, A. "Eliminating Noisy Oxygen Measurement in Fermentation & Cell Culture" (https://
www.mt.com/us/en/home/library/white-papers/process-analytics/improved-oxygen-measureme
nt.html). Mettler-Toledo LLC. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
14. "A Guide to Oxygen Measurement: Theory & Practice" (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/libr
ary/guides/process-analytics/oxygen-theory-guide.html). Mettler-Toledo LLC. Retrieved 20 July
2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 9/10
05/02/2023 11:03 Oxygen sensor - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_sensor 10/10