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Response Characteristics of Stable Mixed-Potential NH3 Sensors in Diesel Engine Exhaust

  • Special Issue: 2016 CLEERS April 6-8, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
  • Published:
Emission Control Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A mixed-potential, electrochemical sensor platform is extended to NH3 sensing by the introduction of a new gold alloy working electrode. A planar, pre-commercial NH3 sensor utilized LANL’s controlled interface approach, and a Pd-Au alloy working electrode was tested in exhaust of a GM 1.9 L diesel engine downstream of a diesel oxidation catalyst through a slipstream arrangement. A fraction of the exhaust was pulled across the sensor with a pump at 20 L/min. In order to simulate NH3 slip inside of a full SCR emissions control system, NH3 was injected immediately upstream of the sensor using a calibrated mass flow controller. The sensor response quantitatively tracked the NH3 as measured via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyzer. A calibration curve was obtained in the exhaust from an ammonia staircase response with the engine running at steady-state engine conditions resulting in low background concentrations of NOx and HC (<20 ppm) during calibration. Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) switching and sweeps were used to evaluate the NH3 sensor response under different amounts of total background NOx. The calibration curve was used to directly compare the [NH3] calculated from sensor response to the gas phase composition measured via FTIR. In general, there was excellent quantitative agreement between the sensor response and the actual NH3 in the exhaust gas, and fast response time such that transients (<5 ppm) could be easily discerned from baseline. A LANL pre-commercial NOx sensor was tested simultaneously with the NH3 sensor and the extent of cross-sensitivity between the two sensors will be discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office funded this work, and the authors wish to thank Technology Development Manager Roland Gravel. We also wish to acknowledge Dr. Ellen Tormey and Dr. Ponnusamy Palanisamy of ESL for the fabrication of the sensor devices and William Penrose at Custom Sensor Solutions for the development of the heater boards. Evaluation of the sensors under engine exhaust conditions was performed at the National Transportation Research Center, a National User Facility sponsored by the U.S. DOE EERE Vehicle Technologies Office.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sensors and Electrochemical Devices Group, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Eric L. Brosha, Cortney R. Kreller & R. Mukundan

  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, National Transportation Research Center, Knoxville, TN, 37932, USA

    Vitaly Y. Prikhodko, Josh A. Pihl, Scott Curran & James E. Parks II

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  1. Eric L. Brosha
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  2. Vitaly Y. Prikhodko
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  3. Cortney R. Kreller
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  4. Josh A. Pihl
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  5. Scott Curran
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  6. James E. Parks II
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  7. R. Mukundan
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Correspondence to Eric L. Brosha.

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Brosha, E.L., Prikhodko, V.Y., Kreller, C.R. et al. Response Characteristics of Stable Mixed-Potential NH3 Sensors in Diesel Engine Exhaust. Emiss. Control Sci. Technol. 3, 112–121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40825-016-0050-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40825-016-0050-2

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