Dissolved hydrogen and oxygen sensors using semiconductor devices

The concentrations of DH and DO in aqueous solution are the factors that determine the equilibrium potential of hydrogen and oxygen electrode reactions, respectively, and are the quantities which directly related to the rates of hydrogen generation type and oxygen consumption type corrosion reactions, therefore, they have the important meaning in the electrochemistry of corrosion. In the hydrogen injection into BWR cooling water, the concentration of hydrogen must be controlled strictly, accordingly DH and DO sensors and electrochemical potential sensors are required. For the chemical sensors used in reactor cooling water, the perfectly solid state sensors made of high corrosion resistance materials, which are small size and withstand high temperature and high pressure, must be developed. The structure and the characteristics of the semiconductor devices used as gas sensors, and the principles of DH and DO sensors are described. If the idea of porous or discontinuous membrane gate is developed, the ion sensor of solid structure with one-body reference electrode may be made. (K.I.)