US 12,228,551 B2
Photoacoustic gas sensor device
Lukas Bürgi, Stäfa (CH); Thomas Uehlinger, Stäfa (CH); and Werner Hunziker, Zürich (CH)
Assigned to SENSIRION AG, Stäfa (CH)
Appl. No. 17/631,849
Filed by SENSIRION AG, Stäfa (CH)
PCT Filed Jul. 30, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/071510
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 31, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/028231, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19191110 (EP), filed on Aug. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0283123 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 29/32 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01N 29/42 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/32 (2013.01) [G01N 29/222 (2013.01); G01N 29/2425 (2013.01); G01N 29/42 (2013.01); G01N 2291/021 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02809 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photoacoustic gas sensor device, for determining a value indicative of a presence or a concentration of a component in a gas, the photoacoustic gas sensor device comprising:
a measurement cell enclosing a measurement volume;
a gas permeable area in the measurement cell for a gas to enter the measurement volume;
an electromagnetic radiation source arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation into the measurement volume; and
a pressure transducer arranged to measure a sound wave generated by the component in response to an absorption of electromagnetic radiation by the component in the measurement volume,
wherein the gas permeable area is represented by a porous gas permeable membrane,
wherein an average pore size of the porous gas permeable membrane is between 10 nm and 1 μm, or between 20 nm and 200 nm,
wherein a porosity of the porous gas permeable membrane is between 20% and 90%,
wherein a dimension of the measurement volume is between 0.03 cm3 and 8 cm3, and
wherein a diameter of the gas permeable area is between 0.2 mm and 4 mm.