Patent attributes
The present invention is a method and apparatus for measuring the total NOx concentration in a gas stream utilizing the principles of a NOx sensor, i.e., mixed potential sensor. The exhaust gas is first conditioned by a catalyst assembly that converts the various species of nitrogen oxide gases present to a fixed steady state concentration ratio of NO2/NO, where NO2 is approximately 0–10% of the total NOx concentration present in the gas exhaust, thereby enabling the NOx sensor to generate a meaningful and reproducible determination of the concentration of total NOx present in the gas being measured. The catalyst assembly also functions to oxidize any unburned combustibles such as CH4, CO, etc., and remove potential contaminants such as SO2.
