The transient start-up response of a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor to investigate the Nernst equation in platinum/zirconia cells

The universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor (UEGO) is a device used to infer the combustion air-to-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine by sampling the exhaust gas. The sensor operates using a feedback system to maintain a specified internal condition, and measures the oxygen current required for this. While the steady state operation of the sensor is reasonably well-understood – dominated as it is by the diffusion of gas species – the factors influencing the transient response are not so clear. In this paper a numerical model of a sensor is compared to experimental data. By examining the effect of the inclusion of different aspects into the model, it becomes clear that it is necessary to account for the influence of gaseous species adsorbing onto surfaces, as well as the more traditional approach based on oxygen partial pressure, to correctly capture the transient response of a sensor containing a Pt|YSZ|Pt cell.