摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To specify the heating value of a heater required to heat a gas sensor element to its activation temperature even in the case that its element impedance can not be detected. <P>SOLUTION: A central processing unit 2 energizes the heater 80 immediately after activation and computes a resistance value of a heating resistor 87. Data indicating the correlation between the resistance value of the heating resistor 87 and the temperature of the heating resistor 87 is stored in the central processing unit 2 to compute the temperature of the heating resistor 87 on the basis of the correlation. The temperature of the heating resistor 87 is computed by supposing that the temperature of the heating resistor 87 and that of the gas sensor element 5 are approximately equal to each other since the heater 80 does not heat by energization immediately after activation and the heating resistor 87 is arranged in the vicinity of the gas sensor element 5, the computed temperature of the heating resistor 87 is taken as the temperature (element temperature) of the gas sensor element 5. It is thereby possible to determine the heating value of the heater required to heat the gas sensor element 5 to its activation temperature. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT |