HEATER-CONTAINED GAS SENSOR OPERATION STARTING METHOD AND OPERATION STOPPING METHOD, AND OPERATING METHOD

摘要

A heater-contained gas sensor control device capable of preventing gas sensor damage, deterioration, and detection accuracy degradation is provided. When an ignition switch is turned on, application of power to a heater (27) is started, and when the temperature (Ts) around a gas sensor (15) (the gas temperature in a gas detection chamber (24)) becomes greater than a predetermined start temperature (#Ti) or when a predetermined power application time has passed since the start of application of power to the heater (27), the gas sensor (15) is started. Passage of off-gas is started simultaneously with, or after, the start of the gas sensor (15). When the ignition switch is turned off, the passage of the off-gas is stopped and so is the power supply to the gas sensor (15). The application of power to the heater (27) is stopped after a predetermined time has passed since the stoppage of the gas sensor (15) with a temperature difference (DeltaT) between the gas temperature (Ts) in the gas detection chamber (24) and the upstream gas temperature (Tg) maintained within a predetermined range.