Next generation oxygen gas sensor

The optical FDO2 oxygen gas sensor, which was introduced by PyroScience GmbH in 2016, is a technologically advanced alternative to commonly used electro-galvanic oxygen sensors.

Despite the similarity in form factor (M16x1, Ø=28 mm) to conventional electro-galvanic oxygen sensors (oxygen fuel cells), the sensor operates via an entirely different mechanism, utilising an optical measuring principle. The optical measurement is based on a proprietary luminescent sensor from PyroScience, which is sensitive to oxygen partial pressure (REDFLASH technology). This principle is distinguished by its exceptional reliability, requiring minimal maintenance. It exhibits minimal interference from other gases such as H2S, CO2, or CH4, and operates entirely free from the use of toxic lead.

The FDO2 is a factory-calibrated, robust, accurate, fast-response, long-lasting and almost maintenance-free oxygen sensor. This user-friendly sensor is employed in a variety of demanding gas sensing applications, including oxygen gas monitoring in glove boxes (inert gas processing chambers), portable equipment, incubators, oxygen concentrators, fruit ripening and transport, and more. The sensor is equipped with a mounting thread and a robust locking connector, facilitating straightforward installation. The digital interface provides directly temperature-compensated oxygen partial pressure over a wide measuring range. An additional atmospheric pressure sensor, integrated within the device, facilitates the precise calculation of oxygen concentrations.

The FDO2 demonstrates a lifespan of 5 years or more, based on a 2-second sample interval and 60% operational time, in contrast to the limited shelf and operational life of electro-galvanic oxygen sensors. The optics and electronics are hermetically sealed from the measured gas, and the sensing surface is highly hydrophobic, ensuring that water droplets do not disturb the measurement. The sensor has been shown to have a fast response time (t63 < 2 sec), low drift (typically < 1% O2/year at 21% O2), a wide measuring range (0 -100% O2, up to 200% O2 on request) and low energy consumption (3.3V, typically 8mA). It is also notable for its linearity over the full oxygen range and sensor lifetime.

The flow-through cell FDO2-FTC enables simple integration in a variety of gas streams. The FDO2’s USB cable comes together with versatile evaluation software and this unit also has full RoHS compliancy (lead/Pb free).

If your application needs a different solution than FDO2 gas sensor, we can advise you with our yearlong experience in OEM integration. The staff at PyroScience have a profound background in chemistry, electrical engineering, physics, life sciences and oceanography. Therefore, we can offer comprehensive support, even for very special application demands.