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Abstract

An oxygen detector for detecting the presence of trace levels of oxygen in an anaerobic environment consisting of a sample chamber wherein a sample from the anaerobic environment is exposed to a catalyst, such as palladium, which promotes the exothermic chemical reaction of oxygen with hydrogen. The presence of oxygen will cause such reaction to occur on the catalyst and the consequent generation of heat. A thermistor which is in thermal proximity to the catalyst detects this heat and provides a signal. The sampling chamber is enclosed by an enclosure which serves to volumetrically and thermally confine the sample during the measurement thereby enabling small levels of exothermic heat of reaction to be detected. Entrance to the sampling chamber is through a membrane which is permeable to lower molecular weight gases such as oxygen and hydrogen which thus enables diffusion of the anaerobic atmosphere into the chamber.

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First Claim