A method of thermally protecting an amperometric cell and amperometric probe for carrying out the method

摘要

A method of thermally protecting an amperometric electro-analytical cell of the membrane-enclosed type having an electrolyte within an electrolyte space in contact with at least two electrodes; the membrane defines a sensor face for exposure to an ambient medium; the cell has an operative temperature range, e.g. between 0 and 70°C, and is exposed temporarily or periodically to temperatures outside of said operative temperature range, e.g. for heat-sterilization at temperatures between 100 and 150°C; controlled heat compensation of said electrolyte is effected by heat exchange within the cell whenever the sensor face, at least, of the cell is exposed to temperatures outside of the operative temperature range, preferably by passing a stream of a heat transfer fluid, such as water, through the cell for heat exchange with a heat conducting member, such as an electrode, that is in contact with the electrolyte.;A probe for carrying out the method has an elongated and generally cylindrical body (5) provided with a sensor face (511) at one end; the electrolyte space (56) is in contact with at least two electrodes (53, 55); electrical connecting means (534, 555) extend from electrodes (53, 55) through body (5) to a region near the other end of body (5); at least two elongated fluid-passing channels (578, 579) formed between interfitting coaxial tubular members (571, 572) extend through body (5) from a first region (51) to a second region (52); the channels have mutually communicating ends (577) in said first region (51) and separate fluid-feeding ends (593, 594) in said second region (52).