Thermal Stress Simulation and Structure Failure Analyses of Nitrogen–Oxygen Sensors under a Gradual Temperature Field

Jiangtao Feng, Jiaqi Geng, Hangyu She, Tao Zhang, Bo Chi and Jian Pu
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Jiangtao Feng: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Jiaqi Geng: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Hangyu She: School of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Tao Zhang: School of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Bo Chi: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Jian Pu: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-11

Abstract: Nitrogen–oxygen sensors are pivotal for NO X emission detection, and they have been designed as key components in vehicles’ exhaust systems. However, severe thermal stress concentrations during thermal cycling in the sensors create knotty structural damage issues, which are inevitable during the frequent start–stop events of the vehicles. Herein, to illustrate the effect of thermal concentration on a sensor’s structure, we simulated the temperature and stress field of a sensor through finite element analysis. The failure modes of the sensor based on the multilayer structure model were analyzed. Our simulation indicated that the thermal deformation and stress of the sensors increased significantly when the heating temperature in the sensors increased from 200 to 800 °C. High stress regions were located at the joint between the layers and the right angle of the air chamber. These results are consistent with the sensor failure locations that were observed by SEM, and the sensor’s failures mainly manifested in the form of cracks and delamination. The results suggest that both the multilayer interfaces and the shape of the air chamber could be optimized to reduce the thermal stress concentrations of the sensors. It is beneficial to improve the reliability of the sensor under thermal cycling operation.

Keywords: nitrogen–oxygen sensor; finite element analysis; simulation; temperature distribution; thermal stress concentration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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