What can cause a galvanic fuel cell analyzer to read erroneously high?

A galvanic fuel cell analyzer measures the concentration of gases, such as oxygen, by using a chemical reaction that produces an electrical current proportional to the gas concentration. An erroneously high reading can occur due to several factors.

The presence of carbon monoxide is particularly significant because it can interfere with the readings by affecting the chemical reactions taking place within the galvanic cell. If carbon monoxide is present in the sample, the analyzer may misinterpret this signal and report a higher oxygen concentration than actually exists. Therefore, the presence of carbon monoxide would be a critical factor leading to an inaccurate reading.

Batteries that are depleted can affect the overall functionality of the device, but they typically do not cause readings to be falsely high; rather, they can lead to erratic or no readings at all. Similarly, installing the analyzer in a humidified ventilator circuit may not directly cause a falsely high reading; it could lead to other issues, such as condensation affecting the electronics or measurement accuracy, but again not specifically to high readings.

Lastly, the operating environment of fixed-wing aircraft without a pressurized cabin typically won't produce erroneous high readings directly, but changes in atmospheric pressure may affect how gases are measured. However, it’s the interaction of gas concentrations, particularly with carbon