How sensors deliver reliable measurements despite invisible stress factors
What happens when a sensor is exposed to dust, moisture, oil, cleaning residues or chemically contaminated media for years? Ideally, very little. Under less favourable conditions, however, readings can gradually change, sensor drift can increase and service intervals can become shorter.
This is exactly where the E+E Shield Technologies come in. With SensShield and LeadsShield, E+E Elektronik already provides targeted protection for sensor areas exposed to particularly high stress. The new ChemShield Technology now extends this concept with an additional barrier against chemical contamination.
The aim: stable and reliable readings even where environmental conditions are far from ideal.
Not every sensor needs the same protection
The stresses acting on a sensor depend strongly on the application. A humidity sensor in a climate chamber is exposed to different influences than a sensor for moisture in oil measurement. In one application, dust, moisture or cleaning residues may be critical, while in another, ageing oils, oxidation products or chemical contamination play a greater role.
E+E Elektronik therefore does not use one standard protection concept for every application. Instead, protection is applied specifically to the areas that are particularly exposed under the respective operating conditions. These can include the sensing element itself, sensor leads, solder pads or other critical functional areas.
Sensor expertise, application knowledge and in-house technology development work together to create a protection concept that matches the measurement task while taking important characteristics such as response time, replaceability and serviceability into account.
SensShield protects the sensing element
SensShield is a protective layer applied to the sensing element, its leads and solder pads. It is particularly relevant where dust, dirt, oil-based contamination, salts, moisture or corrosion-related stress can affect the measurement.
Deposits on the active sensor surface or the connecting leads can, for example, cause unwanted electrical effects. SensShield helps reduce these influences and supports stable sensor performance in demanding environments.
LeadsShield protects sensitive connection points
LeadsShield takes a different approach. Sensor leads and solder pads are protected against contamination and corrosion by a protective encapsulation.
The sensing element itself remains exposed and is in direct contact with the medium to be measured. This is particularly important when a fast sensor response must be preserved.
LeadsShield therefore increases the robustness of the sensor design without changing the sensing element itself.
ChemShield: an additional barrier against chemical contamination
ChemShield adds another protection concept. The technology was developed for applications where chemical contamination can affect sensor performance.
Such influences can be particularly critical because their effects are not immediately visible. Process media change, oils age and oxidise, and cleaning processes leave residues. Over time, these influences can affect the sensing element and cause drift.
This is exactly where ChemShield comes in. A special protective layer is applied specifically to defined sensor areas such as the sensing element and solder pads. It acts as a barrier against harmful chemical influences and supports stable measurement even in chemically demanding environments.
When oil changes during operation
Moisture in oil measurement is a particularly relevant application for ChemShield.
Oils change during operation. High temperatures, oxygen, contamination and ageing processes can produce substances that place stress on the sensing element and impair measurement quality over time.
ChemShield provides an additional protective barrier in these applications.
The technology is relevant for selected applications with insulating oils, including oils based on natural esters. It can also help protect the sensing element against chemical influences in contaminated turbine, compressor or hydraulic oils.
For selected sensor solutions such as the EE360 and EE364, ChemShield therefore extends the application range into environments that require enhanced protection against chemical contamination.
Industrial humidity measurement also benefits
Chemical contamination is not limited to oils.
In industrial humidity measurement, pollutants, aggressive process conditions or residues from cleaning and production can also affect the sensing element. Substances that interact with the polymer structure of the humidity sensor and can therefore cause drift are particularly critical.
For such applications, ChemShield can be combined with SensShield. This creates an enhanced protection concept for environments where both general contamination and chemical stress are present.
Typical applications include climate and test chambers, fume hoods, cleaning-intensive pharmaceutical applications, biofilters, fertiliser environments, specialised drying processes and food fermentation applications.
Protection tailored to the application
SensShield, LeadsShield and ChemShield take different approaches, but complement each other within one overall protection concept.
SensShield primarily protects the sensing element, LeadsShield protects sensitive connection points, and ChemShield extends protection against chemical contamination.
Which technology is used, or which technologies are combined, depends on the measurement task, medium and operating conditions.
Because what matters is not maximum protection, but the right protection in the right place.
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