The invention provides a control strategy and a control system to control a gas
sensor to a target operating temperature. It relies upon both feedback and model-based
feedforward control systems to achieve and then maintain the sensor at the target
operating temperature. The mechanization includes a gas sensor with a heating element
in a feedstream. The control strategy employs a control system for the heating
element that is based upon the target operating temperature, the temperature of
the heating element, and an effect of the feedstream and mounting structure on
the temperature of the sensor. The control strategy enables the control system
to optimize the heating of a sensor during warm-up and steady state operations.