Title:
OIL/WATER SENSOR BASED ON TIME DOMAIN TRANSMISSION (TDT)
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001092861
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A sensor for measuring the dielectric constant of a fluid, for example an oil/water mixture, uses time of flight measurements. The sensor has a conduit for the fluid, preferably a transmission line. The dielectric constant of the fluid affects transmission of electrical energy along the transmission line. An electrical generator, having as output an electrical transient, is operably connected to one end of the transmission line for transmitting the electrical transient along the conduit, wherein propagation of the electrical conduit is affected by the fluid. A receiver is connected to the other end of the conduit for detecting electrical transients that have passed along the conduit from the electrical generator. A processor is operably connected to the electrical generator and to the receiver, the processor being programmed to cause an electrical transient to be generated by the electrical generator for passage along the conduit and determine the dielectric constant of the fluid from characteristics of the electrical transient detected at the receiver. In one embodiment a sing-around arrangement is used.
Inventors:
MCFARLANE RONALD A
GABEL GAIL S
GABEL GAIL S
Application Number:
PCT/CA2001/000788
Publication Date:
August 08, 2002
Filing Date:
May 30, 2001
Export Citation:
Assignee:
ESI ENVIRONMENTAL SENSORS INC (CA)
International Classes:
G01N22/00; (IPC1-7): G01N22/00; G01N33/28; G01R27/26; G01R27/28
Foreign References:
| US5069070A | 1991-12-03 | |||
| US5148125A | 1992-09-15 | |||
| US6060889A | 2000-05-09 | |||
| US4429273A | 1984-01-31 | |||
| US5315258A | 1994-05-24 | |||
| US5648724A | 1997-07-15 | |||
| US3965416A | 1976-06-22 | |||
| US3853005A | 1974-12-10 | |||
| US4866369A | 1989-09-12 | |||
| FR2619253A1 | 1989-02-10 |
Other References:
MIKE SLY: "RE: choose a sensor - TDT vs TDR", SOWACS, pages 1 - 3, XP002194861, Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20020402]
WARWICK THOMPSON: "Virrib", SOWACS, pages 1 - 2, XP002194862, Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20020402]
"Automatic measuring of soil moisture", CHMI, pages 1 - 3, XP002194863, Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20020402]
DAVIS J L ET AL: "ELECTROMAGNETIC DETECTION OF SOIL MOISTURE: PROGRESS REPORT I", CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING, XX, XX, vol. 3, no. 1, 1 December 1977 (1977-12-01), pages 76 - 86, XP000565311, ISSN: 0703-8992
SAED M A ET AL: "WIDE-BAND MEASUREMENT OF THE COMPLEX PERMITTIVITY OF DIELECTRIC MATERIALS USING A WIDE-BAND CAVITY", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, IEEE INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 38, no. 2, 1 April 1989 (1989-04-01), pages 488 - 495, XP000052107, ISSN: 0018-9456
FIDANBOYLU K M ET AL: "An enhanced time domain approach for dielectric characterization using stripline geometry", INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE. ATLANTA, MAY 14 - 16, 1991, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. CONF. 8, 14 May 1991 (1991-05-14), pages 641 - 647, XP010037039, ISBN: 0-87942-579-2
KNIGHT J H: "SENSITIVITY OF TIME DOMAIN REFELCTOMETRY MEASUREMENTS TO LATERAL VARIATIONS IN SOIL WATER CONTENT", WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, US, vol. 28, no. 9, September 1992 (1992-09-01), pages 2345 - 2352, XP001019778, ISSN: 0043-1397
WARWICK THOMPSON: "Virrib", SOWACS, pages 1 - 2, XP002194862, Retrieved from the Internet
"Automatic measuring of soil moisture", CHMI, pages 1 - 3, XP002194863, Retrieved from the Internet
DAVIS J L ET AL: "ELECTROMAGNETIC DETECTION OF SOIL MOISTURE: PROGRESS REPORT I", CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING, XX, XX, vol. 3, no. 1, 1 December 1977 (1977-12-01), pages 76 - 86, XP000565311, ISSN: 0703-8992
SAED M A ET AL: "WIDE-BAND MEASUREMENT OF THE COMPLEX PERMITTIVITY OF DIELECTRIC MATERIALS USING A WIDE-BAND CAVITY", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, IEEE INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 38, no. 2, 1 April 1989 (1989-04-01), pages 488 - 495, XP000052107, ISSN: 0018-9456
FIDANBOYLU K M ET AL: "An enhanced time domain approach for dielectric characterization using stripline geometry", INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE. ATLANTA, MAY 14 - 16, 1991, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. CONF. 8, 14 May 1991 (1991-05-14), pages 641 - 647, XP010037039, ISBN: 0-87942-579-2
KNIGHT J H: "SENSITIVITY OF TIME DOMAIN REFELCTOMETRY MEASUREMENTS TO LATERAL VARIATIONS IN SOIL WATER CONTENT", WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, US, vol. 28, no. 9, September 1992 (1992-09-01), pages 2345 - 2352, XP001019778, ISSN: 0043-1397
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