RESONANT DEW POINT MEASURING DEVICE

摘要

A dew and/or frost point measurement instrument and related method are disclosed. An electrically actuated micro/nanoscale resonating element is formed over a resonator substrate. A temperature controlled platform is provided in thermal communication with the resonator substrate. A temperature sensing element is provided in thermal communication with the resonating element. A sustaining amplifier stimulates the resonating element to maintain substantially continuous oscillations at one of its mechanical natural frequencies. A control circuitry monitors the resonator frequency, controls the temperature of the resonator substrate accordingly, and interprets a dew or frost point of a gaseous compound of interest.

主权项

1. A dew and/or frost point measurement instrument, comprising:
an electrically actuated at least one of micro- and nanoscale resonating element formed over a resonator substrate; a temperature control device in thermal communication with the resonator substrate to provide a cooled surface for formation of dew and/or frost; a temperature sensing element in thermal communication with the resonating element to sense a temperature of the cooled surface; a sustaining amplifier for stimulating the resonating element to maintain substantially continuous oscillations at a mechanical natural frequency and output a waveform proportional to the mechanical natural frequency; a control circuitry to monitor a frequency of the resonating element, to control the temperature of the cooled surface in response to the monitored frequency, and, based on the temperature of the cooled surface and monitored frequency, to determine a dew or frost point of a gaseous compound of interest.