Apparatus and method to detect moisture

摘要

A method and apparatus for detecting moisture. An oscillatory electrical signal S₁ generated by an oscillator is propagated into a body that includes an electrically insulative material. A signal due to S₁ emerges from the body as an oscillatory electrical signal S₂. The signals S₁ and S₂ differ in phase by Deltaphi, wherein Deltaphi is indicative of moisture along a path traversed by S₁ within the insulative material, and wherein the conductance sigma of the insulative material is also indicative of the moisture along the path traversed by S₁ within the insulative material. S₂ is received at a sensing surface of a sensing part (e.g., probe, sensing antenna, etc.) and then transmitted to a moisture detecting device. The moisture detecting device determines from S₁ and S₂ a measure M of the moisture as a function of Deltaphi or as a function of sigma.