Microwave apparatus for measuring fluid mixtures.

摘要

An apparatus for measuring the concentration of one material in another, such as the concentration of water in crude or refined mineral oil, comprises a conduit (14) for receiving and discharging a continuous flow stream of the fluid mixture and which is formed as part of a coaxial microwave transmission line (16, 22). A microwave or radio frequency range signal generator in the form of an unbuffered oscillator (30) is connected to the transmission line for generating a high frequency signal which may be varied by a voltage controlled oscillator tuning circuit (34). A signal receiver (52) monitors the change in frequency caused by impedance pulling of the oscillator due to the change in fluid dielectric constant and transmits a differential frequency signal to a frequency counter (58) and microprocessor (60) for comparison of the measured signal with known reference signals (54) for determining the percentage of one fluid mixed in the other in the flow stream. The apparatus measurement section is adapted to provide for connecting standard microwave coaxial connectors to a relatively large diameter pipe or conduit comprising the coaxial transmission line portion of the measurement section.