Egidio De Benedetto

A Comparative Analysis Between Customized and Commercial Systems for Complex Permittivity Measurements on Liquid Samples at Microwave Frequencies

In this paper, different customized systems for microwave permittivity measurements on liquid samples, based on reflectometric measurements, are presented and analyzed. Their performance is compared against the one deriving from the most widely adopted commercial measurement setup. The systems are designed with the aim of providing less expensive solutions without compromising measurement accuracy. The purpose of the first proposed solution is to replace the commercial measurement software exploiting a reformulation of the classical theory. Based on this alternative formulation, a “homemade” probe is built by properly modifying an N-type coaxial connector, thus providing a system requiring a lower quantity of liquid under test. Moreover, a different experimental approach which uses time-domain reflectometry (TDR) instrumentation is presented. Such solution is by far the least expensive, as it allows avoiding the use of costly instrumentation (such as a vector network analyzer). In order to metrologically characterize the proposed solutions, a series of repeated measurements is performed on a set of well-referenced liquids. After extracting the Cole–Cole parameters through each of the considered measurement methods, the resulting type A uncertainty is evaluated. Finally, comparison with literature data allows the estimation of measurement bias. The analysis evidences that custom solutions generally exhibit an accuracy comparable to the one of the commercial solution, with a slight degradation of performance for the TDR-based setup, which, however, compensates for this drawback with its appealing low cost.

Experimental Characterization and Performance Evaluation of Flexible Two-Wire Probes for TDR Monitoring of Liquid Level

In this paper, a time-domain reflectometry (TDR) based system for monitoring liquid level inside tanks is presented. The proposed system resorts to a flexible, two-wire probe, which can be attached to the walls of containers and adapted to their shape. The proposed system is particularly useful for industrial applications; in fact, after a preliminary calibration, it can measure automatically and in real time the level of liquids inside containers (even tens of meters tall). The proposed system was tested on metallic and on nonmetallic containers. In the latter case, as the probe is positioned on the outside wall of the container, a totally noninvasive monitoring of liquids is achieved. The obtained results show that the system has considerable potential for being easily and effectively employed in practical, industrial applications. Finally, simulations were carried out, thus providing useful information for optimizing the system performance and for predicting its limitations.

Broadband Reflectometry for Enhanced Diagnostics and Monitoring Applications

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Effect of the height of the observation line on the the diffraction curve in GPR prospecting

This paper deals with the shape of the GPR diffraction curve in dependence of the distance of the measurement line from to the air/soil interface. It will be shown that the diffraction curve changes with respect to the case of data gathered at the air-soil interface, and the calculation of the diffraction curve requires the solution of a fourth degree algebraic equation. The solution in closed form of this equation will be presented, and a physical discussion of the effects of the non-null height of the observation line will be provided.

Hydration Monitoring and Moisture Control of Cement-Based Samples Through Embedded Wire-Like Sensing Elements

In this paper, a time-domain reflectrometry (TDR)-based solution for monitoring moisture content in cement-based samples is presented. The proposed system employs a simple flexible biwire, which acts as a distributed sensing element (SE) (as opposed to traditional, local moisture content sensors). Once embedded, the SE remains permanently inside the cement-based sample and can be used both for monitoring the hydration process of the sample structures (ex-ante monitoring) and, successively, for monitoring possible water infiltration during the service life of the structure (ex-post monitoring). In practical applications, the SE could be employed inside building structures at the time of construction, and it could be used for the aforementioned moisture content monitoring purposes. As a preliminary validation of the practical feasibility of the proposed system, in this paper, two cement-based samples (made of mortar and concrete, respectively) were equipped with a SE, and their water content was monitored through TDR measurements, over a 28-day period (thus mimicking the ex-ante monitoring conditions). Furthermore, to verify the potential of the proposed method also for the ex-post monitoring, the air-dried mortar sample was intentionally subjected to wetting conditions and the resulting rising damp was observed through the proposed TDR-based system.

Reproducibility analysis of a TDR-based monitoring system for intravenous drip infusions: Validation of a novel method for flow-rate measurement in IV infusion

In previous works, the authors have explored the use of a microwave reflectometry-based system for the automatic control and real-time monitoring of the flow and of the liquid level in intravenous medical infusions. In this paper, the repeatability of the measurements obtained with the proposed method is evaluated, by employing an ad-hoc experimental procedure. Preliminary results demonstrate that the method shows a good repeatability; nevertheless, there are still some issues that should be solved.

A Wearable Wireless Energy Link for Thin-Film Batteries Charging

A wireless charger for low capacity thin-film batteries is presented. The proposed device consists of a nonradiative wireless resonant energy link and a power management unit. Experimental data referring to a prototype operating in the ISM band centered at 434 MHz are presented and discussed. In more detail, in order to facilitate the integration into wearable accessories (such as handbags or suitcases), the prototype of the wireless energy link was implemented by exploiting a magnetic coupling between two planar resonators fabricated by using a conductive fabric on a layer of leather. From experimental data, it is demonstrated that, at 434 MHz, the RF-to-RF power transfer efficiency of the link is approximately 69.3%. As for the performance of the system as a whole, when an RF power of 7.5 dBm is provided at the input port, a total efficiency of about 29.7% is obtained. Finally, experiments performed for calculating the charging time for a low capacity thin-film battery demonstrated that, for RF input power higher than 6 dBm, the time necessary for recharging the battery is lower than 50 minutes.

Criteria for Automated Estimation of Time of Flight in TDR Analysis

In this paper, a performance analysis, in terms of accuracy, linearity, and repeatability, of three criteria to estimate the time of flight in time-domain reflectometry (TDR) signals is carried out. In a first set of experiments, the three criteria [referred to as maximum derivative (MD), zero derivative, and tangent crossing (TC)] are applied to TDR signals propagating along a set of coaxial cables, with different known lengths and known electrical parameters. In a second set of experiments, the same criteria are applied to biwire cables in air, with different known lengths and unknown electrical parameters. Finally, in the last set of experiments, the criteria are applied in a more complex situation, i.e., on a biwire used as a sensing element for water-level measurement. The results show that, among the tested criteria, TC appears to provide a very good performance in terms of systematic errors and superior performance in terms of repeatability. The popular MD criterion appears to be more prone to random errors due to noise and TDR artifacts. The results of this paper are relevant to many practical applications of TDR, ranging from fault location in cables to media interface sensing.

Measurement System for Evaluating Dielectric Permittivity of Granular Materials in the 1.7–2.6-GHz Band

The design and the experimental characterization of a waveguide system for complex permittivity measurements on both solid and granular materials are presented. The proposed system is intended for the dielectric characterization of asphalt concrete and of its components at frequencies around 2.45 GHz. Therefore, the system provides measurements on granular materials, such as mineral aggregates found in the asphalt concrete. A series of experimental tests on reference materials shows, via comparison with a standard measurement system, errors within 1%. A theoretical analysis of uncertainty contributions confirms a predicted expanded uncertainty lower than 2%. Furthermore, to test the proposed system for dielectric spectroscopy on materials typical of the asphalt industry, measurements were also performed on calcareous and basaltic materials, which are typically used for the production of asphalt. Finally, three different dielectric models (namely, α model, Ansoults model, and Topps equation) were comparatively assessed to identify the most suitable ones in describing the water content and dielectric permittivity relationship for the considered materials.

Extending industrial applicability of TDR liquid level monitoring through flexible probes

In the present work, an alternative probe configuration to be used for time domain reflectometry (TDR)-based monitoring of liquid level inside tanks is presented. The proposed probe, which resorts to a bifilar transmission line configuration, is flexible and adaptable to the surface of the containers to be monitored. This feature, along with the other advantageous characteristics of TDR, makes this probe configuration particularly attractive for industrial applications. In this paper, to test the applicability of the method, two different scenarios are considered: monitoring of liquids contained in metallic tanks and non-invasive monitoring of liquids in non-metallic tanks. Results show that, in both cases, the proposed system has considerable potential for being easily and effectively employed in practical, industrial applications.