Radio frequency state variable measurement system and method

Inventors

Sappok, Alexander • Ragaller, Paul • Bromberg, Leslie

Assignees

CTS Corp

Abstract

A measurement system and method of conducting cavity resonance and waveguide measurements is disclosed. The cavity or waveguide may be used to monitor the amount, composition, or distribution of a material or sample contained in the cavity or waveguide or passing through the cavity or waveguide. Improved means for operating the measurement system to reduce measurement variability, improve measurement accuracy, and decrease measurement response times are described. The invention's broad applications range from measurements of filters, catalysts, pipe, and ducts where the material collected in or passing through the cavity or waveguide exhibits dielectric properties different from the material which it displaces.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a radio frequency measurement system for monitoring materials in an RF cavity or a waveguide measurement cavity, including a measurement cavity housing and a flow through cavity for particulates. The system uses one or more radio frequency probes to transmit and receive a radio frequency signal within the measurement cavity, thereby monitoring changes related to processes occurring within the cavity and on elements inside the cavity.

A key feature is a catalyzed particulate filter located in the measurement cavity, the catalyzed particulate filter including catalyst particles that interact with particulates flowing through the measurement cavity. Changes in the RF response are related to processes occurring on the catalyzed particulate filter, with the monitoring based on resonant behavior of the measurement cavity.

The system further employs cavity resonance sampling by monitoring resonance curves and/or one or more resonant modes. It derives monitored quantities from resonance characteristics such as resonance frequency shift, amplitude and attenuation, phase, quality factor, and derivatives of these, and uses resonance-curve sampling to relate those changes to processes on the catalyzed particulate filter.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00008. Across these, the claim set includes four main inventive features: (1) a housing defining an RF measurement cavity with flow through for particulates, (2) a catalyzed particulate filter with catalyst particles interacting with flowing particulates, (3) RF probes that transmit and receive the RF signal in the cavity, and (4) resonance-curve sampling/monitoring that relates resonance-curve changes to processes on the catalyzed particulate filter.

Overall claim coverage ties RF probe measurements in a flow-through measurement cavity to a catalyzed particulate filter, with changes in RF resonance behavior (resonance curves and/or resonant modes) being related to processes occurring on the filter.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found