Microwave Sensor Based on Meander-Shaped Volumetric Strip Line for Dielectric Control of Liquid Media

Abstract

The paper proposes a new type of transducer elements for means of dielectric control of liquid media operating in the long-wave region of the microwave range, based on meander-shaped volumetric strip lines. Their main difference is the increased conversion sensitivity and smaller linear dimensions in comparison with sensors based on planar transmission lines. The introduction describes the relevance of the problem being solved, raises the problem of the need to increase the size of the transducer elements in the frequency range under consideration to ensure satisfactory sensitivity, and determines the transition to bulk structures. In the main part of this section, a mathematical description of the elementary cells of a volumetric strip microwave structure is carried out, and a comparison of the sensitivity with microstrip lines with a dielectric coating that are equivalent in physical parameters is given. In the experimental part of the article, the proposed structure is tested as a transducer element in a experiment to assess the degree of water cut in oil. The result of the experimental study is the obtained sensitivity value of the developed sensor S = 3.142 deg/%, as well as an estimate of the error in measuring the oil water cut, which amounted to 0.3 %.