Microwave oil saturation scanner

Claim 3

The device as recited in claim 1 where the frequency of the microwave signal is between 0.5 to 3 Gigahertz.

Claim 4

The device as recited in claim 1 where the frequency of the microwave signal is between 0.9 to 2.5 Gigahertz.

Claim 5

The device as recited in claim 1 where the frequency of the microwave signal is 0.915 Gigahertz.

Claim 8

A microwave laboratory analyzer for use in determining the multiple fluid components in a porous medium, comprising: (A) a non-metallic material to enclose said porous medium; (B) a transmit portion operably attached to said non-metallic material, which comprises: i. a microwave source; ii. a first coupler attached to the microwave source to split a microwave signal into a lower strength branch signal and a higher strength transmit signal; iii. a first programmable attenuator attached to the first coupler to control a strength of the transmit signal; iv. a power amplifier attached to the programmable attenuator to increase the signal strength of the transmit signal to a specific level; v. a microwave transmitting antenna to transmit the transmit signal through a sample; vi. a reflectometer and a power monitor attached to the power amplifier and to the microwave transmitting antenna to measure the strength of the transmit signal that is transmitted; (C) a reception portion mounted diametrically opposed to said transmit portion on said non-metallic material, and further comprising: i. a microwave receiving antenna to receive the transmit signal after it has passed through the medium; ii. a second coupler attached to the receiving antenna to split the received signal into a comparison received signal and a measurement received signal, the comparison received signal weaker and a known fraction of the measurement received signal; iii. a power monitor attached to the coupler of Step (C)ii to measure and monitor the strength of the total received signal by measuring the comparison received signal and back calculating, this measurement is made so that the strength of the measurement received signal may be regulated; (D) a means to prevent electromagnetic leakage around the porous medium; (E) a reference portion, which comprises: i. a mechanical phase shifter attached to the first coupler to null out an unwanted phase angle difference caused by unequal lengths in the reference and transmit circuitry; ii. a second programmable attenuator attached to the mechanical phase shifter to control the strength of the branch signal; iii. a third coupler attached to the second programmable attenuator to split the branch signal into a comparison branch and a measurement branch signal, the comparison branch signal is sent to the power monitor for the purpose of calculating the total strength of the branch signal from the second programmable attenuator and to compare the strength of the branch signal to the received signal; (F) a calculation portion, which comprises: i. a phase discriminator attached to the third coupler and the second coupler to compare and calculate the difference in the phase shifter between the measurement branch signal and the measurement received signal; ii. means to determine the signal attenuation by comparing the strength of the transmit signal that is transmitted to the strength of the received signal; (G) a shuttle car attached to said transmit and reception portions in such a manner that the transmit and reception portions are kept in a fixed position and distance relative to one another; (H) a shuttle cable connected to said shuttle car for moving the transmitting and receiving assemblies along the surface of said non-metallic material containing said porous medium; (I) a drum winch for moving the shuttle cable; (J) profile positioning rollers to keep the transmit and reception portions in a proper position relative to the porous medium; (K) a shunt magnet mounted on the shuttle; and (L) a position indicator reference means encircled by the shunt magnet.

Claim 9

A microwave laboratory analyzer for use in determining the multiple fluid components in a porous medium, comprising: (A) a non-metallic material to enclose said porous medium; (B) a transmit portion operably attached to said non-metallic material, which comprises: i. a microwave source; ii. a first coupler attached to the microwave source to split a microwave signal into a lower strength branch signal and a higher strength transmit signal; iii. a first programmable attenuator attached to the first coupler to control a strength of the transmit signal; iv. a power amplifier attached to the programmable attenuator to increase the signal strength of the transmit signal to a specific level; v. a microwave transmitting antenna to transmit the transmit signal through a sample; vi. a reflectometer and a power monitor attached to the power amplifier and to the microwave transmitting antenna to measure the strength of the transmit signal that is transmitted; (C) a reception portion mounted diametrically opposed to said transmit portion on said non-metallic material, and further comprising: i. a microwave receiving antenna to receive the transmit signal after it has passed through the medium; ii. a second coupler attached to the receiving antenna to split the received signal into a comparison received signal and a measurement received signal, the comparison received signal weaker and a known fraction of the measurement received signal; iii. a power monitor attached to the coupler of Step (C)ii to measure and monitor the strength of the total received signal by measuring the comparison received signal and back calculating, this measurement is made so that the strength of the measurement received signal may be regulated; (D) a means to prevent electromagnetic leakage around the porous medium; (E) a reference portion, which comprises: i. a mechanical phase shifter attached to the first coupler to null out an unwanted phase angle difference caused by unequal lengths in the reference and transmit circuitry; ii. a second programmable attenuator attached to the mechanical phase shifter to control the strength of the branch signal; iii. a third coupler attached to the second programmable attenuator to split the branch signal into a comparison branch and a measurement branch signal, the comparison branch signal is sent to the power monitor for the purpose of calculating the total strength of the branch signal from the second programmable attenuator and to compare the strength of the branch signal to the received signal; (F) a calculation portion, which comprises: i. a phase discriminator attached to the third coupler and the second coupler to compare and calculate the difference in the phase shifter between the measurement branch signal and the measurement received signal; ii. means to determine the signal attenuation by comparing the strength of the transmit signal that is transmitted to the strength of the received signal; (G) a shuttle car attached to said transmit and reception portions in such a manner that the transmit and reception portions are kept in a fixed position and distance relative to one another; (H) a shuttle cable connected to said shuttle car for moving the transmitting and receiving assemblies along the surface of said non-metallic material containing said porous medium; (I) a drum winch for moving the shuttle cable; (J) profile positioning rollers to keep the transmit and reception portions in a proper position relative to the porous medium; (K) a shunt magnet mounted on the shuttle; and (L) a position indicator reference means encircled by the shunt magnet.