Meter and method for in situ measurement of the electromagnetic properties of various process materials using cutoff frequency characterization and analysis

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein: said parameter of the material determined from step (g) comprises dielectric constant.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein: said parameter of the material determined from step (g) is selected from the group consisting of dielectric constant and conductivity.

Claim 5

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said coupling inlet and said coupling outlet is selected from the group consisting of probes, loops, antennas and apertures.

Claim 6

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said coupling inlet and said coupling outlet is selected from the group consisting of probes, loops, antennas and apertures.

Claim 7

The meter of claim 4 further including: dielectric material supporting said microstrip circuit line means and said at least one slotline to define a microwave circuit board.

Claim 8

The meter of claim 5 including: metallized edging on the outer periphery of said microwave circuit board.

Claim 9

The meter of claim 5 wherein: said microstrip circuit line means is substantially transverse to said at least one slotline and wherein said microstrip circuit lines means is embedded within said dielectric material.

Claim 10

The meter of claim 5 including: coaxial-to-microstrip connector means connected to said microstrip circuit line means.

Claim 11

The meter of claim 8 including: first and second dielectric blocks sandwiching therebetween said microwave circuit board.

Claim 12

The meter of claim 9 including: metal cover means having opposed outer and inner surfaces, said inner surface having a space therein for sequentially receiving said first dielectric block followed by said microwave circuit board, said coaxial-to-microstrip connector means being mounted on said outer surface and extending through said cover means for connection to said microstrip line means on said microwave circuit board, said metal cover means being attached to an outer surface of said measurement chamber.

Claim 13

The meter of claim 10 including: a recess in said outer surface of said measurement chamber for receiving said second dielectric block, said recess being in alignment with said cover means.

Claim 14

The meter of claim 4 including: multiple spaced slotlines with said microstrip circuit lines means being transverse to and disposed across from the centers of each slotline.

Claim 15

The meter of claim 12 wherein: each slotline is about one half wavelength long at a selected frequency and is spaced about one quarter wavelength at said selected frequency from an open end of said microstrip circuit line means.

Claim 16

The meter of claim 12 wherein: said slotlines alternately terminate on both ends in either a relatively short circuit or an open circuit to produce a standing wave within each slotline.

Claim 17

The meter of claim 4 including: multiple spaced slotlines with said microstrip line means having a serpentine configuration which crosses said slotlines at substantially right angles.

Claim 18

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein at least one of said coupling inlet and coupling outlet includes microstrip circuit line means coupled to at least one slotline formed in a ground plane, said microstrip circuit line means being in electrical communication with the source wherein the source will couple electromagnetic energy to said microstrip circuit line.

Claim 19

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein at least one of said coupling inlet and coupling outlet includes microstrip circuit line means coupled to at least one slotline formed in a ground plane, said microstrip circuit line means being in electrical communication with the source wherein the source will couple electromagnetic energy to said microstrip circuit line.

Claim 20

The meter of claim 16 wherein: said material measurement chamber comprises a hollow rectangular housing.

Claim 21

The meter of claim 17 including: an intake transition means for transferring material into said chamber and an exit transition means for transferring material out of said chamber, said intake transition means converting a flow path for the material from circular cross-section to rectangular cross-section, said exit transition means converting the flow path of the material from rectangular cross-section to circular cross-section.

Claim 22

The meter of claim 18 wherein said measurement chamber is located in the flow path of process equipment and wherein: said measurement chamber is electrically isolated from the process equipment such that the electromagnetic properties of the material in the measurement chamber are unaffected by the process equipment.

Claim 23

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said measurement chamber further comprising a parallel plate waveguide; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 24

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said measurement chamber further comprising a parallel plate waveguide; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 25

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said measurement chamber further having a constant cross-sectional area; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 26

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said measurement chamber further having a constant cross-sectional area; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 27

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said material measurement chamber is located in the flow path of process equipment and wherein said material measurement chamber is electrically isolated from the process equipment such that the electromagnetic properties of the material in the measurement chamber are unaffected by the process equipment.

Claim 28

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said material measurement chamber is located in the flow path of process equipment and wherein said material measurement chamber is electrically isolated from the process equipment such that the electromagnetic properties of the material in the measurement chamber are unaffected by the process equipment.

Claim 29

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said material measurement chamber has a vertical dimension corresponding to "a" in the following equation; ##EQU9## where: f c is the cutoff frequency; c is the speed of light; and ε r is the dielectric constant.

Claim 30

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material; wherein said material measurement chamber has a vertical dimension corresponding to "a" in the following equation; ##EQU9## where: f c is the cutoff frequency; c is the speed of light; and ε r is the dielectric constant.

Claim 31

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy, said detector signal containing said cutoff frequency in terms of amplitude, phase, group velocity, phase velocity or polarization characteristics; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 32

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative association with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy, said detector signal containing said cutoff frequency in terms of amplitude, phase, group velocity, phase velocity or polarization characteristics; and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 33

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative associating with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said material measurement chamber further comprising a hollow rectangular measurement chamber that will permit material to flow therethrough such that the energy transmitted across the rectangular chamber with a polarization selected such that a well defined cutoff frequency is obtained; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy, and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.

Claim 34

An electromagnetic property meter for the in situ measurement of any parameter of a material which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation comprising: (a) a source for generating controllable electromagnetic energy, the energy generated by said source having stable selectable frequencies and associated wavelengths, said source operable for generating a frequency range; (b) a material measurement chamber in operative associating with said source for receiving the energy generated by said source, said chamber having an energy confining boundary, the boundary having a coupling inlet for receiving the energy from said source into said chamber and a coupling outlet for egressing energy from said chamber, further, the boundary having dimensions so as to exhibit a cutoff condition falling within the operating limits of said source, the cutoff condition being the frequency dependent attenuation characteristic observed when the operating frequency falls below an effective cutoff frequency, the effective cutoff frequency being the frequency for which propagation ceases for an equivalent lossless material filling said chamber, such that a chamber signal is generated in said chamber representative of the material in said chamber affecting the amplitude or phase characteristics of the energy coupled across said chamber, said material measurement chamber further comprising a hollow rectangular measurement chamber that will permit material to flow therethrough such that the energy transmitted across the rectangular chamber with a polarization selected such that a well defined cutoff frequency is obtained; (c) a detector in operative association with the coupling outlet of the boundary of said chamber for receiving the chamber signal from said chamber, said detector responsive to the chamber signal having interacted with the material in said chamber and having been influenced by the cutoff condition of said chamber such that the said detector generates a detector signal which is a function of the interacted and influenced energy, and (d) a processor for receiving the detector signal from said detector, said processor operating on the received signal for determining the mathematical properties of the frequency dependent energy egressed from said chamber for determining the properties of the material.