Performance of microwave pressure/temperature sensor in liquid sodium

Author

Billeter, T.R.

Author_Institution

Hanford Engng. Dev. Lab., Richland, WA, USA

Volume

21

Issue

5

fYear

1974

Firstpage

14

Lastpage

22

Abstract

The theory of operation and experimental test results of a microwave instrument for measuring pressure and temperature in liquid sodium are described. At discrete frequencies, the single, all-metal, hollow cylindrical sensor absorbs energy provided by a wide-bandwidth sweep-frequency microwave oscillator. For the designed sensor, the frequencies of two detected absorption signals relate to temperature whereas the difference frequency relates to pressure. Operational characteristics of the sensor and associated instrumentation were determined over a temperature range of 350 to 1100°F and over a pressure range from atmospheric to 190 psia. Time response of the unit for pressure transients was also ascertained. Total duration of the test approximated 350 hours.

Keywords

electric sensing devices; microwave oscillators; pressure measurement; sodium; swept-frequency oscillators; temperature measurement; associated instrumentation; discrete frequencies; liquid Na; microwave pressure sensor; microwave temperature sensor; operational characteristics; pressure transients; time response; wideband sweepfrequency oscillator;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.1974.6499270

Filename

6499270