Measuring and testing – Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a... – Content or effect of a constituent of a liquid mixture
Patent
1990-10-30
1993-06-22
Williams, Hezron E.
Measuring and testing
Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a...
Content or effect of a constituent of a liquid mixture
73 6179, G01N 2902
Patent
active
052208265
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is directed to a method and an apparatus for measuring materials floating on bodies of water, which materials are highly viscous relative to water.
Such methods serve particularly for determining contamination such as oil films at the surface of bodies of water, e.g. in drainage ditches, rain reservoirs, etc. Thus, continuous optical methods are known for determining oil films, in which methods a light source radiates on the water surface and the light reflected by the water surface is measured in corresponding optical measuring devices such as photodiodes or television cameras. If an impurity, e.g. due to oil, occurs in the irradiated water surface, the composition of the reflected light changes and an alarm is then triggered by the measuring device. These measuring methods work relatively reliably, but because of the complicated optical devices they are very expensive and accordingly cost-intensive.
Further, discontinuous measuring methods are known in which mechanical samples are taken from time to time, whose optical characteristics are determined by means of measuring the reflection or absorption behavior or whose electrical characteristics are determined by means of determining the dielectric coefficient of the water surface. A disadvantage in these methods consists in that a costly mechanism is necessary for automatically carrying out the taking of samples, which involves a correspondingly high maintenance cost and high probability of failure. Moreover, such discontinuous methods are unsuitable for monitoring running bodies of water.
The present invention therefore has the object of providing a solution which enables a reliable monitoring of the water surface of standing and running bodies of water using simple means.
This object is met, according to the invention, with a method of the type described in the beginning in that the water surface of the body of water is excited by means of an oscillating device and in that the surface waves reflecting on the water surface are measured.
It is possible with this method to monitor the water surface of standing and running bodies of water in a simple manner without the need of complicated optical devices or the like. Characteristic surface waves occur at the water surface by means of exciting the water below the water surface and are correspondingly measured by means of a measuring device. When a material of high viscosity, such as oil, occurs on the water surface, the surface waves are damped, which is determined by the measuring device and converted into a corresponding warning signal or the like.
The invention advantageously provides that natural movements of the water surface are mechanically and/or electronically damped in the surface wave measurement. Such a damping is provided in particular when particularly mobile bodies of water are to be monitored.
It is especially advantageous if the body of water is excited to oscillate by means of sound waves. In this case, e.g. conventional underwater loudspeakers can be used as an oscillating device.
In order to meet the object proposed in the beginning the invention also provides an apparatus which comprises an oscillating device arranged on or under the water surface and a surface wave measuring device arranged at the assigned water surface. The composition of the water surface can be monitored with such an apparatus in a simple manner without the need of costly optical devices or the like.
It is particularly advantageous if the oscillating device and the surface wave measuring device are arranged so as to float under or on the water surface. With a changing water level, it is accordingly ensured that the oscillating device and the surface wave measuring device, respectively, remain in the same position relative to the water surface.
It is particularly advantageous if the oscillating device and the surface wave measuring device are arranged on reciprocal floats. It is accordingly ensured that the oscillating device and the measuring device remain in the same position relative to one another al
REFERENCES:
patent: 3336799 (1967-08-01), Kermode
patent: 4512183 (1985-04-01), Alexander
Hompel Michael T.
Klesper Helmut
Roskos Joseph W.
Williams Hezron E.
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