Sap flow gauge

Details Sap flow gauge Sap flow gauge

1993-06-30

1994-11-29

Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.

Measuring and testing

Volume or rate of flow

Thermal type

7320424, G01F 168

Patent

active

053679059

ABSTRACT:
A sap flow gauge (10) which can accommodate stem or other plant parts (S, S') of very small and/or varying cross-sectional configuration is provided which includes a generally U-shaped body (12) presenting a central bight portion (50), a pair of spaced, opposed legs (52, 54) and a stem-receiving passageway (56). The body (12) preferably includes a pair of spaced, endmost filler pads (16, 18) which support a bridging strip-type resistance heater (28). The heater (28) has one end thereof affixed to an adjacent filler pad (16), with the remaining end of the heater (28) thereof being free. A flux sensing thermopile (40), as well as spaced, temperature differential sensing thermocouple pairs (44, 46) are also supported by the central bight region of the body (12). In practice, the gauge (10) is applied to a stem (S, S') by wrapping the body (12) around the stem (S, S') with strip heater (28) in engagement with the stem (S, S'); the filler pads (16, 18), together with the free end of the strip heater (28) insure close, conforming, heat transfer engagement between the strip heater (28) and the stem (S, S').

REFERENCES:
patent: 4478077 (1984-10-01), Bohrer et al.
patent: 4817427 (1989-04-01), Kitano et al.
patent: 5269183 (1993-12-01), Van Bavel et al.
Sakuratani, A Heat Balance Method for Measuring Water Flux in the Stem of Intact Plants; J. Agr. Met. 37(1): 9-17, 1981.
Sakuratani, Improvement of the Probe for Measuring Water Flow Rate in Intact Plants with the Stern Heat Balance Method; J. Agrl Met. 40(3):273-277, 1984.
Baker et al.; Measurement of Mass Flow of Water in the Stems of Plants, Plant, Cell & Environment (1987) 10, 777-782.
Baker et al.; An Analysis of the Steady-State Heat Balance Method for Measuring Sap Flow in Plants; Agricul & Forest Meter., 48 (1989) 93-109.
Steinberg et al.; A Gauge to Measure Mass Flow Rate of Sap In Stems and Trunks of Woody Plants; Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci 114(3):466-472, 1989.
Fichtner et al.; Xylem Water Flow in Tropical Vines as Measured by A Steady State Heating Method; Oecologia (1990) 82:355-361.
Sakuratani; Measurement of the Sap Flow Rate in Stem of Rice Plant; J. Agr. Met. 45(4):277-280, 1990.
Agronomy Abstracts of 1991 Annual Meeting, A Poster Session of Senock et al.

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