Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics

Title: Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics

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Abstract

A non-contact method and apparatus for measuring and monitoring the surface of a fluid using fiber optics and interferometric detection to permit measurement mechanical characteristics' fluid surfaces. The apparatus employs an alternating electric field gradient for generating a capillary wave on the surface of the fluid. A fiber optic coupler and optical fiber directs a portion of a laser beam onto the surface of the fluid, another portion of the laser beam onto the photo sensor, and directs light reflected from the surface of the fluid onto the photo sensor. The output of the photo sensor is processed and coupled to a phase sensitive detector to permit measurement of phase shift between the drive signal creating the capillary wave and the detected signal. This phase shift information is then used to determine mechanical properties of the fluid surface such as surface tension, surface elasticity, and surface inhomogeneity. The resulting test structure is easily made compact, portable, and easy to align and use.

Inventors:

Abraham, Bernard M ^[1]; Ketterson, John B ^[2]; Bohanon, Thomas M ^[2]; Mikrut, John M ^[2]

Oak Park, IL
Evanston, IL

Issue Date:: 1994-01-01

Research Org.:: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL

OSTI Identifier:: 869238

Patent Number(s):: 5303030

Assignee:: Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)

DOE Contract Number:: FG02-84ER45125

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; apparatus; monitoring; measuring; surface; tension; fluid; fiber; optics; non-contact; interferometric; detection; permit; measurement; mechanical; characteristics; surfaces; employs; alternating; electric; field; gradient; generating; capillary; wave; optic; coupler; optical; directs; portion; laser; beam; photo; sensor; light; reflected; output; processed; coupled; phase; sensitive; detector; shift; drive; signal; creating; detected; information; determine; properties; elasticity; inhomogeneity; resulting; structure; easily; compact; portable; easy; align; mechanical characteristics; apparatus employs; field gradient; light reflected; fiber optics; phase shift; electric field; fiber optic; laser beam; optical fiber; mechanical properties; surface tension; detected signal; sensitive detector; alternating electric; phase sensitive; drive signal; directs light; interferometric detection; capillary wave; /356/

Citation Formats


                    Abraham, Bernard M, Ketterson, John B, Bohanon, Thomas M, and Mikrut, John M. Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics.  United States: N. p., 1994. 
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                    Abraham, Bernard M, Ketterson, John B, Bohanon, Thomas M, & Mikrut, John M. Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics.  United States.

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                    Abraham, Bernard M, Ketterson, John B, Bohanon, Thomas M, and Mikrut, John M. Sat .  
        "Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869238.

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@article{osti_869238,

  title        = {Method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring the surface tension of a fluid using fiber optics},

  author       = {Abraham, Bernard M and Ketterson, John B and Bohanon, Thomas M and Mikrut, John M},

  abstractNote = {A non-contact method and apparatus for measuring and monitoring the surface of a fluid using fiber optics and interferometric detection to permit measurement mechanical characteristics' fluid surfaces. The apparatus employs an alternating electric field gradient for generating a capillary wave on the surface of the fluid. A fiber optic coupler and optical fiber directs a portion of a laser beam onto the surface of the fluid, another portion of the laser beam onto the photo sensor, and directs light reflected from the surface of the fluid onto the photo sensor. The output of the photo sensor is processed and coupled to a phase sensitive detector to permit measurement of phase shift between the drive signal creating the capillary wave and the detected signal. This phase shift information is then used to determine mechanical properties of the fluid surface such as surface tension, surface elasticity, and surface inhomogeneity. The resulting test structure is easily made compact, portable, and easy to align and use.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1994},

  month        = {1}

}

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