Steam physical property measurement using guided wave radar

Abstract

A guided wave radar (GWR)-based method of measuring steam pressure includes transmitting at least a first microwave pulse signal from a GWR sensor system having a pulsed radar gauge (PRG) implementing a steam measurement algorithm coupled to a transceiver that is coupled to a GWR probe in a steam boiler tank having a reference reflector (RR) providing an impedance discontinuity. The transmitting the first microwave pulse signal is with water and steam in the steam boiler tank. An echo emanating from the RR is received responsive to the first microwave pulse signal generates that respective time of flight (TOF) measurement data. A refractive index value for the steam is determined from the TOF measurement data and a reference TOF value representing a TOF measurement without the steam in the steam boiler tank. A physical property of the steam is determined from the refractive index value, such as the pressure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.