Handheld NMR and Radar Moisture Sensor for Depth Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hand-held devices for non-destructive moisture determination in workpieces are limited in accuracy and depth penetration, particularly in materials like wood, glass, and concrete, and often require complex setups or multiple sensors.
Innovation Solution
A compact, portable device integrating a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor and an ultra-wideband radar sensor, with a control and evaluation system, allowing for simultaneous measurement and optimized signal processing to determine moisture content and depth profiles without destruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single sensor type is used for moisture determination, then the device structure is simple, but measurement precision and depth penetration are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two different sensor types (NMR sensor and radar sensor) into a single integrated measuring device. The NMR sensor provides accurate moisture content determination through nuclear magnetic resonance, while the radar sensor enables depth penetration and profile measurement. This merging of complementary sensing technologies resolves the contradiction by achieving high measurement precision without requiring multiple separate devices, thereby managing system complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring device is designed with multi-functional capability by incorporating both NMR and radar sensors that can operate independently or in combination. The NMR sensor provides one type of moisture information while the radar sensor provides depth-resolved moisture profiles, allowing the single device to perform multiple measurement functions that would otherwise require separate instruments, thus improving precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve measurement accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device coordinates the operation of both NMR and radar sensors with optimized pulse sequences, allowing the system to automatically manage the complexity of operating multiple sensors. The evaluation device integrates signals from both sensors and uses feedback mechanisms to optimize measurement parameters, thereby maintaining ease of operation despite the presence of multiple sensor types.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the control and evaluation functions for both sensors into integrated device components, the patent simplifies the user interface and operation. The user interacts with a single unified device rather than coordinating multiple separate sensors, and the integrated evaluation device automatically processes and combines data from both NMR and radar sensors, maintaining operational simplicity despite enhanced measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If NMR sensor is used alone, then moisture determination accuracy is high, but depth penetration is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the NMR sensor (providing accurate moisture content determination) with the radar sensor (providing depth penetration capability). The NMR sensor accurately measures moisture content in the near field, while the radar sensor penetrates deeper into the workpiece to provide depth-resolved moisture profiles. This combination resolves the contradiction by achieving both high measurement precision and extended measurement depth through complementary sensing modalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The integration adds a depth dimension to the moisture measurement capability. While the NMR sensor provides accurate two-dimensional moisture content information, the radar sensor extends measurement into the third dimension (depth), enabling depth profiles and near-surface detection. This dimensional extension allows the system to overcome the depth limitation of NMR alone while maintaining its precision advantages.
4Length of stationary object
If radar sensor is used alone, then depth penetration is improved, but moisture determination accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the radar sensor (providing depth penetration) with the NMR sensor (providing accurate moisture determination). The radar sensor detects moisture at various depths through electromagnetic wave reflection and transmission, while the NMR sensor provides ground-truth accurate moisture content measurements. By merging these sensors and integrating their data through the evaluation device, the system achieves both deep penetration capability and high moisture determination accuracy that neither sensor could achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation device uses feedback from both radar and NMR measurements to optimize moisture determination. The NMR sensor provides reference measurements for calibration and validation, while the radar sensor provides depth-resolved data. The system uses feedback mechanisms to combine these data sources, correcting radar depth profile measurements with NMR accuracy references, thereby achieving both deep penetration and high precision through iterative optimization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, non-destructive determination of moisture content and depth profiles in various materials with enhanced precision and depth penetration, improving processability assessments and reducing operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the first sensor device has at least one nuclear magnetic resonance sensor (NMR sensor), the nuclear magnetic resonance sensor having a device for detecting a magnetic field change, in particular a receiving coil for detecting a magnetic field change, a first device for generating a first magnetic field for aligning nuclear spins and has a second device, in particular a high-frequency coil, for generating a second magnetic field for exciting the nuclear spins
Implementation Method 2
a first device for generating a first magnetic field for aligning nuclear spins
Implementation Method 3
a second device, in particular a high-frequency coil, for generating a second magnetic field for exciting the nuclear spins, which is superimposed on the first magnetic field
Implementation Method 4
the second sensor device at least one sensor from a group of capacitance, microwave, ultrasonic, resistance, conductivity and radar sensors, in particular ultra-wideband radar and broadband pulse ls radar sensors
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile measuring apparatus (10) for nondestructively determining a material measurement value that relates to a material property of a workpiece (42), comprising a housing (12), in which at least a first sensor device (32) and a second sensor device (60), a control device (28), an evaluating device (30), and a device for the supply of energy (22) to the measuring apparatus are provided. The first sensor device (32) has a nuclear magnetic resonance sensor (32') and the second sensor device (60) has a sensor (60') based on dielectric and/or resistive methods, wherein information about the material property of the workpiece (42), in particular moisture present in the workpiece (42), is obtained by evaluating a measurement signal provided by the first sensor device (32), which information is intended for the optimized control of the second sensor device (60) and/or optimized evaluation of measurement signals provided by the second sensor device (60).