In-situ Soil Moisture Sensor Bracket for Real-Time Depth Profiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for testing soil moisture at different depths are inefficient and inaccurate due to the need for disturbed soil sampling, weighing, and drying, which hampers work efficiency and scientific research accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An in-situ testing instrument and method that eliminates soil collection, packaging, weighing, and drying by using a test bracket with a retracting and releasing mechanism, a moisture test mechanism, and a plug-and-pull drive mechanism to insert and read moisture sensors directly in the soil, connected to a signal receiving mechanism for real-time data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional in-situ sampling methods are used to test soil moisture at different depths, then the test can be performed, but the work efficiency is low and the test accuracy is inaccurate due to disturbed soil samples requiring encapsulation, weighing, and drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sampling and laboratory processing system with an electronic sensing system. A moisture sensor directly measures soil moisture content in-situ through electrical or capacitive detection, eliminating the need for mechanical soil collection, encapsulation, weighing, and drying operations. This substitution of mechanical/chemical processing with electronic detection simultaneously improves both efficiency and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the moisture measurement function from the complex laboratory processing chain. By using a specialized moisture sensor that can directly detect soil moisture parameters, the system separates the measurement function from the disruptive sampling and processing steps, enabling direct in-situ measurement without disturbing the soil structure.
2Measurement precision
If disturbed soil samples are collected and processed in the laboratory, then soil moisture can be measured, but the soil structure is damaged and multiple processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step mechanical and chemical processing system (sampling, encapsulation, weighing, drying) with a single electronic detection step. The moisture sensor directly measures soil moisture content through electrical or capacitive fields, eliminating the need for physical disturbance and subsequent laboratory processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The moisture sensor system performs self-measurement directly in the soil environment without requiring external laboratory processing. The sensor is inserted into the soil and automatically measures moisture content, with results transmitted via signal receiving mechanism, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating dependency on complex laboratory facilities.
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
This approach significantly enhances test efficiency and accuracy, allowing for rapid, in-situ soil moisture measurement at various depths, improving the authenticity of scientific research and enabling easy, reusable, long-term application.
Implementation Method 1
a moisture sensor fixed inside the mounting shell
Implementation Method 2
the signal receiving mechanism is electrically connected with the moisture test mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An in-situ testing instrument for soil moisture in a hole includes a test bracket extended into a hole, a retracting and releasing mechanism used to drive the test bracket to rise and fall in the hole, a moisture test mechanism arranged on the test bracket, a plug-and-pull drive mechanism used to drive the moisture test mechanism to insert into soil on a side of the hole or to be pulled out by the soil on a side of the hole, and a signal receiving mechanism arranged on a ground, the signal receiving mechanism is electrically connected with the moisture test mechanism. The above-mentioned in-situ testing instrument and method for soil moisture in a hole can eliminate the steps of taking soil, packaging, weighing, and drying, and improve the test efficiency and the test accuracy.