Scientific Reports (Nov 2024)

Non-contact measurement method of liquid composition using microwave radar cross-section

  • Weijia Zhang,
  • Xuejing Cao,
  • Xue Cheng,
  • Tianfang Wei,
  • Dongqin Sun,
  • Zhaowei Wang,
  • Nutapong Somjit,
  • Calvin Choi,
  • Shaomin Cai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81043-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 17

Abstract

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Abstract This study aims to provide a non-contact detection of liquid composition inside containers using Microwave Radar Cross-section (RCS) measurement technology. Firstly, it analyzes the limitations of traditional near-infrared spectroscopy methods and proposes the necessity of introducing microwave detection methods. The research demonstrates through experiments a significant correlation between polar substances like total acid content and radar scattering capability, showing microwave radar’s effectiveness in reflecting the polarity characteristics of liquids. Furthermore, theoretical derivations and experimental validations illustrate that differences in electromagnetic properties of different liquid components lead to variations in echo loss, thereby impacting RCS levels. Experimental results indicate that microwave radar RCS measurement technology achieves an accuracy level of 2%, capable of distinguishing between different concentrations of ethanol, acetic acid, and other solutions. This study highlights the significant advantages of microwave radar RCS measurement technology in non-contact detection of liquid composition, providing new methods and a technological foundation for precise liquid component detection.

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