Measuring the flow rate of fluids with dielectric contrast analysis

Abstract

Systems comprising electromagnetic radiation source; dielectric contrast analysis structure comprising: bulk dielectric substance and a plurality of receptacles in the bulk dielectric substance, wherein the plurality of receptacles allow a material to flow through the receptacles from a first side of the bulk dielectric substance to a second side of the dielectric substance; first flow line connected to the first side of the bulk dielectric substance; second flow line connected to the second side of the bulk dielectric substance; flow path for the material comprising the first flow line, the plurality of receptacles, and the second flow line. A flow path for a material to flow through the receptacles; a first pressure sensor with the first flow line; a second pressure sensor with the second flow line; and an electromagnetic radiation detector, wherein the dielectric contrast analysis structure is between the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an electromagnetic radiation source;   a dielectric contrast analysis structure comprising: a bulk dielectric substance and a plurality of receptacles in the bulk dielectric substance, wherein the plurality of receptacles are configured to allow a material to flow through the plurality of receptacles from a first side of the bulk dielectric substance to a second side of the dielectric substance;   a first flow line connected to the first side of the bulk dielectric substance;   a second flow line connected to the second side of the bulk dielectric substance;   a flow path for the material, the flow path comprising, in order, the first flow line, the plurality of receptacles, and the second flow line;   a flow path that form a flow path for a material to flow through the receptacles;   a first pressure sensor coupled to the first flow line;   a second pressure sensor coupled to the second flow line; and   an electromagnetic radiation detector, wherein the dielectric contrast analysis structure is between the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation detector.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation source comprises two or more electromagnetic radiation sources. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector comprises two or more electromagnetic radiation detectors. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of receptacles is a generally elongated structure; the plurality of receptacles are generally parallel with one another; and wherein the plurality of receptacles are generally perpendicular to a path between the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation detector. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second pressure sensor is spaced about 200 cm or less along the flow path from the first pressure sensor. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of receptacles is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bulk dielectric substance comprises one or more materials having a relative dielectric permittivity within the range from about 1.0 to about 100. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bulk dielectric substance comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a ceramic, a composite material with a polymer matrix, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation detector define a primary axis (orientation) therebetween; and wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector is capable of detecting resultant radiation from the dielectric contrast analysis structure along at least one axis offset from the primary axis. 
     
     
         10 . A system of according to  1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector is capable of simultaneously detecting resultant radiation from the dielectric contrast analysis structure along a plurality of axes (orientations) coplanar to the primary axis. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a spectral analyzer coupled to the electromagnetic radiation detector. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a rotation actuator coupled to at least one of the electromagnetic radiation source, the electromagnetic radiation detector, and the dielectric contrast analysis structure, and capable of actuating relative rotation between the dielectric contrast analysis structure and the at least one of the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation detector. 
 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a controller coupled to the electromagnetic radiation source, the electromagnetic radiation detector, and the rotation actuator, and capable of correlating measurements of detected resultant radiation with at least one of a frequency of incident radiation from the electromagnetic radiation source and an orientation of the detected resultant radiation relative to the incident radiation.