Conductivity effects on capacitance measurements of two-component fluids using the charge transfer method

Describes an investigation into the effects of component conductivity on capacitance measurements of two-component fluids using the charge transfer method. Various capacitance sensor systems are represented using three typical equivalent circuit models according to their electrode configurations and the type of mixture between the electrodes. The effects of conductive elements on the measurement of these models are analysed theoretically and tested experimentally using a capacitance transducer based on the charge transfer method. It is shown that the conductance effects can be reduced by using semiconductor switches with low ON resistance and fast commutation time to control the charge and discharge of the sensor. Measurements of glass bead concentration in water-based conductive slurries from an industrial wet peening process and water contentin oil/water mixtures are described as practical applications.