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Sensor for Monitoring the Moisture in Porous Materials

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Abstract

A new principle of a sensor for monitoring of moisture in porous materials is presented. The sensor utilizes changes of the thermal conductivity of a porous structure when pores are filled with the air/vapor, water, or ice depending on thermodynamic conditions. A hot-ball method is used for measuring the thermal conductivity. The moisture sensor is made of the cylindrical core drilled from the parent material. The signal of the sensor is not sensitive to ionic radicals of the pore medium. The method of sensor calibration is presented, as well. Then the moisture sensor (hot ball) is inserted back into the drilled hole of the material to ensure that the porous structure of both the sensor and the investigated material are identical. Sensors can be made of porous materials in the range of porosities from 0.3 % up to 70 %. A simple device is constructed that allows monitoring of moisture in real conditions.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to express thanks to Mr. Markovič for technical assistance. The work was supported by APVV grand agency under contracts LPP 0442-09, APVV 0641-10, and APVV 0330-10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics SAS, Dúbravska Cesta 9, 845 11 , Bratislava, Slovakia

    D. Fidríková, V. Vretenár & Ľ. Kubičár

  2. Department of Engineering Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina G, 842 15 , Bratislava 4, Slovakia

    I. Šimková, V. Greif & J. Vlčko

  3. Institute of Nuclear Science and Physical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, STU, Ilkovičova 3, 812 19 , Bratislava, Slovakia

    P. Dieška

Authors
  1. D. Fidríková
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  2. V. Vretenár
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  3. I. Šimková
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  4. V. Greif
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  5. J. Vlčko
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  6. P. Dieška
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  7. Ľ. Kubičár
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Correspondence to Ľ. Kubičár.

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Fidríková, D., Vretenár, V., Šimková, I. et al. Sensor for Monitoring the Moisture in Porous Materials. Int J Thermophys 34, 1918–1929 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-013-1493-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-013-1493-0

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