METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING SOOT CONCENTRATION IN PARTICULATE TRAP

摘要

A method of detecting the accumulation of particulate material collectedon a filter medium formed of dielectric material in a chamber having the propertyof a microwave waveguide or transmission line comprises the steps of exciting thechamber with a microwave signal and monitoring the transmission loss of thesignal through the line to sense the effective dielectric loss factor and thereby toprovide an indication of the concentration or level of particulate materialaccumulated on the filter medium.