DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE REFRACTIVE INDEX OF A RECOVERED FLUID AT A REFERENCE TEMPERATURE.

摘要

An apparatus or device for determining the index of refraction of a fluid referred to or reduced to a predetermined reference temperature comprises a light source, light detector and means forming a bent light-conducting path between the source and the detector such that the intensity of the detected illumination represents the refractive index of the fluid surrounding the light-conductive path. According to the invention, the light source comprises an electroluminescent diode, e.g. a light-emitting diode of the LED type which has a temperature coefficient in conjunction with the temperature coefficient of the optical fiber which compensates substantially precisely for veriations in the temperature coefficient of the effective index and the fluid with which both the path and the LED are in thermally conducting relation, e.g. in direct contact.