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handbook of modern sensors

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402 13 Humidity and Moisture Sensors<br />

absolute humidity rises from zero. At about 150 g/m 3 , it reaches the saturation and<br />

then decreases with a polarity change at about 345 g/m 3 (Fig. 13.8B).<br />

13.5 Optical Hygrometer<br />

Most <strong>of</strong> the humidity <strong>sensors</strong> exhibit some repeatability problems, especially hysteresis<br />

with a typical value from 0.5% to 1% RH. In precision process control, this may<br />

be a limiting factor; therefore indirect methods <strong>of</strong> humidity measurements should be<br />

considered. The most efficient method is a calculation <strong>of</strong> absolute or relative humidity<br />

through the dew-point temperature. As indicated earlier, the dew point is the temperature<br />

at which liquid and vapor phases <strong>of</strong> water (or any fluid for that matter) are in<br />

equilibrium. The temperature at which the vapor and solid phases are in equilibrium<br />

is called the frost point. At the dew point, only one value <strong>of</strong> saturation vapor pressure<br />

exists. Hence, absolute humidity can be measured from this temperature as long as<br />

the pressure is known. The optimum method <strong>of</strong> moisture measurement by which the<br />

minimum hysteresis effects are realized requires the use <strong>of</strong> optical hygrometry. The<br />

cost <strong>of</strong> an optical hygrometer is considerably greater, but if the benefit <strong>of</strong> tracking<br />

low-level moisture enhances product yield and quality, the cost is easily justified.<br />

The basic idea behind the optical hygrometer is the use <strong>of</strong> a mirror whose surface<br />

temperature is precisely regulated by a thermoelectric heat pump. The mirror temperature<br />

is controlled at the threshold <strong>of</strong> the formation <strong>of</strong> dew. Sampled air is pumped<br />

over the mirror surface, and if the mirror temperature crosses a dew point, it releases<br />

moisture in the form <strong>of</strong> water droplets. The reflective properties <strong>of</strong> the mirror change<br />

at water condensation because water droplets scatter light rays. This can be detected<br />

by an appropriate photodetector. Figure 13.9 shows a simplified block diagram <strong>of</strong> a<br />

Fig. 13.9. Chilled-mirror dew-point sensor with an optical bridge.

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