Advances in Reflectometric Sensing for Industrial Applications (Synthesis Lectures on Emerging Engineering Technologies)

This book offers a comprehensive review of innovative measurement and monitoring solutions based on time domain reflectometry (TDR). This technique has numerous applications in several fields, ranging from the characterization of electronic devices to quality control of vegetable oils. However, most of the well-established TDR-based monitoring solutions rely on local or punctual probes; therefore, typically, to monitor large areas/volumes, a high number of probes must be employed, with the consequent maintenance and management requirements. On such bases, in the last few years, the authors have carried out extensive research on the use of diffused wire-like sensing elements to be used as probes for TDR measurements. The basic idea has been to extend the principles of punctual TDR-based monitoring to multi-purpose networks of diffused, sensing elements (SE's), embedded permanently within the systems to be monitored (STBM's). These SEs can be tens of meters long, and can follow any desired path inside the STBM.; in fact, they are inactive inside the STBM. Additionally, these SE's are passive (i.e., they do not require batteries) and their sensing ability is activated, by the TDR signal, when they are connected to the measurement instrument. In addition to this, these SE's are completely maintenance-free. Starting from these considerations, this book addresses the use of low-cost, passive, flexible, wire-like SE's to be used in conjunction with TDR. This book also provides several application test cases, with hints for practical implementation of the described monitoring systems.

Andrea Cataldo received an MS in materials engineering and a PhD in information engineering from the University of Lecce, Italy. From 2000-2004 he was with the University of Lecce working on research projects in the field of characterization of optoelectronic devices, telecommunication applications, and microwave measurements. Since 2005, he has been a faculty member with the Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, where he is currently an associate professor of electric and electronic measurements. He has coauthored more than 100 publications and is co-founder of MoniTech Ltd. Egidio De Benedetto received an MS in materials engineering and a PhD in information engineering from the University of Lecce, Italy. From 2010-2012 he was with the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems of the National Research Council in Italy. Since 2012, he has been a research fellow with the Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento. His research interests include the characterization of devices through relectometric methods, the dielectric characterization of materials and microwave measurements. Giuseppe Cannazza received the Laurea degree in physics from the University of Lecce, Italy, in 2000 and an M.S. in material science and technology from the University of Pavia, Italy, in 2003. In 2001, he was a researcher with an international consulting company, where he worked in the environmental field. From 2003-2004, he was a technical advisor with a German company, where he worked on the development of an innovative measurement method for water content sensing in materials through low-resolution inside-out nuclear magnetic resonance. Since 2007, he has been with the Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy, where he is currently a Temporary Research Fellow. Mr. Cannazza's research interests include reflectometry and microwave measurement techniques, uncertainty evaluation, and characterization andoptimization of sensors for industrial applications.