Microwave sensor design for noncontact process monitoring at elevated temperature

In this work we present a microwave sensor for noncontact monitoring of liquid level at high temperatures. The sensor is a high gain, directional conical lensed horn antenna with narrow beam width (BW) designed for operation over 10 GHz – 15 GHz. Sensor design and optimization was carried out using 3D finite element method based electromagnetic (EM) simulation software HFSS®. A rectangular to circular waveguide feed was designed to convert TE10 to TE11 mode for wave propagation in the conical horn. Swept frequency simulations were carried out to optimize antenna flare angle and length to achieve better than –10 dB return loss (S11), standing wave ratio (SWR) less than 2.0, 20° half power BW (HPBW) and 15 dB gain over 10 GHz – 15 GHz. The sensor was fabricated using Aluminum and was characterized in an anechoic test box using a vector network analyzer (E5071C, Agilent Technologies, USA). Experimental results of noncontact level detection are presented for boiling water in a metal canister.