Device and method for determining properties of a soil
First Claim
1. A method of measuring a matrix potential in a soil having moisture and a matrix potential comprising the following steps:
- inserting a measuring cell having an interior into the soil to be measured, said measuring cell permitting, at least in certain sections thereof, the moisture of the soil to penetrate into the interior of the measuring cell, and said measuring cell including in the interior thereof at least two electrodes embedded in a dielectric having a matrix potential and a water content;
providing a relationship between the water content and the matrix potential for the dielectric of the measuring cell;
detecting a change of the water content for the dielectric of the measuring cell caused by the moisture of the soil penetrating into the interior of said measuring cell;
determining the matrix potential for the dielectric by measurement of changes of permittivity of the dielectric of the measuring cell, based on the relationship between water content and matrix potential for the dielectric used and on the detected change in water content for the dielectric of the measuring cell; and
using the determined matrix potential for the dielectric of the measuring cell as the matrix potential for the measured soil.
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Abstract
A measuring instrument for measuring the matrix potential in a soil, has a measuring cell with a housing that includes at least in certain sections thereof, material permitting the moisture of the soil to penetrate into the interior of the housing, at least two electrodes which are arranged in said housing in spaced relationship with each other and a dielectric which fills the space between said electrodes and the inner wall of the housing, a measurement evaluation circuit which detects the water content in the dielectric of the measuring cell by measurement of changes of permittivity of the dielectric and determines, on the basis of said water content and on the basis of a known relationship between the water content and the matrix potential of the dielectric used, the matrix potential prevailing in the dielectric, and which displays said matrix potential as a measuring result.
26 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of measuring a matrix potential in a soil having moisture and a matrix potential comprising the following steps:
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inserting a measuring cell having an interior into the soil to be measured, said measuring cell permitting, at least in certain sections thereof, the moisture of the soil to penetrate into the interior of the measuring cell, and said measuring cell including in the interior thereof at least two electrodes embedded in a dielectric having a matrix potential and a water content; providing a relationship between the water content and the matrix potential for the dielectric of the measuring cell; detecting a change of the water content for the dielectric of the measuring cell caused by the moisture of the soil penetrating into the interior of said measuring cell; determining the matrix potential for the dielectric by measurement of changes of permittivity of the dielectric of the measuring cell, based on the relationship between water content and matrix potential for the dielectric used and on the detected change in water content for the dielectric of the measuring cell; and using the determined matrix potential for the dielectric of the measuring cell as the matrix potential for the measured soil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A measuring instrument for measuring a matrix potential in a soil having moisture, comprising:
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a measuring cell comprising a housing that includes, at least in certain sections thereof, a material permitting the moisture of the soil to penetrate into an interior of the housing, at least two electrodes which are arranged in said housing in spaced relationship with each other and a dielectric which fills the space between said electrodes and the inner wall of the housing; and a measurement evaluation circuit which detects a water content in the dielectric of the measuring cell by measurement of changes of permittivity of the dielectric and determines, based on said water content and based on a known relationship between the water content and the matrix potential of the dielectric used, the matrix potential prevailing in the dielectric, and which displays said matrix potential prevailing in the dielectric as a measuring result for the matrix potential in the soil. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. The measuring cell for measuring the matrix potential in a soil having moisture, comprising:
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a housing comprising at least in certain sections thereof of a material permitting the moisture of the soil to penetrate into an interior of the housing; at least two electrodes which are arranged in said housing in spaced relationship with each other; and a dielectric having a permittivity ratio which depends on the water content in the dielectric and which is smaller than or equal to 81, and filling the space between said electrodes and the inner wall of the housing the water content in the dielectric having a relationship to a matrix potential of the dielectric. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification