Products - Principles of Operation

Delta C watercut monitors use the capacitance principle. A cylindrical sensor and outer barrel are fixed in size and distance from each other to form the electrodes of a coaxial capacitor. The oil sample flows between the "plates" as a dielectric fluid, changing the capacitance of the assembly proportionally with the change in dielectric constant of the fluid. The measured capacitance is converted to a water content output signal by the built-in microprocessor and associated components.

In any measurement system, accuracy depends on the number and stability of the components involved in the signal chain. The Delta C design reduces the primary dependency to a single component whose characteristics are known and well controlled. This, and the application of sophisticated algorithms within the microprocessor, allows the monitor to deliver stability and accuracy unmatched by others.