1. Challenges in determination the Moisturecontent of woody biomass

2. Company profile
INADCO Moisture Measurement develops and produces measuring equipment for inline and online measuring in processes with fine and coarse bulk solids.
Our specialty is the measurement of the moisture content of those bulk solids with our own unique technology, which eliminates the need the use of numerous calibration lines for each change in the product. Further we have equipment for the determination of the bulk density during the process and the weighing of product streams with a low bulk density (60 g/l – 1500 g/l) with a Beltweigher.
Because we are the developer and the manufacturer of our equipment we can, if necessary, adapt the our equipment to suit your process circumstances.
Our moisture meters achieve a very high reproducibility and accuracy which is better than any other system in the measurement in inhomogeneous bulk solids. The measuring range goes from 0,1 percent up to 60 percent.
With years of experience from a wide variety of industries and started in the potting soil industry, INADCO is now more expanding to other industries based on their experience with many products like biomass, animal feed, sand and clay, seeds, salt, glass powder and more.

3. Facilities Head office
Includes an office space, laboratory, development department and a production and testing area
Assembly and test area
Each unit undergoes an endurance test before leaving the factory
Development
Basically every system we create is with SIEMENS equipment and will be drawn 3D

4. Core business of INADCO
Measuring the physical properties of Bulkmedia like woodchips, straw, miscanthus.
- Bulkdensity
- Mass
- Volume
- Moisturecontent

5. Measuring during process
Moisture = ???? %

6. Most known methods of measuring moisture
Capacitive
Near Infra Red
Microwave
Drying Stove

7. Inline Sensors Capacitive Microwave Near Infra Red Benefits: Benefits:
- Simple - Easy to handle - Low cost
Benefits:
- Simple - Easy to integrate - Reasonable price
Benefits:
- Contactless - Fast - More properties
Disadvantages:
Inaccurate - Not usable in product with a lot of air inclusions - Not usable in product with hard particles
Disadvantages:
Small surface - Not usable in product with a lot of air inclusions - Not usable in product with changing bulkdensìty
Disadvantages:
- Measures only surfaces - Sensitive for environments - Expensive
Price range:
€ 500,00 - € 1.000,00
Price range:
€ 3.500,00 - € 6.500,00
Price range:
€ ,00 - € ,00

8. Quality of measurement with different technologies

9. Influence of Bulkdensity with High Frequency methods
Higher compression = more moisture particles per volume
sensor
sensor

10. Reliability of the measurement data
How accurate is this scale?
* kg ?
Is this a reliable weighing scale?
* NO !!!
Why?
* The real weight of
this person is 75 kg
Conclusion
Two digits behind the decimal point does not always mean that the value is true
Weight
50.11 kg
Weight
49.88 kg
The same person is measured twice

11. Reference measurement. With the drying stove?
Result: Moisturecontent = 45%
Could be!
Moisturecontent ???
Drying at 103 °C for 24h (EN :2009)
The wooden block was pretreated
Conclusion
There are more extractables in wood than just water which will vaporize at 103 °C like oils and resins. The real amount of water is thus <45%.
1 day in a drum of petrol

12. Reliability of the measurement
STEM
BRANCH

13. Evaporation of water and …..
3 days drying at 60 °C
Temperature at 110 °C
Moisture [%]
+ 2.2%
Temperature [°C]

14. Sample deviation against average from a Drying-stove

15. The INADCO Method
The measuring electrode in the wall of the measuring cylinder measure a large thick shell of product on the inner side of the cylinder

16. The INADCO Method in action
This video can be seen at:

17. Other measuring-layouts
Measuring in a funnel
Measuring through a belt

18. Validation

19. Thank you for your interest and attention.
For any questions or comments you can always contact us.
INADCO
Meerheide 18
5521 DZ Eersel The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)
Fax: +31 (0)
Web: