Patent ID: 9442081
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method for estimating ash contents in a biological material, comprising steps of: scanning the biological material with X-ray radiation of at least two different energy levels; determining an amount of X-ray radiation transmitted through a sample of the biological material at the at least two different energy levels; estimating a moisture content in the biological material based on a relationship between the determined amount of X-ray radiation transmitted through the biological material at the energy levels; and estimating the ash content in the biological material, based on the estimated moisture content in the biological material, average attenuation coefficients for the biological material without moisture, attenuation coefficients for a combustible part of the biological material, and attenuation coefficients for ash of the biological material at the energy levels; wherein the moisture content of the sample of the biological material is determined by determination of a K-value for the biological material, the K-value being calculated as: wherein N01, N02 are calibrated reference values for transmission at the at least two different energy levels and N1, N2 are transmission values through the biological material at the energy levels, and the estimating of the moisture content of the biological material is done by comparing the calculated K-value with corresponding K-values for a similar material type.