Patent ID: 7609074
Filing Date: 2009-10-27
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A process for determining moisture content in solid matter, said process comprising: (a) reducing said solid matter to a paste; (b) placing said paste in an elongated vessel having a longitudinal axis, said vessel containing a plurality of independent pairs of electrodes positioned at a plurality of locations along said axis, the electrodes of any single pair directly opposing each other across said axis; (c) imposing an alternating voltage at a selected frequency across each of said pairs of electrodes and through said paste, determining an electrical impedance value across each of said pairs arising from said alternating voltage, and generating a signal representative of each of said values; (d) detecting the temperature of said paste in said elongated vessel; and (e) compiling test data from said signals and said temperature, and comparing said test data so compiled to calibration values correlating said test data with moisture levels, thereby determining said moisture content of said solid matter.