Abstract: Using surface microwaves for measuring and determining density and/or moisture content of a material. Positioning material within a proximate free space region spanning immediately above surface of a surface microwave waveguide, the surface microwave waveguide includes an electrically conducting rectangular block and a dielectric rectangular insert element compactly fitting into the block. Transmitting microwaves into the first end of the surface microwave waveguide, a first portion of the transmitted microwaves propagate within the surface microwave waveguide and a second portion propagates within the proximate free space region including the material. Parameters (amplitude, phase, attenuation, and phase shift) of the propagating microwaves are perturbed by the material and are a function of density and/or moisture content of the material.

Abstract: Using surface microwaves for measuring and determining density and/or moisture content of a material. Positioning material within a proximate free space region spanning immediately above surface of a surface microwave waveguide, the surface microwave waveguide includes an electrically conducting rectangular block and a dielectric rectangular insert element compactly fitting into the block. Transmitting microwaves into the first end of the surface microwave waveguide, a first portion of the transmitted microwaves propagate within the surface microwave waveguide and a second portion propagates within the proximate free space region including the material. Parameters (amplitude, phase, attenuation, and phase shift) of the propagating microwaves are perturbed by the material and are a function of density and/or moisture content of the material.

Abstract: A method for highly accurate, high speed, multi-slice density and moisture content measurements and calculations of homogeneous or non-homogeneous fibrous material, using a microwave resonator device and computer algorithms. The device is comprised of a cylindrical microwave resonator, including two cutoff waveguides, internal corrective pieces, a teflon tube, signal input and output ports, alternative microwave sources, alternative signal receivers, temperature sensor and optional moisture sensor, and computerized processing and display units. The method comprises passing fibrous material, located in-line of a production process, through the resonator, wherein the fibrous material is scanned with a sweeping range of microwave frequencies, in a continuous, real time, and multi-slice mode. The presence of the fibrous material causes resonance frequency shifts and changes in resonator quality, which are proportional to, and used in calculations of, material density and moisture content, respectively.

Abstract: Method and device for non-invasively determining moisture content and uniformity of solid plant matter during on-line drying or cooling forced-air treatment featuring measuring primary operating parameters of temperature, humidity, and flow rate of forced-air entering and exiting the volume of solid plant matter moving through an on-line drying or cooling forced-air treatment device. Empirically determined data relating the influence of secondary operating parameters of volumetric bulk material transport rate of the solid plant matter, type of the solid plant matter, and physicochemical characteristics and properties of the solid plant matter, on the sensing and measuring of the primary forced-air operating parameters are used for process correcting raw temperature, humidity, and flow rate, parametric values of the forced-air entering and exiting the solid plant matter, leading to the determination of highly accurate and reproducible values of moisture content and uniformity of the solid plant matter.

Abstract: A method of determining the moisture content of a module of tobacco material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a plurality of microwaves substantially through a portion of the module, such that the microwaves are transmitted microwaves; (b) receiving the transmitted microwaves such that the microwaves are received microwaves; (c) determining a phase shift and an attenuation from the received microwaves; (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) for at least a portion of the material on the module, such that a plurality of phase shifts and a plurality of attenuations is obtained; (e) using at least one empirical factor selected from the group consisting of weight of the module, temperature of the module, shape of the module and type of the material to correct the plurality of attenuations, producing a plurality of corrected attenuations; (f) calculating a raw moisture content of the material from the corrected attenuations; (g) determining a density of the material from the phase shifts; and (h) calcu

Abstract: A method of determining the moisture content of material on a bobbin featuring a hollow core, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a plurality of microwaves substantially through a portion of the bobbin, such that the microwaves are transmitted microwaves; (b) receiving the transmitted microwaves such that the microwaves are received microwaves; (c) determining a phase shift and an attenuation from the received microwaves; (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) for at least a portion of the material on the bobbin, such that a plurality of phase shifts and a plurality of attentuations is obtained; (e) using at least one empirical factor selected from the group consisting of weight of the bobbin, temperature of the bobbin, shape of the bobbin and type of the material to correct the plurality of attenuations, producing a plurality of corrected attenuations; (f) calculating a raw moisture content of the material from the corrected attenuations; (g) correcting the plurality of phase shifts for an artefact

Abstract: A device for measuring the moisture content of a module of material, including: (a) a source of microwave radiation for producing a microwave radiation source beam, at least a portion of the source being located on one side of the module; (b) at least one microwave antenna located on an opposing side of the module for receiving an exit beam and for producing an antenna signal, the exit beam being the source beam after a transition from the source to the antenna; (c) an attenuation unit for receiving a first portion of the antenna signal and for measuring an attenuation of the antenna signal; (d) a phase shift determiner for receiving a portion of the source beam and a second portion of the antenna signal and for determining a phase shift of the source beam and the antenna signal, the phase shift determiner including: (i) a raw phase shift measurer for determining a raw phase shift of the source beam and the antenna signal; and (ii) a phase region determiner for determining a phase region of the raw phase shif

Abstract: A system for measuring the moisture content of a multi-layer bale of material, comprising a source of microwave radiation disposed on a first side of the bale for directing a circularly polarized source beam through the bale in a direction substantially parallel to the layers thereof so as to exit from the bale as an exit beam and a conveyor for conveying the bale past the source of microwave radiation. A pair of microwave antennas are disposed on an opposite side of the bale for receiving mutually orthogonal components of the exit beam permitting determination of a maximum amplitude of the exit beam corresponding to an amplitude of the exit beam in a direction normal to the layers of the bale. This permits calculation of an attenuation of the beam consequent to absorption by moisture in the bale and thus allows the moisture content of the bale to be determined.