Abstract: A method for estimating a heating value of a biological material is disclosed. The method comprises: correlating amounts of radiation transmitted through a number of different reference materials, said radiation being electromagnetic radiation of at least two energy levels, with heating values for said reference materials obtained by calorimeter measurements; irradiating the biological material (102) with electromagnetic radiation of said at least two different energy levels;and measuring the amount of radiation (109a-c) transmitted through said biological material at said energy levels. The method further comprises determining, for each energy level, a transmission value through the biological material based on the radiation through said biological material; and determining, based on said determined transmission values and said correlation, an estimate of the heating value of said biological material. A corresponding apparatus (100) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the concentration of a specific analyte in a sample of biological material are disclosed. The sample is placed in a sample container (10) which provides at least two radiation paths (14) with different lengths through the sample container (10), and is sequentially irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. X-rays. The amount of radiation penetrating the sample is detected, and absorbance is determined based on the detected radiation. During irradiation, the sample container (10) is moved in relation to the radiation source (1) and detector (5) so that absorbance measurements at different path-lengths are acquired. A regression line from the absorbance values and path lengths is determined, such that a slope of the regression line is obtained, and based on this slope, the concentration of the specific analyte is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the concentration of a specific analyte in a sample of biological material are disclosed. The sample is placed in a sample container (10) which provides at least two irradiation paths (14) with different lengths through the sample container (10), and is sequentially irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. X-rays. The amount of radiation penetrating the sample is detected, and absorbance is determined based on the detected radiation. During irradiation, the sample container (10) is moved in relation to the irradiation source (1) and detector (5) so that absorbance measurements at different path-lengths are acquired. A regression line from the absorbance values and path lengths is determined, such that a slope of the regression line is obtained, and based on this slope, the concentration of the specific analyte is determined.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring dry mass flow rate for a biological material. The method steps include conveying the biological material through a measuring station, scanning the biological material with electromagnetic radiation of at least two different energy levels, determining the amount of radiation transmitted through the biological material at said two energy levels, and summing, for each of sad two energy levels, the radiation transmission values over a time frame to summed radiation transmission values. Further, a wet dry mass flow rate is estimated based on the summed radiation transmission values for said two energy level. The moisture content of the biological material is estimated based on the amounts of radiation transmitted through the biological material. The estimated wet dry mass flow rate is scaled in accordance with the estimated moisture content of the biological material, thereby providing an estimate of the dry mass flow rate.

Abstract: A method for estimating a heating value of a biological material is disclosed. The method comprises: correlating amounts of radiation transmitted through a number of different reference materials, said radiation being electromagnetic radiation of at least two energy levels, with heating values for said reference materials obtained by calorimeter measurements; irradiating the biological material (102) with electromagnetic radiation of said at least two different energy levels;and measuring the amount of radiation (109a-c) transmitted through said biological material at said energy levels. The method further comprises determining, for each energy level, a transmission value through the biological material based on the radiation through said biological material; and determining, based on said determined transmission values and said correlation, an estimate of the heating value of said biological material. A corresponding apparatus (100) is also disclosed.