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 measuring moisture content in a biological material in an automated procedure is disclosed. The method comprises the step of: providing a reference database for a plurality of different material types with known moisture content. Further, a sample of biological material, such as chips of wood, pulp, grain, crop or sugar canes, are scanned with electromagnetic radiation of at least two different energy levels and the amount of radiation transmitted through the sample of the biological material is determined at said two energy levels. Subsequently, a material type in the reference database most resembling the biological material of the biological material of the sample is identified, and the moisture content of the sample of biological material is determined based on the identified material type and the determined amounts of radiation transmitted through the sample.