With Seztec’s TRIME® TDR technology you can measure material moisture precisely, directly, non-destructively, and economically in construction aggregates, fresh concrete, grains, soil, and more.
Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) is used to accurately determine moisture content in materials by correlating the speed of propagation of high frequency electromagnetic pulses (1GHz) with the di-electric constant (or relative permittivity) of the material being tested.
TRIME® is a proprietary technology that stands for Time domain Reflectometry with Intelligent Micromodule Elements and is based on the TDR principle or “cable radar”.
The high frequency pulses are generated and guided through the transmission lines or sensing probes (also called as wave guides) into the material. When the pulses are reflected at the probe surface and back to the propagation source, the TDR response time “t” is then evaluated. This TDR response time is directly proportional to the moisture content present in the material. Since water has a significantly higher dielectric constant than the materials to be measured, such as sand, grain or even soil, it is possible to determine the water content with a high degree of accuracy.
The TRIME® sensors are offered in various configurations to match the target applications and installation locations. For applications in the concrete industry the sensor is offered as a flat sensor head (SONO probes) where the signal conductor is placed between ceramic plates for continuous moisture measurements in a process and to endure high level of surface abrasion. Whereas in grain or soil applications, the sensors have a conventional probe design to allow material penetration for accurate moisture readings.
For a long time due to its complexity and high cost of implementation, TDR technology remained a laboratory measurement system for experimental science and R&D. And measuring devices based on TDR were highly uncommon due to their very large size, making them impractical for field use. In 1980’s, IMKO revolutionized the field of miniaturized TDR technology and developed proprietary TRIME® sensors to be used for measurement of moisture content in a variety of environmental and industrial applications. TRIME® is a robust measurement technology, which enables a compact and industry compatible design with a very good price/performance ratio.
All aggregates and bulk solids contain a proportion of water. In addition to the quality of the final product, moisture also determines the weight and the price. Legal requirements lay down the framework. With material moisture measurement, you can determine the water content in your aggregates and bulk solids. Our SONO probes were specifically developed for applications in the construction industry. SONO-VARIO Standard is suitable for general fine bulk solids like Sand and Gravel upto 5/32 inch, whereas the SONO-VARIO Xtrem is designed for highly abrasive materials like Gravel, Grit, Rock, Stone up to 1-1/4 inch.
Furthermore, moisture measurement in fresh concrete is another problematic area that our SONO sensors can help solve for concrete production plants such as ready-mix plants. Controlling the moisture content and the temperature of the new concrete can can increase the structural integrity of the concrete and make it more resistant to future cracking. Most important parameters are water content and the W/C-value to reach the desired quality. The SONO-WZ®is an easy and convenient portable measurement system to measure concrete moisture directly on-site in under 10 seconds!
Whereas, the SONO MIX MINI Fresh Concrete Moisture Meter is designed to be installed directly in concrete mixers (intensive mixers) to provide continuous real-time moisture readings to the operator to ensure consistent concrete batches are produced.
Environment studies and crop production are another key applications for our TRIME sensors. For instance, our sensors are used to measure soil moisture content and electrical conductivity (salinity) for crop producers, farmers, and environmental scientists. When it comes to measuring the soil moisture content, there are various requirements for sensors. In many applications, high-resolution measurements are to be carried out selectively in a very narrow pattern, for example when near-surface water conditions are intended to be investigated for water balance models or to attend evaporation experiments. But also in the laboratory or in the greenhouse, it is often necessary to limit the size of the moisture measuring field, so that undisturbed results are guaranteed. In all these applications, our PICO 32 Soil Probes can demonstrate its assets . Thanks to the various interfaces, the probe can be integrated into many data environments without much effort.
Another area of focus is measurement of grain moisture. When grain is harvested, it usually contains excess water. If the grain is stored in a silo, this excess water would cause mold to form immediately, resulting in the total loss of the product. Therefore, all common grain types are dried before being stored in a silo, usually using a vertical dryer with product passing through it once (continuous dryer). The input moisture is measured to determine the water quantity to be removed, and the dwell time or throughput rate is controlled based on the known dryer performance. This not only ensures that the product does not go moldy later in the silo, but also that you are not wasting energy unnecessarily by over-drying the product. The innovative TRIME® GWs grain moisture sensor technology enables accurate, continuous measurements directly in the drying process at temperatures of up to 120°C (248°F) and regardless of the type and composition of the product to be dried, such as cereals, oil fruits and pulses, food, animal fodder, wood chips, powder and granulate.
Do you have a tricky moisture measurement application? Contact us at sales@seztec.com or call us at (816) 287-2035 to explore our complete range of moisture measurement solutions.
Published by: Seztec USA copyright © 2022 Seztec LLC