Capacitance and phase-angle measurement for estimating moisture content in nuts and grain nondestructively

Chari V. Kandala; Chris L. Butts

doi:10.1117/12.657702

11 April 2006 Capacitance and phase-angle measurement for estimating moisture content in nuts and grain nondestructively

Chari V. Kandala, Chris L. Butts

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6174, Smart Structures and Materials 2006: Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems; 617420 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.657702
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2006, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The design and performance of an electrical instrument that would be useful in estimating the moisture content (mc) of agricultural products such as grain and nuts nondestructively and rapidly is described here. The instrument, here after called the impedance meter, determines the capacitance and phase angle of a sample of the produce (about 100 g), filling the space between two parallel-plate electrodes, at two frequencies 1 and 5 MHz. The measured values were used in a semi-empirical equation to obtain the mc of the sample. In this paper, capacitance and phase angle were determined for in-shell peanuts in the moisture range between 6 and 25% by the impedance meter, and their moisture contents were calculated. The calculated values were compared with the mc values obtained by the standard air-oven method. The estimated values were in good agreement with the standard values. This method is applicable to produce such as corn, wheat and pecans also.

Citation Download Citation

Chari V. Kandala and Chris L. Butts "Capacitance and phase-angle measurement for estimating moisture content in nuts and grain nondestructively", Proc. SPIE 6174, Smart Structures and Materials 2006: Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems, 617420 (11 April 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.657702

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