Measurement of Moisture in Wood for Application in the Restoration of Old Buildings.

PubMed

Moron, Carlos; Garcia-Fuentevilla, Luisa; Garcia, Alfonso; Moron, Alberto

2016-05-14

There are many historic buildings whose construction is based on timber frame walls. Most buildings built during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were based on timber frame walls with vertical support elements. These timber frame elements are affected by their moisture content and by the passage of time. If the interaction of the timber frame walls with hygrothermal fluctuations were known, the maintenance of these buildings could be improved significantly. To determine the moisture content of wood there are two types of meters on the market: on the one hand, capacitance meters which consist of two side ends and where the moisture content is measured locally between two peaks. On the other hand, there are meters based on the variation of electromagnetic transmittance of timber, which depends on the moisture of timber. The second ones are very expensive and difficult to handle. This work presents a new non-intrusive capacitive sensor that measures the global moisture content in a section of the timber frame walls and therefore its accuracy is similar to the accuracy that can be obtained with electromagnetic transmittance meters. Additionally, as it is a capacitive sensor, it is low cost and easy to operate.

Measurement of Moisture in Wood for Application in the Restoration of Old Buildings

PubMed Central

Moron, Carlos; Garcia-Fuentevilla, Luisa; Garcia, Alfonso; Moron, Alberto

2016-01-01

There are many historic buildings whose construction is based on timber frame walls. Most buildings built during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were based on timber frame walls with vertical support elements. These timber frame elements are affected by their moisture content and by the passage of time. If the interaction of the timber frame walls with hygrothermal fluctuations were known, the maintenance of these buildings could be improved significantly. To determine the moisture content of wood there are two types of meters on the market: on the one hand, capacitance meters which consist of two side ends and where the moisture content is measured locally between two peaks. On the other hand, there are meters based on the variation of electromagnetic transmittance of timber, which depends on the moisture of timber. The second ones are very expensive and difficult to handle. This work presents a new non-intrusive capacitive sensor that measures the global moisture content in a section of the timber frame walls and therefore its accuracy is similar to the accuracy that can be obtained with electromagnetic transmittance meters. Additionally, as it is a capacitive sensor, it is low cost and easy to operate. PMID:27187410

Moisture absorption of starch based biocomposites reinforced with water hyacinth fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abral, H.; Hartono, J.

2017-06-01

Bioplastic based on tapioca starch (TSB) is very sensitive on moisture; meanwhile this substance may be used to replace synthetic plastic. This paper reports effect of Water Hyacinth Fibers (WHF) content on performance moisture absorption of starch based biocomposites. WHF content in the TSB matrix was varied in 1, 3, 5, and 10% respectively. The samples were placed in closed room with high relative humidity (RH) of 99% at 250C with different duration for 30 and 960 min respectively. The result showed that moisture absorption in the beginning was increased rapidly, and then achieved a level steady state. After that, significant swelling of the sample occurred for further duration in 960 min. Gradient of the swelling was decreased as increasing the fibers content in the TSB matrix.

The effect of moisture content within multilayer protective clothing on protection from radiation and steam.

PubMed

Su, Yun; Li, Jun; Song, Guowen

2018-06-01

The moisture from skin sweat and atmospheric water affects the thermal protective performance provided by multilayer protective clothing. Four levels of moisture content were selected to evaluate the impact of moisture on thermal protection under dry (thermal radiation) and wet (thermal radiation and low-pressure steam) heat exposure. Also, the role of moisture and its relationship with exposure time were analyzed based on skin heat flux and Henriques integral value. The addition of moisture to a fabric system was found to result in differences in second-degree and third-degree skin burn times. When moisture is added to a fabric system, it both acts as a thermal conductor to present a negative effect and provides a positive effect owing to thermal storage of water and evaporative heat loss. The positive or negative effects of moisture are mainly dependent on the thermal exposure time, the moisture content and the presence of hot steam.

A Real-time Irrigation Forecasting System in Jiefangzha Irrigation District, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Z.

2015-12-01

In order to improve the irrigation efficiency, we need to know when and how much to irrigate in real time. If we know the soil moisture content at this time, we can forecast the soil moisture content in the next days based on the rainfall forecasting and the crop evapotranspiration forecasting. Then the irrigation should be considered when the forecasting soil moisture content reaches to a threshold. Jiefangzha Irrigation District, a part of Hetao Irrigation District, is located in Inner Mongolia, China. The irrigated area of this irrigation district is about 140,000 ha mainly planting wheat, maize and sunflower. The annual precipitation is below 200mm, so the irrigation is necessary and the irrigation water comes from the Yellow river. We set up 10 sites with 4 TDR sensors at each site (20cm, 40cm, 60cm and 80cm depth) to monitor the soil moisture content. The weather forecasting data are downloaded from the website of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The reference evapotranspiration is estimated based on FAO-Blaney-Criddle equation with only the air temperature from ECMWF. Then the crop water requirement is forecasted by the crop coefficient multiplying the reference evapotranspiration. Finally, the soil moisture content is forecasted based on soil water balance with the initial condition is set as the monitoring soil moisture content. When the soil moisture content reaches to a threshold, the irrigation warning will be announced. The irrigation mount can be estimated through three ways: (1) making the soil moisture content be equal to the field capacity; (2) making the soil moisture saturated; or (3) according to the irrigation quota. The forecasting period is 10 days. The system is developed according to B2C model with Java language. All the databases and the data analysis are carried out in the server. The customers can log in the website with their own username and password then get the information about the irrigation forecasting and other information about the irrigation. This system can be expanded in other irrigation districts. In future, it is even possible to upgrade the system for the mobile user.

Modeling moisture content of fine dead wildland fuels: Input to the BEHAVE fire prediction system

Treesearch

Richard C. Rothermel; Ralph A. Wilson; Glen A. Morris; Stephen S. Sackett

1986-01-01

Describes a model for predicting moisture content of fine fuels for use with the BEHAVE fire behavior and fuel modeling system. The model is intended to meet the need for more accurate predictions of fine fuel moisture, particularly in northern conifer stands and on days following rain. The model is based on the Canadian Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC), modified to...

Correlation between near infrared spectroscopy and electrical techniques in measuring skin moisture content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, M.; Sabbri, A. R. M.; Mat Jafri, M. Z.; Omar, A. F.

2014-11-01

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technique serves as an important tool for the measurement of moisture content of skin owing to the advantages it has over the other techniques. The purpose of the study is to develop a correlation between NIR spectrometer with electrical conventional techniques for skin moisture measurement. A non-invasive measurement of moisture content of skin was performed on different part of human face and hand under control environment (temperature 21 ± 1 °C, relative humidity 45 ± 5 %). Ten healthy volunteers age between 21-25 (male and female) participated in this study. The moisture content of skin was measured using DermaLab® USB Moisture Module, Scalar Moisture Checker and NIR spectroscopy (NIRQuest). Higher correlation was observed between NIRQuest and Dermalab moisture probe with a coefficient of determination (R2) above 70 % for all the subjects. However, the value of R2 between NIRQuest and Moisture Checker was observed to be lower with the R2 values ranges from 51.6 to 94.4 %. The correlation of NIR spectroscopy technique successfully developed for measuring moisture content of the skin. The analysis of this correlation can help to establish novel instruments based on an optical system in clinical used especially in the dermatology field.

Microstrip transmission line for soil moisture measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xuemin; Li, Jing; Liang, Renyue; Sun, Yijie; Liu, C. Richard; Rogers, Richard; Claros, German

2004-12-01

Pavement life span is often affected by the amount of voids in the base and subgrade soils, especially moisture content in pavement. Most available moisture sensors are based on the capacitive sensing using planar blades. Since the planar sensor blades are fabricated on the same surface to reduce the overall size of the sensor, such structure cannot provide very high accuracy for moisture content measurement. As a consequence, a typical capacitive moisture sensor has an error in the range of 30%. A more accurate measurement is based on the time domain refelctometer (TDR) measurement. However, typical TDR system is fairly expensive equipment, very large in size, and difficult to operate, the moisture content measurement is limited. In this paper, a novel microstrip transmission line based moisture sensor is presented. This sensor uses the phase shift measurement of RF signal going through a transmission line buried in the soil to be measured. Since the amplitude of the transmission measurement is a strong function of the conductivity (loss of the media) and the imaginary part of dielectric constant, and the phase is mainly a strong function of the real part of the dielectric constant, measuring phase shift in transmission mode can directly obtain the soil moisture information. This sensor was designed and implemented. Sensor networking was devised. Both lab and field data show that this sensor is sensitive and accurate.

Effect of process variables on the density and durability of the pellets made from high moisture corn stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaya Shankar Tumuluru

2014-03-01

A flat die pellet mill was used to understand the effect of high levels of feedstock moisture content in the range of 28–38% (w.b.), with die rotational speeds of 40–60 Hz, and preheating temperatures of 30–110 °C on the pelleting characteristics of 4.8 mm screen size ground corn stover using an 8 mm pellet die. The physical properties of the pelletised biomass studied are: (a) pellet moisture content, (b) unit, bulk and tapped density, and (c) durability. Pelletisation experiments were conducted based on central composite design. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that feedstock moisture content influenced all of the physicalmore » properties at P < 0.001. Pellet moisture content decreased with increase in preheating temperature to about 110 °C and decreasing the feedstock moisture content to about 28% (w.b.). Response surface models developed for quality attributes with respect to process variables has adequately described the process with coefficient of determination (R2) values of >0.88. The other pellet quality attributes such as unit, bulk, tapped density, were maximised at feedstock moisture content of 30–33% (w.b.), die speeds of >50 Hz and preheating temperature of >90 °C. In case of durability a medium moisture content of 33–34% (w.b.) and preheating temperatures of >70 °C and higher die speeds >50 Hz resulted in high durable pellets. It can be concluded from the present study that feedstock moisture content, followed by preheating, and die rotational speed are the interacting process variables influencing pellet moisture content, unit, bulk and tapped density and durability.« less

Density-independent algorithm for sensing moisture content of sawdust based on reflection measurements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A density-independent algorithm for moisture content determination in sawdust, based on a one-port reflection measurement technique is proposed for the first time. Performance of this algorithm is demonstrated through measurement of the dielectric properties of sawdust with an open-ended haft-mode s...

Evaluation of Crops Moisture Provision by Space Remote Sensing Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilienko, Tetiana

2016-08-01

The article is focused on theoretical and experimental rationale for the use of space data to determine the moisture provision of agricultural landscapes and agricultural plants. The improvement of space remote sensing methods to evaluate plant moisture availability is the aim of this research.It was proved the possibility of replacement of satellite imagery of high spatial resolution on medium spatial resolution which are freely available to determine crop moisture content at the local level. The mathematical models to determine the moisture content of winter wheat plants by spectral indices were developed based on the results of experimental field research and satellite (Landsat, MODIS/Terra, RapidEye, SICH-2) data. The maps of the moisture content in winter wheat plants in test sites by obtained models were constructed using modern GIS technology.

Impact of process conditions on the density and durability of wheat, oat, canola, and barley straw briquettes

DOE PAGES

Tumuluru, J. S.; Tabil, L. G.; Song, Y.; ...

2014-10-01

The present study is to understand the impact of process conditions on the quality attributes of wheat oat, barley, and canola straw briquettes. Analysis of variance indicated that briquette moisture content and initial density immediately after compaction and final density after 2 weeks of storage are strong functions of feedstock moisture content and compression pressure, whereas durability rating is influenced by die temperature and feedstock moisture content. Briquettes produced at a low feedstock moisture content of 9 % (w.b.) yielded maximum densities >700 kg/m3 for wheat, oat, canola, and barley straws. Lower feedstock moisture content of <10 % (w.b.) andmore » higher die temperatures >110 °C and compression pressure >10 MPa minimized the briquette moisture content and maximized densities and durability rating based on surface plots observations. Optimal process conditions indicated that a low feedstock moisture content of about 9 % (w.b.), high die temperature of 120–130 °C, medium-to-large hammer mill screen sizes of about 24 to 31.75 mm, and low to high compression pressures of 7.5 to 12.5 MPa minimized briquette moisture content to <8 % (w.b.) and maximized density to >700 kg/m3. Durability rating >90 % is achievable at higher die temperatures of >123 °C, lower to medium feedstock moisture contents of 9 to 12 % (w.b.), low to high compression pressures of 7.5 to 12.5 MPa, and large hammer mill screen size of 31.75 mm, except for canola where a lower compression pressure of 7.5 to 8.5 MPa and a smaller hammer mill screen size of 19 mm for oat maximized the durability rating values.« less

The Utility of Using a Near-Infrared (NIR) Camera to Measure Beach Surface Moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, S.; Schmutz, P. P.

2017-12-01

Surface moisture content is an important factor that must be considered when studying aeolian sediment transport in a beach environment. A few different instruments and procedures are available for measuring surface moisture content (i.e. moisture probes, LiDAR, and gravimetric moisture data from surface scrapings); however, these methods can be inaccurate, costly, and inapplicable, particularly in the field. Near-infrared (NIR) spectral band imagery is another technique used to obtain moisture data. NIR imagery has been predominately used through remote sensing and has yet to be used for ground-based measurements. Dry sand reflects infrared radiation given off by the sun and wet sand absorbs IR radiation. All things considered, this study assesses the utility of measuring surface moisture content of beach sand with a modified NIR camera. A traditional point and shoot digital camera was internally modified with the placement of a visible light-blocking filter. Images were taken of three different types of beach sand at controlled moisture content values, with sunlight as the source of infrared radiation. A technique was established through trial and error by comparing resultant histogram values using Adobe Photoshop with the various moisture conditions. The resultant IR absorption histogram values were calibrated to actual gravimetric moisture content from surface scrapings of the samples. Overall, the results illustrate that the NIR spectrum modified camera does not provide the ability to adequately measure beach surface moisture content. However, there were noted differences in IR absorption histogram values among the different sediment types. Sediment with darker quartz mineralogy provided larger variations in histogram values, but the technique is not sensitive enough to accurately represent low moisture percentages, which are of most importance when studying aeolian sediment transport.

Evaluation of Optimum Moisture Content for Composting of Beef Manure and Bedding Material Mixtures Using Oxygen Uptake Measurement

PubMed Central

Kim, Eunjong; Lee, Dong-Hyun; Won, Seunggun; Ahn, Heekwon

2016-01-01

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg O2/g VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS’s optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust’s coarse particle size and bulking effect. PMID:26954138

Evaluation of Optimum Moisture Content for Composting of Beef Manure and Bedding Material Mixtures Using Oxygen Uptake Measurement.

PubMed

Kim, Eunjong; Lee, Dong-Hyun; Won, Seunggun; Ahn, Heekwon

2016-05-01

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg O2/g VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS's optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust's coarse particle size and bulking effect.

Optical transparency of paper as a function of moisture content with applications to moisture measurement.

PubMed

Forughi, A F; Green, S I; Stoeber, B

2016-02-01

Accurate measurement of the moisture content of paper is essential in papermaking and is also important in some paper-based microfluidic devices. Traditional measurement techniques provide very limited spatiotemporal resolution and working range. This article presents a novel method for moisture content measurement whose operating principle is the strong correlation between the optical transparency of paper and its moisture content. Spectrographic and microscopic measurement techniques were employed to characterize the relation of moisture content and relative transparency of four types of paper: hardwood chemi-thermomechanical pulp paper, Northern bleached softwood kraft paper, unbleached softwood kraft paper, and General Electric(®) Whatman™ grade 1 chromatography paper. It was found that for all paper types, the paper transparency increased monotonically with the moisture content (as the ratio of the mass-of-water to the mass-of-dry-paper increased from 0% to 120%). This significant increase in relative transparency occurred due to the refractive index matching role of water in wet paper. It is further shown that mechanical loading of the paper has little impact on the relative transparency, for loadings that would be typical on a paper machine. The results of two transient water absorption experiments are presented that show the utility and accuracy of the technique.

Analysis and optimal design of moisture sensor for rice grain moisture measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Sweety; Mishra, Pankaj Kumar; Thakare, Vandana Vikas

2018-04-01

The analysis and design of a microstrip sensor for accurate determination of moisture content (MC) in rice grains based on oven drying technique, this technique is easy, fast and less time-consuming to other techniques. The sensor is designed with low insertion loss, reflection coefficient and maximum gain is -35dB and 5.88dB at 2.68GHz as well as discussed all the parameters such as axial ratio, maximum gain, smith chart etc, which is helpful for analysis the moisture measurement. The variation in percentage of moisture measurement with magnitude and phase of transmission coefficient is investigated at selected frequencies. The microstrip moisture sensor consists of one layer: substrate FR4, thickness 1.638 is simulated by computer simulated technology microwave studio (CST MWS). It is concluded that the proposed sensor is suitable for development as a complete sensor and to estimate the optimum moisture content of rice grains with accurately, sensitivity, compact, versatile and suitable for determining the moisture content of other crops and agriculture products.

Modeling effects of moisture content and advection on odor causing VOCs volatilization from stored swine manure.

PubMed

Liao, C M; Liang, H M

2000-05-01

Two models for evaluating the contents and advection of manure moisture on odor causing volatile organic compounds (VOC-odor) volatilization from stored swine manure were studied for their ability to predict the volatilization rate (indoor air concentration) and cumulative exposure dose: a MJ-I model and a MJ-II model. Both models simulating depletion of source contaminant via volatilization and degradation based on an analytical model adapted from the behavior assessment model of Jury et al. In the MJ-I model, manure moisture movement was negligible, whereas in the MJ-II model, time-dependent indoor air concentrations was a function of constant manure moisture contents and steady-state moisture advection. Predicted indoor air concentrations and inhaled doses for the study VOC-odors of p-cresol, toluene, and p-xylene varied by up to two to three orders of magnitude depending on the manure moisture conditions. The sensitivity analysis of both models suggests that when manure moisture movement exists, simply MJ-I model is inherently not sufficient to represent a more generally volatilization process, which can even become stringent as moisture content increases. The conclusion illustrates how one needs to include a wide variety of manure moisture values in order to fully assess the complex volatilization mechanisms that are present in a real situation.

Evaluation of pavement design in Virginia based on layered deflections, subgrade and its moisture content.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-01-01

Studies were conducted to relate the deflection of flexible pavements to such environmental factors as temperature and moisture content of the pavements and their subgrade soils. Also considered were the thickness and the relative positions of the di...

Dielectric properties-based method for rapid and nondestructive moisture sensing in almonds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A dielectric-based method is presented for moisture determination in almonds independent of bulk density. The dielectric properties of almond were measured between 5 and 15 GHz, with a 1-GHz increments, for samples with moisture contents ranging from 4.8% to 16.5%, wet basis, bulk densities ranging ...

Temporal variations in soil moisture content and its influence on biomass estimates, observed by UAVSAR, ALOS PALSAR, and in-situ field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderhead, A. I.; Simard, M.; Lavalle, M.

2010-12-01

Temporal changes of repeat-pass SAR backscatter over bare ground or forests results mostly from changes in the target's dielectric properties or moisture content; especially when the timescale is on the order of a few days or weeks. It is important to properly correct for moisture content when using SAR based estimates of tree height or biomass. The objective of this work is to quantify the error in biomass estimates associated with variations in moisture content in temperate and boreal forested areas. In addition, the accuracy of three polarimetric soil moisture surface inversion models (Dubois et al., 1995, Oh et al., 1992; Oh, 2004) are tested on UAVSAR and PALSAR data of bare soils in temperate and boreal forested areas. In addition to PALSAR data from 2007 to 2009, a JPL/UAVSAR campaign over parts of New England and Quebec was completed in August, 2009; L-band SAR images were acquired on August 5th, August 7th, and August 14th. In-situ soil moisture probes at three locations gathered hourly soil moisture content data. LVIS LIDAR is used for quantifying and classifying biomass ranges. Slope corrected backscatter values resampled to 1 hectare at HH, HV, and VV polarizations, and ratios thereof, are compared with soil moisture, precipitation, biomass, and incidence angle. It is seen that the backscatter for high biomass areas varies significantly due to moisture variations. An increase in 1% soil moisture content at the Laurentides field site leads to a change in HV backscatter of 1dB. Regions with high biomass do not vary uniformly with varying moisture content: this can be explained by saturation of the L-band at higher biomass levels. The three inversion algorithms produce varying results with the ‘Dubois et al’ inversion producing the best correlation at the Bartlett Forest site while the ‘Oh 2004’ inversion produces better results at the Laurentides site. Although the accuracy is often poor, the temporal variation of the moisture content for all three inversion algorithms is generally captured.

Dielectric properties of almond kernels associated with radio frequency and microwave pasteurization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rui; Zhang, Shuang; Kou, Xiaoxi; Ling, Bo; Wang, Shaojin

2017-02-01

To develop advanced pasteurization treatments based on radio frequency (RF) or microwave (MW) energy, dielectric properties of almond kernels were measured by using an open-ended coaxial-line probe and impedance analyzer at frequencies between 10 and 3000 MHz, moisture contents between 4.2% to 19.6% w.b. and temperatures between 20 and 90 °C. The results showed that both dielectric constant and loss factor of the almond kernels decreased sharply with increasing frequency over the RF range (10-300 MHz), but gradually over the measured MW range (300-3000 MHz). Both dielectric constant and loss factor of almond kernels increased with increasing temperature and moisture content, and largely enhanced at higher temperature and moisture levels. Quadratic polynomial equations were developed to best fit the relationship between dielectric constant or loss factor at 27, 40, 915 or 2450 MHz and sample temperature/moisture content with R2 greater than 0.967. Penetration depth of electromagnetic wave into samples decreased with increasing frequency (27-2450 MHz), moisture content (4.2-19.6% w.b.) and temperature (20-90 °C). The temperature profiles of RF heated almond kernels under three moisture levels were made using experiment and computer simulation based on measured dielectric properties. Based on the result of this study, RF treatment has potential to be practically used for pasteurization of almond kernels with acceptable heating uniformity.

Dielectric properties of almond kernels associated with radio frequency and microwave pasteurization.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Zhang, Shuang; Kou, Xiaoxi; Ling, Bo; Wang, Shaojin

2017-02-10

To develop advanced pasteurization treatments based on radio frequency (RF) or microwave (MW) energy, dielectric properties of almond kernels were measured by using an open-ended coaxial-line probe and impedance analyzer at frequencies between 10 and 3000 MHz, moisture contents between 4.2% to 19.6% w.b. and temperatures between 20 and 90 °C. The results showed that both dielectric constant and loss factor of the almond kernels decreased sharply with increasing frequency over the RF range (10-300 MHz), but gradually over the measured MW range (300-3000 MHz). Both dielectric constant and loss factor of almond kernels increased with increasing temperature and moisture content, and largely enhanced at higher temperature and moisture levels. Quadratic polynomial equations were developed to best fit the relationship between dielectric constant or loss factor at 27, 40, 915 or 2450 MHz and sample temperature/moisture content with R 2 greater than 0.967. Penetration depth of electromagnetic wave into samples decreased with increasing frequency (27-2450 MHz), moisture content (4.2-19.6% w.b.) and temperature (20-90 °C). The temperature profiles of RF heated almond kernels under three moisture levels were made using experiment and computer simulation based on measured dielectric properties. Based on the result of this study, RF treatment has potential to be practically used for pasteurization of almond kernels with acceptable heating uniformity.

Downscaling Satellite Data for Predicting Catchment-scale Root Zone Soil Moisture with Ground-based Sensors and an Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, H.; Baldwin, D. C.; Smithwick, E. A. H.

2015-12-01

Predicting root zone (0-100 cm) soil moisture (RZSM) content at a catchment-scale is essential for drought and flood predictions, irrigation planning, weather forecasting, and many other applications. Satellites, such as the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), can estimate near-surface (0-5 cm) soil moisture content globally at coarse spatial resolutions. We develop a hierarchical Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) data assimilation modeling system to downscale satellite-based near-surface soil moisture and to estimate RZSM content across the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory at a 1-m resolution in combination with ground-based soil moisture sensor data. In this example, a simple infiltration model within the EnKF-model has been parameterized for 6 soil-terrain units to forecast daily RZSM content in the catchment from 2009 - 2012 based on AMSRE. LiDAR-derived terrain variables define intra-unit RZSM variability using a novel covariance localization technique. This method also allows the mapping of uncertainty with our RZSM estimates for each time-step. A catchment-wide satellite-to-surface downscaling parameter, which nudges the satellite measurement closer to in situ near-surface data, is also calculated for each time-step. We find significant differences in predicted root zone moisture storage for different terrain units across the experimental time-period. Root mean square error from a cross-validation analysis of RZSM predictions using an independent dataset of catchment-wide in situ Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) measurements ranges from 0.060-0.096 cm3 cm-3, and the RZSM predictions are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with TDR measurements [r = 0.47-0.68]. The predictive skill of this data assimilation system is similar to the Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Modeling (PIHM) system. Uncertainty estimates are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to cross validation error during wet and dry conditions, but more so in dry summer seasons. Developing an EnKF-model system that downscales satellite data and predicts catchment-scale RZSM content is especially timely, given the anticipated release of SMAP surface moisture data in 2015.

[Soil moisture dynamics of artificial Caragana microphylla shrubs at different topographical sites in Horqin sandy land].

PubMed

Huang, Gang; Zhao, Xue-yong; Huang, Ying-xin; Su, Yan-gui

2009-03-01

Based on the investigation data of vegetation and soil moisture regime of Caragana microphylla shrubs widely distributed in Horqin sandy land, the spatiotemporal variations of soil moisture regime and soil water storage of artificial sand-fixing C. microphylla shrubs at different topographical sites in the sandy land were studied, and the evapotranspiration was measured by water balance method. The results showed that the soil moisture content of the shrubs was the highest in the lowland of dunes, followed by in the middle, and in the crest of the dunes, and increased with increasing depth. No water stress occurred during the growth season of the shrubs. Soil moisture content of the shrubs was highly related to precipitation event, and the relationship of soil moisture content with precipitation was higher in deep soil layer (50-180 cm) than in shallow soil layer (0-50 cm). The variation coefficient of soil moisture content was also higher in deep layer than in shallow layer. Soil water storage was increasing in the whole growth season of the shrubs, which meant that the accumulation of soil water occurred in this area. The evapotranspiriation of the shrubs occupied above 64% of the precipitation.

40 CFR 503.33 - Vector attraction reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved. (4) The specific oxygen uptake rate... shall be equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to... the moisture content and total solids prior to mixing with other materials. (9)(i) Sewage sludge shall...

40 CFR 503.33 - Vector attraction reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved. (4) The specific oxygen uptake rate... shall be equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to... the moisture content and total solids prior to mixing with other materials. (9)(i) Sewage sludge shall...

40 CFR 503.33 - Vector attraction reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved. (4) The specific oxygen uptake rate... shall be equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to... the moisture content and total solids prior to mixing with other materials. (9)(i) Sewage sludge shall...

40 CFR 503.33 - Vector attraction reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved. (4) The specific oxygen uptake rate... shall be equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to... the moisture content and total solids prior to mixing with other materials. (9)(i) Sewage sludge shall...

40 CFR 503.33 - Vector attraction reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved. (4) The specific oxygen uptake rate... shall be equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to... the moisture content and total solids prior to mixing with other materials. (9)(i) Sewage sludge shall...

Influence of Initial Moisture Content on Heat and Moisture Transfer in Firefighters' Protective Clothing

PubMed Central

He, Song

2017-01-01

This paper presents a model for heat and moisture transfer through firefighters' protective clothing (FPC) during radiation exposure. The model, which accounts for air gaps in the FPC as well as heat transfer through human skin, investigates the effect of different initial moisture contents on the thermal insulation performance of FPC. Temperature, water vapor density, and the volume fraction of liquid water profiles were monitored during the simulation, and the heat quantity absorbed by water evaporation was calculated. Then the maximum durations of heat before the wearer acquires first- and second-degree burns were calculated based on the bioheat transfer equation and the Henriques equation. The results show that both the moisture weight in each layer and the total moisture weight increase linearly within a given environmental humidity level. The initial moisture content in FPC samples significantly influenced the maximum water vapor density. The first- and second-degree burn injury time increase 16 sec and 18 sec when the RH increases from 0% to 90%. The total quantity of heat accounted for by water evaporation was about 10% when the relative humidity (RH) is 80%. Finally, a linear relationship was identified between initial moisture content and the human skin burn injury time before suffering first- and second-degree burn injuries. PMID:28466066

Influence of Initial Moisture Content on Heat and Moisture Transfer in Firefighters' Protective Clothing.

PubMed

Huang, Dongmei; He, Song

2017-01-01

This paper presents a model for heat and moisture transfer through firefighters' protective clothing (FPC) during radiation exposure. The model, which accounts for air gaps in the FPC as well as heat transfer through human skin, investigates the effect of different initial moisture contents on the thermal insulation performance of FPC. Temperature, water vapor density, and the volume fraction of liquid water profiles were monitored during the simulation, and the heat quantity absorbed by water evaporation was calculated. Then the maximum durations of heat before the wearer acquires first- and second-degree burns were calculated based on the bioheat transfer equation and the Henriques equation. The results show that both the moisture weight in each layer and the total moisture weight increase linearly within a given environmental humidity level. The initial moisture content in FPC samples significantly influenced the maximum water vapor density. The first- and second-degree burn injury time increase 16 sec and 18 sec when the RH increases from 0% to 90%. The total quantity of heat accounted for by water evaporation was about 10% when the relative humidity (RH) is 80%. Finally, a linear relationship was identified between initial moisture content and the human skin burn injury time before suffering first- and second-degree burn injuries.

Drying and control of moisture content and dimensional changes

Treesearch

Richard Bergman

2010-01-01

The discussion in this chapter is concerned with moisture content determination, recommended moisture content values, drying methods, methods of calculating dimensional changes, design factors affecting such changes in structures, and moisture content control during transit, storage, and construction. Data on green moisture content, fiber saturation point, shrinkage,...

Effects of selected process parameters in extrusion of yam flour (Dioscorea rotundata) on physicochemical properties of the extrudates.

PubMed

Sebio, L; Chang, Y K

2000-04-01

Raw yam (Dioscorea rotundata) flour was cooked and extruded in a Brabender single-screw laboratory scale extruder. Response surface methodology using an incomplete factorial design was applied with various combinations of barrel temperature [100, 125, 150 degrees C], feed moisture content [18, 22, 26%] and screw speed [100, 150, 200 rpm]. Initial viscosity at 30 degrees C, water solubility index, expansion and hardness were determined. The highest values of initial viscosity were at the highest barrel temperatures and the highest moisture contents. At high feed moisture content and high barrel temperatures the yam extrudate flour showed the greatest values of water solubility index. The physical properties of the extruded product showed that at high temperature the lower the moisture content the greater the expansion index. Hardness was influenced directly by moisture content and inversely by extrusion temperature. The extrusion of yam flour led to the production of snacks and pre-gelatinized flours of diverse properties. Also extruded yam flour can be successfully used in the preparation of 'futu' (pre-cooked compact dough), a yam-based food, popular in Western Africa.

Numerical analysis on centrifugal compressor with membrane type dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, M. A.; Zulkafli, M. F.; Mat Isa, N.; Subari, Z.

2017-09-01

Moisture content is a common phenomenon in industrial processes especially in oil and gas industries. This contaminant has a lot of disadvantages which can lead to mechanical failure DEC (Deposition, Erosion & Corrosion) problems. To overcome DEC problem, this study proposed to design a centrifugal compressor with a membrane type dryer to reduce moisture content of a gas. The effectiveness of such design has been analyzed in this study using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. Numerical scheme based on multiphase flow technique is used in ANSYS Fluent software to evaluate the moisture content of the gas. Through this technique, two kind of centrifugal compressor, with and without membrane type dryer has been tested. The results show that the effects of pressure on dew point temperature of the gas change the composition of its moisture content, where high value lead more condensation to occur. However, with the injection of cool dry gas through membrane type dryer in the centrifugal compressor, the pressure and temperature of moisture content as well as mass fraction of H2O in centrifugal compressor show significant reduction.

Experimental study of nonlinear ultrasonic behavior of soil materials during the compaction.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Wang, Hao; Yao, Yangping

2016-07-01

In this paper, the nonlinear ultrasonic behavior of unconsolidated granular medium - soil during the compaction is experimentally studied. The second harmonic generation technique is adopted to investigate the change of microstructural void in materials during the compaction process of loose soils. The nonlinear parameter is measured with the change of two important environmental factors i.e. moisture content and impact energy of compaction. It is found the nonlinear parameter of soil material presents a similar variation pattern with the void ratio of soil samples, corresponding to the increased moisture content and impact energy. A same optimum moisture content is found by observing the variation of nonlinear parameter and void ratio with respect to moisture content. The results indicate that the unconsolidated soil is manipulated by a strong material nonlinearity during the compaction procedure. The developed experimental technique based on the second harmonic generation could be a fast and convenient testing method for the determination of optimum moisture content of soil materials, which is very useful for the better compaction effect of filled embankment for civil infrastructures in-situ. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on water content detection of traditional masonry based on infrared thermal image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baoqing; Lei, Zukang

2017-10-01

Based on infrared thermal imaging technology for seepage test of two kinds of brick masonry, find out the relationship between the distribution of one-dimensional two brick surface temperature distribution and one-dimensional surface moisture content were determined after seepage brick masonry minimum temperature zone and water content determination method of the highest point of the regression equation, the relationship between temperature and moisture content of the brick masonry reflected the quantitative and establish the initial wet masonry building disease analysis method, then the infrared technology is applied to the protection of historic buildings in.

Evaluation of the lightweight deflectometer for in-situ determination of pavement layer moduli.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

The quality of base and subgrade construction has conventionally been evaluated using specifications based on density and moisture content. Such specifications for highway base and subgrade require the use of a nuclear density and/or moisture gauge t...

Specific energy consumption and quality of wood pellets produced using high-moisture lodgepole pine grind in a flat die pellet mill

DOE PAGES

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar

2016-04-16

In the present study a Box–Behnken experimental design was used to understand the effect of the moisture content of lodgepole pine grind (33–39%, w.b.), die speed (40–60 Hz) and preheating temperature (30–90 °C) on the pellet quality and specific energy consumption. The partially dried pellets produced had high-moisture content in the range of 19–28% (w.b.), and were further dried to <9% (w.b.) in a mechanical oven set at 70 °C for 3 h. Dried pellets were further evaluated for pellet moisture content, unit, bulk, tapped density, and durability. Response surface models developed for the product properties have adequately described themore » process based on coefficient of determination values. Surface plots developed indicated higher unit, bulk, and tapped density (1050, 520, 560 kg/m 3) are achievable at 33–35% (w.b.) moisture content of the lodgepole pine grind, die speed of 60 Hz and preheating temperature of 30–60 °C. Higher moisture content of 39% (w.b) reduced unit, bulk, and tapped density to <912, 396, and 452 kg/m 3. Higher durability values of >95% were obtained at 33–35% (w.b.) at lower preheating temperatures of 30–50 °C and higher die speed of >50 Hz. At 33% (w.b.) moisture content of the lodgepole pine grind, preheating temperature of 90 °C, and die speed of 60 Hz, the observed specific energy consumption was <116 kW h/ton. As a result, scanning electron microscope studies indicated that lignin crosslinking is the primary reason for binding of the lodgepole pine grind at high-moisture content.« less

Moisture Content Influences Ignitability of Slash Pine Litter

Treesearch

Winfred H. Blackmarr

1972-01-01

The influence of moisture content on the ignitability of slash pine litter was measured by dropping lighted matches onto fuel beds conditioned to different levels of moisture content.The percentage of matches igniting the fuel bed was used to indicate ignition probability at each moisture content. The "critical range" of fuel moisture contents within which...

Moisture meter calibrations for untreated and ACQ-treated southern yellow pine lumber and plywood

Treesearch

C.R. Boardman; Samuel V. Glass; Charles G. Carll

2011-01-01

This study investigates the effects of alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) preservative treatment and of plywood glue lines on resistance-based moisture content (MC) measurements. Moisture meter readings using stainless steel screws as electrodes were acquired over a range of moisture conditions in Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) lumber and plywood. Calibration equations are...

Simultaneous Moisture Content and Mass Flow Measurements in Wood Chip Flows Using Coupled Dielectric and Impact Sensors.

PubMed

Pan, Pengmin; McDonald, Timothy; Fulton, John; Via, Brian; Hung, John

2016-12-23

An 8-electrode capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor was built and used to measure moisture content (MC) and mass flow of pine chip flows. The device was capable of directly measuring total water quantity in a sample but was sensitive to both dry matter and moisture, and therefore required a second measurement of mass flow to calculate MC. Two means of calculating the mass flow were used: the first being an impact sensor to measure total mass flow, and the second a volumetric approach based on measuring total area occupied by wood in images generated using the capacitance sensor's tomographic mode. Tests were made on 109 groups of wood chips ranging in moisture content from 14% to 120% (dry basis) and wet weight of 280 to 1100 g. Sixty groups were randomly selected as a calibration set, and the remaining were used for validation of the sensor's performance. For the combined capacitance/force transducer system, root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for wet mass flow and moisture content were 13.42% and 16.61%, respectively. RMSEP using the combined volumetric mass flow/capacitance sensor for dry mass flow and moisture content were 22.89% and 24.16%, respectively. Either of the approaches was concluded to be feasible for prediction of moisture content in pine chip flows, but combining the impact and capacitance sensors was easier to implement. In situations where flows could not be impeded, however, the tomographic approach would likely be more useful.

Dielectric characterization of Bentonite clay at various moisture contents and with mixtures of biomass in the microwave spectrum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study assesses the potential for using bentonite as a microwave absorber for microwave-assisted biomass pyrolysis based on the dielectric properties. Dielectric properties of bentonite at different moisture contents were measured using a coaxial line dielectric probe and vector network analyzer...

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH AUTOMATED SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION-GC/MS FOR ANALYSIS OF SEMIVOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT SOLID SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

A research project was initiated to address a recurring problem of elevated detection limits above required risk-based concentrations for the determination of semivolatile organic compounds in high moisture content solid samples. This project was initiated, in cooperation with t...

Moisture distribution during conventional or electrical resistance oven baking of bread dough and subsequent storage.

PubMed

Derde, Liesbeth J; Gomand, Sara V; Courtin, Christophe M; Delcour, Jan A

2014-07-09

Electrical resistance oven (ERO) baking processes bread dough with little temperature gradient in the baking dough. Heating of the dough by means of an ERO is based on the principles of Joule's first law and Ohm's law. This study compared the changes in moisture distribution and physical changes in starch of breads conventionally baked or using an ERO. The moisture contents in fresh ERO breads are generally lower than those in conventional breads. During storage of conventionally baked breads, water migrates from the crumb to the crust and moisture contents decrease throughout the bread crumb. Evidently, less moisture redistribution occurs in ERO breads. Also, the protons of ERO bread constituents were less mobile than their counterparts in conventional bread. Starch retrogradation occurs to similar extents in conventional and ERO bread. As a result, the changes in proton mobility cannot be attributed to differences in levels of retrograded starch and seem to be primarily determined by the overall lower moisture content.

Use of Temperature and Humidity Sensors to Determine Moisture Content of Oolong Tea

PubMed Central

Chen, Andrew; Chen, Hsuan-Yu; Chen, Chiachung

2014-01-01

The measurement of tea moisture content is important for processing and storing tea. The moisture content of tea affects the quality and durability of the product. Some electrical devices have been proposed to measure the moisture content of tea leaves but are not practical. Their performance is influenced by material density and packing. The official oven method is time-consuming. In this study, the moisture content of Oolong tea was measured by the equilibrium relative humidity technique. The equilibrium relative humidity, and temperature, of tea materials were measured by using temperature and relative humidity sensors. Sensors were calibrated, and calibration equations were established to improve accuracy. The moisture content was calculated by using an equilibrium moisture content model. The error of the moisture content determined with this method was within 0.5% w.b. at moisture <15% w.b. Uncertainty analysis revealed that the performance of the humidity sensor had a significant effect on the accuracy of moisture determination. PMID:25153142

Antioxidant potential and quality characteristics of vegetable-enriched corn-based extruded snacks.

PubMed

Bisharat, G I; Lazou, A E; Panagiotou, N M; Krokida, M K; Maroulis, Z B

2015-07-01

Phenolic content, antioxidant activity and sensory characteristics of vegetable-enriched extrudates were investigated as a result of extrusion conditions, including extrusion temperature (140-180 °C), screw rotation speed (150-250 rpm) and feed moisture content (14-19 % w.b.). Broccoli flour and olive paste was used in mixtures with corn flour at a ratio of 4 to 10 % (broccoli/corn) and 4 to 8 % (olive paste/corn). A simple power model was developed for the prediction of phenolic content and antioxidant activity of extrudates by extrusion conditions and feed composition. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of broccoli enriched extrudates increased with extrusion temperature and broccoli addition and decreased with feed moisture content. The antioxidant activity of olive paste extrudates increased with material ratio and decreased with feed moisture content and screw rotation. Sensory porosity, homogenous structure, crispness, cohesiveness and melting decreased with feed moisture content, while the latter increased the mealy flavor and hardness of extrudates. Acceptable snacks containing broccoli flour or olive paste can be produced by selecting the appropriate process conditions.

Effects of storage environment on the moisture content and microbial growth of food waste.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Chu; Hsu, Yi-Cheng; Wang, Chung-Ting

2018-05-15

Food waste (FW) has become a critical issue in sustainable development as the world's population has increased. Direct incineration of FW remains the primary treatment option. The moisture content of FW may affect the energy efficiency of incineration. In Taiwan, FW, which includes raw (r-FW) and post-consumer (p-FW) waste, is often stored in freezers before pretreatment. This study evaluated the effects of storage environment on the moisture content and microbial growth of FW. Storage at 263 K was associated with the largest reduction in moisture content in both r-FW and p-FW. At 263 K, the moisture content of r-FW and p-FW was lowest at 96 and 72 h, respectively. The E.coli and total bacteria counts were steady over 120 h when stored at 263 K. Storage at 253 K required the greatest electricity consumption, followed by 263 K and 258 K. Based on the reduction of moisture content and increase in energy efficiency, it is suggested that FW is placed in temporary storage at 263 K before (pre)treatment. The results of this study will help waste-to-energy plants, incinerators, and waste management enterprises to implement proper (pre)treatment of FW for sustainable waste management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of initial moisture content of Korean traditional wheat-based fermentation starter nuruk on microbial abundance and diversity.

PubMed

Bal, Jyotiranjan; Yun, Suk-Hyun; Yeo, Soo-Hwan; Kim, Jung-Mi; Kim, Beom-Tae; Kim, Dae-Hyuk

2017-03-01

The brewing of makgeolli, one of Korea's most popular alcoholic beverages that is gaining popularity globally, is facilitated by nuruk, a traditional Korean cereal starter. The nuruk microbiome greatly influences the fermentation process as well as the nutritional, hygienic, and aromatic qualities of the product. This study is a continuation of our efforts to examine nuruk biodiversity at a depth previously unattainable. In this study, microfloral dynamics in wheat-based nuruk C, composed of traditional ingredients such as barley, green gram, and wheat and fermented under various internal moisture contents of 20% (C20), 26% (C26), and 30% (C30), was evaluated using 454 pyrosequencing during the 30-day fermentation process. Rarefaction analysis and alpha diversity parameters indicated adequate sampling. C20 showed the greatest fungal richness and diversity, C20 and C26 exhibited similar bacterial richness and diversity, while C30 had low fungal and bacterial richness. Fungal taxonomic assignments revealed that the initial moisture content caused selective enrichment of Aspergillus candidus with a decreasing trend during fermentation, whereas Saccharomycetales sp. exhibited increasing relative abundance with increasing moisture content from day 6 of the fermentation process. Depending on initial moisture level, changes in bacterial communities were also observed in the genera Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus, with decreasing trends whereas Saccharopolyspora exhibited a sigmoidal trend with the highest abundance in C26. These findings demonstrate the possible impact of initial moisture content of nuruk on microfloral richness, diversity, and dynamics; this study is thus a step toward our ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of nuruk.

New calibration algorithms for dielectric-based microwave moisture sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

New calibration algorithms for determining moisture content in granular and particulate materials from measurement of the dielectric properties at a single microwave frequency are proposed. The algorithms are based on identifying empirically correlations between the dielectric properties and the par...

Developing Soil Moisture Profiles Utilizing Remotely Sensed MW and TIR Based SM Estimates Through Principle of Maximum Entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, V.; Cruise, J. F.; Mecikalski, J. R.

2015-12-01

Developing accurate vertical soil moisture profiles with minimum input requirements is important to agricultural as well as land surface modeling. Earlier studies show that the principle of maximum entropy (POME) can be utilized to develop vertical soil moisture profiles with accuracy (MAE of about 1% for a monotonically dry profile; nearly 2% for monotonically wet profiles and 3.8% for mixed profiles) with minimum constraints (surface, mean and bottom soil moisture contents). In this study, the constraints for the vertical soil moisture profiles were obtained from remotely sensed data. Low resolution (25 km) MW soil moisture estimates (AMSR-E) were downscaled to 4 km using a soil evaporation efficiency index based disaggregation approach. The downscaled MW soil moisture estimates served as a surface boundary condition, while 4 km resolution TIR based Atmospheric Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) estimates provided the required mean root-zone soil moisture content. Bottom soil moisture content is assumed to be a soil dependent constant. Mulit-year (2002-2011) gridded profiles were developed for the southeastern United States using the POME method. The soil moisture profiles were compared to those generated in land surface models (Land Information System (LIS) and an agricultural model DSSAT) along with available NRCS SCAN sites in the study region. The end product, spatial soil moisture profiles, can be assimilated into agricultural and hydrologic models in lieu of precipitation for data scarce regions.Developing accurate vertical soil moisture profiles with minimum input requirements is important to agricultural as well as land surface modeling. Previous studies have shown that the principle of maximum entropy (POME) can be utilized with minimal constraints to develop vertical soil moisture profiles with accuracy (MAE = 1% for monotonically dry profiles; MAE = 2% for monotonically wet profiles and MAE = 3.8% for mixed profiles) when compared to laboratory and field data. In this study, vertical soil moisture profiles were developed using the POME model to evaluate an irrigation schedule over a maze field in north central Alabama (USA). The model was validated using both field data and a physically based mathematical model. The results demonstrate that a simple two-constraint entropy model under the assumption of a uniform initial soil moisture distribution can simulate most soil moisture profiles within the field area for 6 different soil types. The results of the irrigation simulation demonstrated that the POME model produced a very efficient irrigation strategy with loss of about 1.9% of the total applied irrigation water. However, areas of fine-textured soil (i.e. silty clay) resulted in plant stress of nearly 30% of the available moisture content due to insufficient water supply on the last day of the drying phase of the irrigation cycle. Overall, the POME approach showed promise as a general strategy to guide irrigation in humid environments, with minimum input requirements.

Nutrient content of some winter grouse foods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Treichler, R.R.; Stow, R.W.; Nelson, A.L.

1946-01-01

Seventeen preferred grouse foods were collected during the late winter and analyzed for nutrient content. The results include moisture, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber, nitrogenfree extract, ash, calcium, phosphorus, and gross energy content expressed both on moisture free and fresh bases.....The preferred winter foods of grouse are characterized by a high content of dry substance and of nitrogen-free extract......On the basis of nutrient content, the foods examined are well qualified as sources of energy and other essential nutrients required for maintenance of grouse during the winter season.

Predicting moisture content: fuel moisture indicator sticks in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Owen P. Cramer

1961-01-01

Successful day-to-day planning of presuppression activities requires accurate prediction of burning index. In the Pacific Northwest, forecasts of burning index are prepared by the fire-control man and are based on predictions of windspeed and fuel moisture. Although fuel moisture is affected by a number of weather elements and is consequently difficult to predict, the...

COMPARING MOISTURE METER READINGS WITH MEASURED EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF GYPSUM BOARD

EPA Science Inventory

Moisture meters routinely used in the field to determine the moisture content in gypsum wallboard are primarily designed and manufactured to measure the moisture content of wood. Often they are used to decide whether to replace wallboard by determining if moisture is qualitativel...

Method for the measurement of forest duff moisture content

Treesearch

Peter R. Robichaud; Roger D. Hungerford; David S. Gasvoda

2000-01-01

An apparatus and method for the moisture content measurement of compressible materials using pressure to firmly hold surface probes against the material to be measured. The apparatus uses moisture measurement circuitry employed in frequency domain impedance or time domain reflectometry devices to obtain moisture content readings from materials. These moisture content...

Apparatus and method for the measurement of forest duff moisture content

Treesearch

Peter R. Robichaud; Roger D. Hungerford; David S. Gasvoda

1999-01-01

An apparatus and method for the moisture content measurement of compressible materials using pressure to firmly hold surface probes against the marerial to be measured. The apparatus uses moisture measurement circuitry employed in frequency domain impedance or time domain reflectometry devices to obtain moisture content readings from materials. These moisture content...

Measurement of seasonal changes and spatial variations in pavement unbound base and subgrade properties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Soils often undergo cyclic wetting/drying, but there is very limited research on unsaturated : soils subjected to variations in moisture content. More specifically, field moisture variation : over time in highway unbound bases and subgrade soils is a...

Spatial Analysis of Stover Moisture Content During Harvest Season in the U.S.

DOE PAGES

Oyedeji, Oluwafemi A.; Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

2017-01-01

The moisture content of a maturing crop varies as the harvest season progresses. For crop residues such as corn stover, moisture content at the time of harvest can be as high as 75% (wet mass basis) to less than 20% depending on the geographic location (climate conditions) and stage of harvest. Biomass moisture content is critical for baling and extended storage. It is therefore essential to have an estimate of the quantities of corn stover available as wet or dry for various parts of the U.S. To this end, we analyzed hourly weather data (temperature, humidity, and rainfall) from themore » Typical Meteorological Year v.3 (TMY3) dataset developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. A recently published set of equations for calculating the moisture content of stover as a function of hourly temperature, humidity, and rainfall were used. The annual start and end of corn grain harvest along with annual grain production (in bushels) for each state were extracted from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports. Using these datasets and moisture sorption equations, the percentage of corn stover tonnage with moisture content less than 20%, between 20% and 40%, or greater than 40% was estimated from the length of time that the biomass was in these moisture content ranges. These calculations were carried out for several locations within each of the states for which TMY data were available. It was concluded that about 37.2% of corn stover is dry (<20% moisture content), whereas 36.5% is wet (>40% moisture content) nationwide. The remaining 27.0% of corn stover is between 20% and 40% moisture content. Keywords: Corn stover, Equilibrium moisture content, Field drying, Moisture content, Stover harvest, Typical Meteorological Year data.« less

Spatial Analysis of Stover Moisture Content During Harvest Season in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oyedeji, Oluwafemi A.; Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

The moisture content of a maturing crop varies as the harvest season progresses. For crop residues such as corn stover, moisture content at the time of harvest can be as high as 75% (wet mass basis) to less than 20% depending on the geographic location (climate conditions) and stage of harvest. Biomass moisture content is critical for baling and extended storage. It is therefore essential to have an estimate of the quantities of corn stover available as wet or dry for various parts of the U.S. To this end, we analyzed hourly weather data (temperature, humidity, and rainfall) from themore » Typical Meteorological Year v.3 (TMY3) dataset developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. A recently published set of equations for calculating the moisture content of stover as a function of hourly temperature, humidity, and rainfall were used. The annual start and end of corn grain harvest along with annual grain production (in bushels) for each state were extracted from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports. Using these datasets and moisture sorption equations, the percentage of corn stover tonnage with moisture content less than 20%, between 20% and 40%, or greater than 40% was estimated from the length of time that the biomass was in these moisture content ranges. These calculations were carried out for several locations within each of the states for which TMY data were available. It was concluded that about 37.2% of corn stover is dry (<20% moisture content), whereas 36.5% is wet (>40% moisture content) nationwide. The remaining 27.0% of corn stover is between 20% and 40% moisture content. Keywords: Corn stover, Equilibrium moisture content, Field drying, Moisture content, Stover harvest, Typical Meteorological Year data.« less

Simultaneous moisture content and mass flow measurements in wood chip flows using coupled dielectric and impact sensors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pan, Pengmin; McDonald, Timothy; Fulton, John

An 8-electrode capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor was built and used to measure moisture content (MC) and mass flow of pine chip flows. The device was capable of directly measuring total water quantity in a sample but was sensitive to both dry matter and moisture, and therefore required a second measurement of mass flow to calculate MC. Two means of calculating the mass flow were used: the first being an impact sensor to measure total mass flow, and the second a volumetric approach based on measuring total area occupied by wood in images generated using the capacitance sensor’s tomographic mode. Testsmore » were made on 109 groups of wood chips ranging in moisture content from 14% to 120% (dry basis) and wet weight of 280 to 1100 g. Sixty groups were randomly selected as a calibration set, and the remaining were used for validation of the sensor’s performance. For the combined capacitance/force transducer system, root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for wet mass flow and moisture content were 13.42% and 16.61%, respectively. RMSEP using the combined volumetric mass flow/capacitance sensor for dry mass flow and moisture content were 22.89% and 24.16%, respectively. Either of the approaches was concluded to be feasible for prediction of moisture content in pine chip flows, but combining the impact and capacitance sensors was easier to implement. As a result, in situations where flows could not be impeded, however, the tomographic approach would likely be more useful.« less

Simultaneous moisture content and mass flow measurements in wood chip flows using coupled dielectric and impact sensors

DOE PAGES

Pan, Pengmin; McDonald, Timothy; Fulton, John; ...

2016-12-23

An 8-electrode capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor was built and used to measure moisture content (MC) and mass flow of pine chip flows. The device was capable of directly measuring total water quantity in a sample but was sensitive to both dry matter and moisture, and therefore required a second measurement of mass flow to calculate MC. Two means of calculating the mass flow were used: the first being an impact sensor to measure total mass flow, and the second a volumetric approach based on measuring total area occupied by wood in images generated using the capacitance sensor’s tomographic mode. Testsmore » were made on 109 groups of wood chips ranging in moisture content from 14% to 120% (dry basis) and wet weight of 280 to 1100 g. Sixty groups were randomly selected as a calibration set, and the remaining were used for validation of the sensor’s performance. For the combined capacitance/force transducer system, root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for wet mass flow and moisture content were 13.42% and 16.61%, respectively. RMSEP using the combined volumetric mass flow/capacitance sensor for dry mass flow and moisture content were 22.89% and 24.16%, respectively. Either of the approaches was concluded to be feasible for prediction of moisture content in pine chip flows, but combining the impact and capacitance sensors was easier to implement. As a result, in situations where flows could not be impeded, however, the tomographic approach would likely be more useful.« less

Simultaneous Moisture Content and Mass Flow Measurements in Wood Chip Flows Using Coupled Dielectric and Impact Sensors

PubMed Central

Pan, Pengmin; McDonald, Timothy; Fulton, John; Via, Brian; Hung, John

2016-01-01

An 8-electrode capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor was built and used to measure moisture content (MC) and mass flow of pine chip flows. The device was capable of directly measuring total water quantity in a sample but was sensitive to both dry matter and moisture, and therefore required a second measurement of mass flow to calculate MC. Two means of calculating the mass flow were used: the first being an impact sensor to measure total mass flow, and the second a volumetric approach based on measuring total area occupied by wood in images generated using the capacitance sensor’s tomographic mode. Tests were made on 109 groups of wood chips ranging in moisture content from 14% to 120% (dry basis) and wet weight of 280 to 1100 g. Sixty groups were randomly selected as a calibration set, and the remaining were used for validation of the sensor’s performance. For the combined capacitance/force transducer system, root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for wet mass flow and moisture content were 13.42% and 16.61%, respectively. RMSEP using the combined volumetric mass flow/capacitance sensor for dry mass flow and moisture content were 22.89% and 24.16%, respectively. Either of the approaches was concluded to be feasible for prediction of moisture content in pine chip flows, but combining the impact and capacitance sensors was easier to implement. In situations where flows could not be impeded, however, the tomographic approach would likely be more useful. PMID:28025536

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar

In the present study a Box–Behnken experimental design was used to understand the effect of the moisture content of lodgepole pine grind (33–39%, w.b.), die speed (40–60 Hz) and preheating temperature (30–90 °C) on the pellet quality and specific energy consumption. The partially dried pellets produced had high-moisture content in the range of 19–28% (w.b.), and were further dried to <9% (w.b.) in a mechanical oven set at 70 °C for 3 h. Dried pellets were further evaluated for pellet moisture content, unit, bulk, tapped density, and durability. Response surface models developed for the product properties have adequately described themore » process based on coefficient of determination values. Surface plots developed indicated higher unit, bulk, and tapped density (1050, 520, 560 kg/m 3) are achievable at 33–35% (w.b.) moisture content of the lodgepole pine grind, die speed of 60 Hz and preheating temperature of 30–60 °C. Higher moisture content of 39% (w.b) reduced unit, bulk, and tapped density to <912, 396, and 452 kg/m 3. Higher durability values of >95% were obtained at 33–35% (w.b.) at lower preheating temperatures of 30–50 °C and higher die speed of >50 Hz. At 33% (w.b.) moisture content of the lodgepole pine grind, preheating temperature of 90 °C, and die speed of 60 Hz, the observed specific energy consumption was <116 kW h/ton. As a result, scanning electron microscope studies indicated that lignin crosslinking is the primary reason for binding of the lodgepole pine grind at high-moisture content.« less

Moisture variation associated with water input and evaporation during sewage sludge bio-drying.

PubMed

Cai, Lu; Gao, Ding; Chen, Tong-Bin; Liu, Hong-Tao; Zheng, Guo-Di; Yang, Qi-Wei

2012-08-01

The variation of moisture during sewage sludge bio-drying was investigated. In situ measurements were conducted to monitor the bulk moisture and water vapor, while the moisture content, water generation, water evaporation and aeration water input of the bio-drying bulk were calculated based on the water mass balance. The moisture in the sewage sludge bio-drying material decreased from 66% to 54% in response to control technology for bio-drying. During the temperature increasing and thermophilic phases of sewage sludge bio-drying, the moisture content, water generation and water evaporation of the bulk initially increased and then decreased. The peak water generation and evaporation occurred during the thermophilic phase. During the bio-drying, water evaporation was much greater than water generation, and aeration facilitated the water evaporation. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Determining moisture content in pasta by vibrational spectroscopy.

PubMed

Czaja, Tomasz; Kuzawińska, Ewelina; Sobota, Aldona; Szostak, Roman

2018-02-01

Pasta aside from bread is the most consumed cereal-based product in the world. Its taste and cooking ease makes it the basis of many cuisines. The pasta dough formed by mixing flour and water is extruded through an extrusion die to mould the appropriate pasta form and is dried to obtain a stable product. The concentration of moisture in the pasta dough is a one of key parameters determining the final quality of the product. Monitoring the moisture content of pasta after extrusion is also critically important. It enables a selection of suitable drying conditions that ensure the appropriate parameters of pasta, such as texture, color and taste, are met. A method for the quantitative determination of moisture content in pasta dough and in pasta based on the partial least squares treatment of infrared spectra registered using a single-reflection attenuated total reflectance diamond accessory is described. Results of a similar quality were found using models derived from near infrared spectra obtained in a diffuse reflectance mode and slightly worse based on Raman spectra. Relative standard errors of prediction calculated for moisture quantification by ATR/NIR/Raman techniques amounted to 2.54/3.16/5.56% and 2.15/3.32/5.67%, for calibration and validation sets, respectively. The proposed procedures can be used for fast and efficient pasta moisture quantification and may replace the current, more laborious methods used. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies and Application of Remote Sensing Retrieval Method of Soil Moisture Content in Land Parcel Units in Irrigation Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, H.; Zhao, H. L.; Jiang, Y. Z.; Zang, W. B.

2018-05-01

Soil moisture is one of the important hydrological elements. Obtaining soil moisture accurately and effectively is of great significance for water resource management in irrigation area. During the process of soil moisture content retrieval with multiremote sensing data, multi- remote sensing data always brings multi-spatial scale problems which results in inconformity of soil moisture content retrieved by remote sensing in different spatial scale. In addition, agricultural water use management has suitable spatial scale of soil moisture information so as to satisfy the demands of dynamic management of water use and water demand in certain unit. We have proposed to use land parcel unit as the minimum unit to do soil moisture content research in agricultural water using area, according to soil characteristics, vegetation coverage characteristics in underlying layer, and hydrological characteristic into the basis of study unit division. We have proposed division method of land parcel units. Based on multi thermal infrared and near infrared remote sensing data, we calculate the ndvi and tvdi index and make a statistical model between the tvdi index and soil moisture of ground monitoring station. Then we move forward to study soil moisture remote sensing retrieval method on land parcel unit scale. And the method has been applied in Hetao irrigation area. Results show that compared with pixel scale the soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has displayed stronger correlation with true value. Hence, remote sensing retrieval method of soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has shown good applicability in Hetao irrigation area. We converted the research unit into the scale of land parcel unit. Using the land parcel units with unified crops and soil attributes as the research units more complies with the characteristics of agricultural water areas, avoids the problems such as decomposition of mixed pixels and excessive dependence on high-resolution data caused by the research units of pixels, and doesn't involve compromises in the spatial scale and simulating precision like the grid simulation. When the application needs are met, the production efficiency of products can also be improved at a certain degree.

[Effect of irregular bedrock topography on the soil profile pattern of water content in a Karst hillslope.

PubMed

Jia, Jin Tian; Fu, Zhi Yong; Chen, Hong Song; Wang, Ke Lin; Zhou, Wei Jun

2016-06-01

Based on three manually excavated trenches (projection length of 21 m, width of 1 m) along a typical Karst hillslope, the changing trends for soil-bedrock structure, average water content of soil profile and soil-bedrock interface water content along each individual trench were studied. The effect of irregular bedrock topography on soil moisture distribution was discussed. The results showed that the surface topography was inconsistent with the bedrock topography in the Karst hill-slopes. The bedrock topography was highly irregular with a maximum variation coefficient of 82%. The distribution pattern of soil profile of moisture was significantly affected by the underlying undulant bedrock. The soil water content was related to slope position when the fluctuation was gentle, and displayed a linear increase from upslope to downslope. When the bedrock fluctuation increased, the downslope linear increasing trend for soil water content became unapparent, and the spatial continuity of soil moisture was weakened. The soil moisture was converged in rock dents and cracks. The average water content of soil profile was significantly positively correlated with the soil-bedrock interface water content, while the latter responded more sensitively to the bedrock fluctuation.

Influence of moisture content and temperature on degree of carbonation and the effect on Cu and Cr leaching from incineration bottom ash.

PubMed

Lin, Wenlin Yvonne; Heng, Kim Soon; Sun, Xiaolong; Wang, Jing-Yuan

2015-09-01

This study investigated the influence of moisture content and temperature on the degree of carbonation of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration bottom ash (IBA) from two different incineration plants in Singapore. The initial rate of carbonation was affected by the nominal moisture content used. Carbonation temperature seemed to play a part in changing the actual moisture content of IBA during carbonation, which in turn affected the degree of carbonation. Results showed that 2h of carbonation was sufficient for the samples to reach a relatively high degree of carbonation that was close to the degree of carbonation observed after 1week of carbonation. Both Cu and Cr leaching also showed significant reduction after only 2h of carbonation. Therefore, the optimum moisture content and temperature were selected based on 2h of carbonation. The optimum moisture content was 15% for both incineration plants while the optimum temperature was different for the two incineration plants, at 35°C and 50°C. The effect on Cu and Cr leaching from IBA after accelerated carbonation was evaluated as a function of carbonation time. Correlation coefficient, Pearson's R, was used to determine the dominant leaching mechanism. The reduction in Cu leaching was found to be contributed by both formation of carbonate mineral and reduction of DOC leaching. On the other hand, Cr leaching seemed to be dominantly controlled by pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of satellite-based methods of estimating live fuel moisture content for fire danger assessment: moving towards operational products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One of the primary variables affecting ignition and spread of wildfire is fuel moisture content (FMC), which is the ratio of water mass to dry mass in living and dead plant material. Because dead FMC may be estimated from available weather data, remote sensing is needed to monitor the spatial distr...

Optimum moisture levels for biodegradation of mortality composting envelope materials.

PubMed

Ahn, H K; Richard, T L; Glanville, T D

2008-01-01

Moisture affects the physical and biological properties of compost and other solid-state fermentation matrices. Aerobic microbial systems experience different respiration rates (oxygen uptake and CO2 evolution) as a function of moisture content and material type. In this study the microbial respiration rates of 12 mortality composting envelope materials were measured by a pressure sensor method at six different moisture levels. A wide range of respiration (1.6-94.2mg O2/g VS-day) rates were observed for different materials, with alfalfa hay, silage, oat straw, and turkey litter having the highest values. These four envelope materials may be particularly suitable for improving internal temperature and pathogen destruction rates for disease-related mortality composting. Optimum moisture content was determined based on measurements across a range that spans the maximum respiration rate. The optimum moisture content of each material was observed near water holding capacity, which ranged from near 60% to over 80% on a wet basis for all materials except a highly stabilized soil compost blend (optimum around 25% w.b.). The implications of the results for moisture management and process control strategies during mortality composting are discussed.

Moisture Management for High R-Value Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepage, R.; Schumacher, C.; Lukachko, A.

2013-11-01

The following report explains the moisture-related concerns for High R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study. Hygrothermal simulations were prepared for several common approaches to High R-value wall construction in six cities (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and International Falls) representing a range of climate zones (2, 3, 4C, 4, 5A, and 7, respectively). The simulations are informed by experience gained from past research in this area and validated by field measurement and forensic experience. The modeling program was developed to assess the moisture durability of the wall assemblies based on threemore » primary sources of moisture: construction moisture, air leakage condensation, and bulk water leakage. The peak annual moisture content of the wood based exterior sheathing was used to comparatively analyze the response to the moisture loads for each of the walls in each given city. Walls which experienced sheathing moisture contents between 20% and 28% were identified as risky, whereas those exceeding 28% were identified as very high risk. All of the wall assemblies perform well under idealized conditions. However, only the walls with exterior insulation, or cavity insulation which provides a hygrothermal function similar to exterior insulation, perform adequately when exposed to moisture loads. Walls with only cavity insulation are particularly susceptible to air leakage condensation. None of the walls performed well when a precipitation based bulk water leak was introduced to the backside of the sheathing, emphasizing the importance of proper flashing details.« less

Moisture Management of High-R Walls (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

2013-12-01

The following report explains the moisture-related concerns for High R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study. Hygrothermal simulations were prepared for several common approaches to High R-value wall construction in six cities (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and International Falls) representing a range of climate zones (2, 3, 4C, 4, 5A, and 7, respectively). The simulations are informed by experience gained from past research in this area and validated by field measurement and forensic experience. The modeling program was developed to assess the moisture durability of the wall assemblies based on threemore » primary sources of moisture: construction moisture, air leakage condensation, and bulk water leakage. The peak annual moisture content of the wood based exterior sheathing was used to comparatively analyze the response to the moisture loads for each of the walls in each given city. Walls which experienced sheathing moisture contents between 20% and 28% were identified as risky, whereas those exceeding 28% were identified as very high risk. All of the wall assemblies perform well under idealized conditions. However, only the walls with exterior insulation, or cavity insulation which provides a hygrothermal function similar to exterior insulation, perform adequately when exposed to moisture loads. Walls with only cavity insulation are particularly susceptible to air leakage condensation. None of the walls performed well when a precipitation based bulk water leak was introduced to the backside of the sheathing, emphasizing the importance of proper flashing details.« less

Plant-based torsional actuator with memory

Treesearch

Nayomi Plaza; Samuel L. Zelinka; Don S. Stone; Joseph E. Jakes

2013-01-01

A bundle of a few loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) cells are moisture-activated torsional actuators that twist multiple revolutions per cm length in direct proportion to moisture content. The bundles generate 10 N m kg􀀀1 specific torque during both twisting and untwisting, which is higher than an electric motor. Additionally, the bundles exhibit a moisture-...

[The stratification of moisture content and its dynamics in co-composting of sewage sludge and pig manure].

PubMed

Luo, Wei; Chen, Tong-bin; Gao, Ding; Zheng, Yu-qi; Zheng, Guo-di

2004-03-01

The experiment of co-composting of sewage sludge and pig manure was studied. The moisture contents were 50.82%-60.87% at the stage of temperature rising and 38.7%-52.17% at the stage of thermophilic fermentation, and the stratification of moisture content were not obvious for both stages because the door, the internal wall and the depth of the composting bay had little effect on the stratification. At the stage of cooling, the moisture content was 24.54%-49.39%, and the stratification of moisture content was remarkable as the door, the internal wall and the depth of the composting bay had great influence on it. At the stage of maturity, the moisture content was 19.18%-49.34%, and the stratification of moisture weakened, for which the door and the internal wall were mainly responsible. At the different composting stage, the degree of difference of moisture content on the profiles of the pile was of the order: maturity stage > cooling stage > thermophilic stage = temperature rising stage, and the moisture content in the pile was as follows: the lower > the middle > the upper. The relation between moisture content and composting time meeted with two-order kinetics equation.

Application of Microwave Moisture Sensor for Determination of Oil Palm Fruit Ripeness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeow, You Kok; Abbas, Zulkifly; Khalid, Kaida

2010-01-01

This paper describes the development of a low cost coaxial moisture sensor for the determination of moisture content (30 % to 80 % wet-weight basis) of the oil palm fruits of various degree of fruit ripeness. The sensor operating between 1 GHz and 5 GHz was fabricated from an inexpensive 4.1 mm outer diameter SMA coaxial stub contact panel which is suitable for single fruit measurement. The measurement system consists of the sensor and a PC-controlled vector network analyzer (VNA). The actual moisture content was determined by standard oven drying method and compared with predicted value of fruit moisture content obtained using the studied sensor. The sensor was used to monitor fruit ripeness based on the measurement of the phase or magnitude of reflection coefficient and the dielectric measurement software was developed to control and acquire data from the VNA using Agilent VEE. This software was used to calculate the complex relative permittivity from the measured reflection coefficient between 1GHz and 5 GHz.

Real-time data acquisition and telemetry based irrigation control system

DOEpatents

Slater, John M.; Svoboda, John M.

2005-12-13

A data acquisition and telemetry based control system for use in facilitating substantially real time management of an agricultural irrigation system. The soil moisture sensor includes a reader and a plurality of probes. The probes each include an electronic circuit having a moisture sensing capacitor in operative communication with the soil whose moisture is to be measured. Each probe also includes a receive/transmit antenna and the reader includes a transmit/receive antenna, so that as the reader passes near the probe, the reader transmits a digital excitation signal to the electronic circuit of the biodegradable probe via an inductive couple formed between the transmit/receive antenna of the reader and the receive/transmit coil of the probe. The electronic circuit uses an energy component of the excitation signal to generate a digital data signal which indicates the moisture content of the soil adjacent to the moisture sensing capacitor. The probe sends the data signal to the reader which then uses the data signal to develop a corresponding set of watering instructions which are then transmitted to a control module in communication with the irrigation system. The control module sends corresponding control signals to nozzles of the irrigation system causing the irrigation system to disperse water in a manner consistent with the moisture content data transmitted by the probes to the reader. Because the irrigation system moves continuously through the field to be irrigated, the moisture content data acquisition and resultant water dispersal by the irrigation system occur substantially in real time.

A Case Study on Maximizing Aqua Feed Pellet Properties Using Response Surface Methodology and Genetic Algorithm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tumuluru, Jaya

Aims: The present case study is on maximizing the aqua feed properties using response surface methodology and genetic algorithm. Study Design: Effect of extrusion process variables like screw speed, L/D ratio, barrel temperature, and feed moisture content were analyzed to maximize the aqua feed properties like water stability, true density, and expansion ratio. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. Methodology: A variable length single screw extruder was used in the study. The process variables selected were screw speed (rpm), length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio,more » barrel temperature (degrees C), and feed moisture content (%). The pelletized aqua feed was analyzed for physical properties like water stability (WS), true density (TD), and expansion ratio (ER). Extrusion experimental data was collected by based on central composite design. The experimental data was further analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM) and genetic algorithm (GA) for maximizing feed properties. Results: Regression equations developed for the experimental data has adequately described the effect of process variables on the physical properties with coefficient of determination values (R2) of > 0.95. RSM analysis indicated WS, ER, and TD were maximized at L/D ratio of 12-13, screw speed of 60-80 rpm, feed moisture content of 30-40%, and barrel temperature of = 80 degrees C for ER and TD and > 90 degrees C for WS. Based on GA analysis, a maxium WS of 98.10% was predicted at a screw speed of 96.71 rpm, L/D radio of 13.67, barrel temperature of 96.26 degrees C, and feed moisture content of 33.55%. Maximum ER and TD of 0.99 and 1346.9 kg/m3 was also predicted at screw speed of 60.37 and 90.24 rpm, L/D ratio of 12.18 and 13.52, barrel temperature of 68.50 and 64.88 degrees C, and medium feed moisture content of 33.61 and 38.36%. Conclusion: The present data analysis indicated that WS is mainly governed by barrel temperature and feed moisture content, which might have resulted in formation of starch-protein complexes due to denaturation of protein and gelatinization of starch. Screw speed coupled with temperature and feed moisture content controlled the ER and TD values. Higher screw speeds might have reduced the viscosity of the feed dough resulting in higher TD and lower ER values. Based on RSM and GA analysis screw speed, barrel temperature and feed moisture content were the interacting process variables influencing maximum WS followed by ER and TD.« less

Experimental study of the moisture distribution on the wetting front during drainage and imbibition in a 2D sand chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Yunbo; Chen, Kouping; Wu, Jichun; Zhu, Xiaobin

2018-06-01

In the present study, the moisture distribution on the wetting front during drainage and imbibition in a 2D sand chamber is studied thoroughly. Based on the high-resolution data measured by light transmission method, the moisture distribution is observed and then analyzed quantitatively. During drainage and imbibition, different moisture distributions are observed: (a) during drainage, moisture contents fluctuate in a larger range and fingers can be seen on the wetting front; (b) while during imbibition, moisture contents fluctuate in a smaller range and the wetting front is more regular. The Hurst coefficients are successful in capturing different characteristics of the moisture distribution between drainage and imbibition. During imbibition, the Hurst coefficients are around 0.2 on the wetting front; while during drainage, the Hurst coefficients are around 0.5. As the porosity changes from 0.336 to 0.383, the moisture distribution in the sand chamber does not display obvious change. While as the imbibition rate increases from 5 ml/min to 400 ml/min, the moisture distribution on the wetting front becomes more uniform.

7 CFR 51.2548 - Average moisture content determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Average moisture content determination. 51.2548... moisture content determination. (a) Determining average moisture content of the lot is not a requirement of... connection with grade analysis or as a separate determination. (b) Nuts shall be obtained from a randomly...

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Shelled Pistachio Nuts § 51.2561 Average moisture content. (a) Determining average moisture content of the lot is not a requirement of the grades, except when...

A Sensitivity Analysis of NDWI and SRWI to Different types of Vegetation Moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, Linna; Chen, Zhizhong

2017-04-01

There are many definitions of vegetation moisture, such as fuel moisture content (FMC), gravimetric water content (GWC), relative water content (RWC), leaf water content (LWC), canopy water content (CWC) and vegetation water content (VWC). They were introduced because of different applications. For example, FMC is with superiority in monitoring wildfire potential, and GWC responses well to determine whether the plant is in health. RWC is suitable for estimating vegetation water stress. LWC and CWC are often used in optical remote sensing and are always related to equivalent water thickness (EWT). For VWC, the main application is for improving retrievals of soil moisture content from microwave sensors. For optical remote sensing technique, the absorption features of liquid water in plant leaves are readily detectable by spectroscopy. Spectral reflectance at 970nm, 1200nm, 1450nm, 1930nm and 2500nm are the basis of numerous remote-sensing indices that could be used in estimating vegetation moisture. Foregoing studies have introduced different spectral indices based on these bands to retrieve vegetation moisture. These spectral indices often fall into two categories, one is Normalized Different Water Index (NDWI), and the other is Simple Ratio Water Index (SRWI). NDWIs take the form of normalized difference spectral index, while SRWIs are in the form of ratio type. They were calculated from different combinations of spectral channels. Since the sensitivities to vegetation moisture of reflectance at different spectral channel are distinguished from each other, the capabilities of these NDWIs and SRWIs in estimating different types of vegetation moisture will be distinguished from one to one. In this work, based on in-situ measurements collected in the north China plain from wheat and corn (Fig. 1), a sensitivity analysis of NDWI and SRWI to different types of vegetation moisture, such as VWC, FMC and GWC, was carried out. They were calculated from different combinations of spectral channels of MODIS and Landsat-8 OLI. Result shows that: 1) NDWI and SRWI are more sensitive to VWC than to FMC and GWC; 2) SRWI and NDWI calculated from reflectances of green band at about 550nm and shortwave infrared band at about 1240nm often yielded relatively higher correlation coefficients with VWC; 3) For a fixed two-band combination, SRWI shows a slight superiority to NDWI. PIC Fig.1 The north China plain and the experimental area with corn and winter wheat sample locations A detailed description to this study work will be demonstrated in the fullpaper.

An algorithm for temperature correcting substrate moisture measurements: aligning substrate moisture responses with environmental drivers in polytunnel-grown strawberry plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodchild, Martin; Janes, Stuart; Jenkins, Malcolm; Nicholl, Chris; Kühn, Karl

2015-04-01

The aim of this work is to assess the use of temperature corrected substrate moisture data to improve the relationship between environmental drivers and the measurement of substrate moisture content in high porosity soil-free growing environments such as coir. Substrate moisture sensor data collected from strawberry plants grown in coir bags installed in a table-top system under a polytunnel illustrates the impact of temperature on capacitance-based moisture measurements. Substrate moisture measurements made in our coir arrangement possess the negative temperature coefficient of the permittivity of water where diurnal changes in moisture content oppose those of substrate temperature. The diurnal substrate temperature variation was seen to range from 7° C to 25° C resulting in a clearly observable temperature effect in substrate moisture content measurements during the 23 day test period. In the laboratory we measured the ML3 soil moisture sensor (ThetaProbe) response to temperature in Air, dry glass beads and water saturated glass beads and used a three-phase alpha (α) mixing model, also known as the Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM), to derive the permittivity temperature coefficients for glass and water. We derived the α value and estimated the temperature coefficient for water - for sensors operating at 100MHz. Both results are good agreement with published data. By applying the CRIM equation with the temperature coefficients of glass and water the moisture temperature coefficient of saturated glass beads has been reduced by more than an order of magnitude to a moisture temperature coefficient of

An experimental investigation of the smoldering combustion of cotton with different moisture contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wendong; Liu, Wanfu; Ni, Zhaopeng; Wang, Lu; Gao, Bo

2018-03-01

Cotton is an inflammable substance that can be ignited by a weak ignition source. Since, cotton fiber is typically removed from cottonseed, compressed into bales and stored in the warehouse for extended periods of time, the moisture content is a very important characteristic of cotton. In this study, the effect of moisture content on cotton smoldering combustion was studied experimentally by characterizing cotton samples with different moisture contents. The results showed that the higher moisture content of cotton delayed the smoldering combustion process of cotton and prolonged the duration of high temperature of cotton smoldering. And we could find that when the moisture content is higher than 10%, the characteristics of smoldering change obviously.

An instrument for rapid, accurate, determination of fuel moisture content

Treesearch

Stephen S. Sackett

1980-01-01

Moisture contents of dead and living fuels are key variables in fire behavior. Accurate, real-time fuel moisture data are required for prescribed burning and wildfire behavior predictions. The convection oven method has become the standard for direct fuel moisture content determination. Efforts to quantify fuel moisture through indirect methods have not been...

Holographic imaging based on time-domain data of natural-fiber-containing materials

DOEpatents

Bunch, Kyle J.; McMakin, Douglas L.

2012-09-04

Methods and apparatuses for imaging material properties in natural-fiber-containing materials can utilize time-domain data. In particular, images can be constructed that provide quantified measures of localized moisture content. For example, one or more antennas and at least one transceiver can be configured to collect time-domain data from radiation interacting with the natural-fiber-containing materials. The antennas and the transceivers are configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies, which are between 50 MHz and 1 THz, according to a time-domain impulse function. A computing device is configured to transform the time-domain data to frequency-domain data, to apply a synthetic imaging algorithm for constructing a three-dimensional image of the natural-fiber-containing materials, and to provide a quantified measure of localized moisture content based on a pre-determined correlation of moisture content to frequency-domain data.

Microwave remote sensing of soil water content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, J.; Ulaby, F. T.

1975-01-01

Microwave remote sensing of soils to determine water content was considered. A layered water balance model was developed for determining soil water content in the upper zone (top 30 cm), while soil moisture at greater depths and near the surface during the diurnal cycle was studied using experimental measurements. Soil temperature was investigated by means of a simulation model. Based on both models, moisture and temperature profiles of a hypothetical soil were generated and used to compute microwave soil parameters for a clear summer day. The results suggest that, (1) soil moisture in the upper zone can be predicted on a daily basis for 1 cm depth increments, (2) soil temperature presents no problem if surface temperature can be measured with infrared radiometers, and (3) the microwave response of a bare soil is determined primarily by the moisture at and near the surface. An algorithm is proposed for monitoring large areas which combines the water balance and microwave methods.

Correcting the influence of vegetation on surface soil moisture indices by using hyperspectral artificial 3D-canopy models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spengler, D.; Kuester, T.; Frick, A.; Scheffler, D.; Kaufmann, H.

2013-10-01

Surface soil moisture content is one of the key variables used for many applications especially in hydrology, meteorology and agriculture. Hyperspectral remote sensing provides effective methodologies for mapping soil moisture content over a broad area by different indices such as NSMI [1,2] and SMGM [3]. Both indices can achieve a high accuracy for non-vegetation influenced soil samples, but their accuracy is limited in case of the presence of vegetation. Since, the increase of the vegetation cover leads to non-linear variations of the indices. In this study a new methodology for moisture indices correcting the influence of vegetation is presented consisting of several processing steps. First, hyperspectral reflectance data are classified in terms of crop type and growth stage. Second, based on these parameters 3D plant models from a database used to simulate typical canopy reflectance considering variations in the canopy structure (e.g. plant density and distribution) and the soil moisture content for actual solar illumination and sensor viewing angles. Third, a vegetation correction function is developed, based on the calculated soil moisture indices and vegetation indices of the simulated canopy reflectance data. Finally this function is applied on hyperspectral image data. The method is tested on two hyperspectral image data sets of the AISA DUAL at the test site Fichtwald in Germany. The results show a significant improvements compared to solely use of NSMI index. Up to a vegetation cover of 75 % the correction function minimise the influences of vegetation cover significantly. If the vegetation is denser the method leads to inadequate quality to predict the soil moisture content. In summary it can be said that applying the method on weakly to moderately overgrown with vegetation locations enables a significant improvement in the quantification of soil moisture and thus greatly expands the scope of NSMI.

Design of experiments-based monitoring of critical quality attributes for the spray-drying process of insulin by NIR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Maltesen, Morten Jonas; van de Weert, Marco; Grohganz, Holger

2012-09-01

Moisture content and aerodynamic particle size are critical quality attributes for spray-dried protein formulations. In this study, spray-dried insulin powders intended for pulmonary delivery were produced applying design of experiments methodology. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) in combination with preprocessing and multivariate analysis in the form of partial least squares projections to latent structures (PLS) were used to correlate the spectral data with moisture content and aerodynamic particle size measured by a time of flight principle. PLS models predicting the moisture content were based on the chemical information of the water molecules in the NIR spectrum. Models yielded prediction errors (RMSEP) between 0.39% and 0.48% with thermal gravimetric analysis used as reference method. The PLS models predicting the aerodynamic particle size were based on baseline offset in the NIR spectra and yielded prediction errors between 0.27 and 0.48 μm. The morphology of the spray-dried particles had a significant impact on the predictive ability of the models. Good predictive models could be obtained for spherical particles with a calibration error (RMSECV) of 0.22 μm, whereas wrinkled particles resulted in much less robust models with a Q (2) of 0.69. Based on the results in this study, NIR is a suitable tool for process analysis of the spray-drying process and for control of moisture content and particle size, in particular for smooth and spherical particles.

Determination of the moisture content of bromobutyl rubber stoppers as a function of processing: implications for the stability of lyophilized products.

PubMed

Templeton, Allen C; Placek, Jiri; Xu, Hui; Mahajan, Rajiv; Hunke, William A; Reed, Robert A

2003-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to apply and contrast several analytical techniques to understand the change in moisture content of 20 mm diameter bromobutyl rubber stoppers as a function of typical stopper processing conditions. Three separate methods were examined and Karl-Fischer titration and techniques based on capacitance measurements at a thin-film sensor were found to provide comparable results. Stopper moisture levels were examined in stoppers: (i) as received from the manufacturer, (ii) following steam sterilization, (iii) as a function of various drying cycles, and (iv) during simulated hold conditions prior to use. Finally, the transfer of moisture from stopper to an actual product is examined on storage and general agreement observed between stopper drying conditions and cake moisture levels.

A method for soil moisture probes calibration and validation of satellite estimates.

PubMed

Holzman, Mauro; Rivas, Raúl; Carmona, Facundo; Niclòs, Raquel

2017-01-01

Optimization of field techniques is crucial to ensure high quality soil moisture data. The aim of the work is to present a sampling method for undisturbed soil and soil water content to calibrated soil moisture probes, in a context of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) mission MIRAS Level 2 soil moisture product validation in Pampean Region of Argentina. The method avoids soil alteration and is recommended to calibrated probes based on soil type under a freely drying process at ambient temperature. A detailed explanation of field and laboratory procedures to obtain reference soil moisture is shown. The calibration results reflected accurate operation for the Delta-T thetaProbe ML2x probes in most of analyzed cases (RMSE and bias ≤ 0.05 m 3 /m 3 ). Post-calibration results indicated that the accuracy improves significantly applying the adjustments of the calibration based on soil types (RMSE ≤ 0.022 m 3 /m 3 , bias ≤ -0.010 m 3 /m 3 ). •A sampling method that provides high quality data of soil water content for calibration of probes is described.•Importance of calibration based on soil types.•A calibration process for similar soil types could be suitable in practical terms, depending on the required accuracy level.

Changing Weather Extremes Call for Early Warning of Potential for Catastrophic Fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boer, Matthias M.; Nolan, Rachael H.; Resco De Dios, Víctor; Clarke, Hamish; Price, Owen F.; Bradstock, Ross A.

2017-12-01

Changing frequencies of extreme weather events and shifting fire seasons call for enhanced capability to forecast where and when forested landscapes switch from a nonflammable (i.e., wet fuel) state to the highly flammable (i.e., dry fuel) state required for catastrophic forest fires. Current forest fire danger indices used in Europe, North America, and Australia rate potential fire behavior by combining numerical indices of fuel moisture content, potential rate of fire spread, and fire intensity. These numerical rating systems lack the physical basis required to reliably quantify forest flammability outside the environments of their development or under novel climate conditions. Here, we argue that exceedance of critical forest flammability thresholds is a prerequisite for major forest fires and therefore early warning systems should be based on a reliable prediction of fuel moisture content plus a regionally calibrated model of how forest fire activity responds to variation in fuel moisture content. We demonstrate the potential of this approach through a case study in Portugal. We use a physically based fuel moisture model with historical weather and fire records to identify critical fuel moisture thresholds for forest fire activity and then show that the catastrophic June 2017 forest fires in central Portugal erupted shortly after fuels in the region dried out to historically unprecedented levels.

Estimating moisture content of tree-length roundwood

Treesearch

Alexander Clark; Richard F. Daniels

2000-01-01

The green weight of southern pine tree-length roundwood delivered to the pulp mill is generally known. However, for optimum mill efficiency it is desirable to know dry weight. The moisture content of tree-length pine logs is quite variable. The moisture content of pine tree-length logs increases significantly with increasing stem height. Moisture content also varies...

46 CFR 164.009-19 - Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. 164... Vessels § 164.009-19 Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the moisture and volatile matter content of a sample. (b) A...

46 CFR 164.009-19 - Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. 164... Vessels § 164.009-19 Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the moisture and volatile matter content of a sample. (b) A...

46 CFR 164.009-19 - Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. 164... Vessels § 164.009-19 Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the moisture and volatile matter content of a sample. (b) A...

46 CFR 164.009-19 - Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. 164... Vessels § 164.009-19 Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the moisture and volatile matter content of a sample. (b) A...

46 CFR 164.009-19 - Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. 164... Vessels § 164.009-19 Measurement of moisture and volatile matter content. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the moisture and volatile matter content of a sample. (b) A...

Soil moisture by extraction and gas chromatography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merek, E. L.; Carle, G. C.

1973-01-01

To determine moisture content of soils rapidly and conveniently extract moisture with methanol and determine water content of methanol extract by gas chromatography. Moisture content of sample is calculated from weight of water and methanol in aliquot and weight of methanol added to sample.

[Effect of moisture content on anaerobic methanization of municipal solid waste].

PubMed

Qu, Xian; He, Pin-Jing; Shao, Li-Ming; Bouchez, Théodore

2009-03-15

Biogas production, gas and liquid characteristics were investigated for comparing the effect of moisture content on methanization process of MSW with different compositions of food waste and cellulosic waste. Batch reactors were used to study the anaerobic methanization of typical Chinese and French municipal solid waste (MSW) and cellulosic waste with different moisture content, as 35%, field capacity (65%-70%), 80%, and saturated state (> 95%). The results showed that for the typical Chinese and French waste, which contained putrescible waste, the intermediate product, VFA, was diluted by high content of water, which helped to release the VFA inhibition on hydrolysis and methanization. Mass amount of methane was produced only when the moisture content of typical French waste was higher than 80%, while higher content of moisture was needed when the content of putrescible waste was higher in MSW, as > 95% for typical Chinese waste. Meanwhile the methane production rate and the ultimate cumulated methane production were increased when moisture content was leveled up. The ultimate cumulated methane production of the typical French waste with saturated state was 0.6 times higher than that of the waste with moisture content of 80%. For cellulosic waste, high moisture content of cellulosic materials contributed to increase the attachment area of microbes and enzyme on the surface of the materials, which enhance the waste hydrolysis and methanization. When the moisture content of the cellulosic materials increased from field capacity (65%) to saturated state (> 95%), the ultimate cumulated methane production increased for 3.8 times.

Thermal–moisture dynamics of embankments with asphalt pavement in permafrost regions of central Tibetan Plateau

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wen, Zhi; Zhang, Mingli; Ma, Wei

Subsurface moisture content is one of the critical factors that control the thermal dynamics of embankments. However, information on the subsurface moisture movement and distribution in embankments is still limited. To better understand the coupled water and heat transport within embankments, subsurface temperature and moisture of an asphalt pavement highway were extensively measured from 2009 to 2011. Collected data indicate that pure heat conduction is the overall main mechanism of heat transport in the embankment and heat convection plays a relatively unimportant role in heat transport. The results also indicate that subsurface moisture and temperature dynamics in the asphalt layermore » is strongly related to the rainfall events, while the subsurface moisture content below the road base course maintains relatively constant. Rainfall in summer leads to rapid cooling of the subsurface soil. Our results suggest that frequent and small rainfall events favour the thermal stability of the embankment due to the loss of latent heat of water evaporation. Moisture migration during freezing still occurred in the gravel fill and the water infiltrated into the active layer during thawing period. Freezing-induced water migration may result in the increase in water content of the embankment and the decrease in compactness of gravel fill.« less

Moisture and shelf life in sugar confections.

PubMed

Ergun, R; Lietha, R; Hartel, R W

2010-02-01

From hardening of marshmallow to graining of hard candies, moisture plays a critical role in determining the quality and shelf life of sugar-based confections. Water is important during the manufacturing of confections, is an important factor in governing texture, and is often the limiting parameter during storage that controls shelf life. Thus, an understanding of water relations in confections is critical to controlling quality. Water content, which is controlled during candy manufacturing through an understanding of boiling point elevation, is one of the most important parameters that governs the texture of candies. For example, the texture of caramel progresses from soft and runny to hard and brittle as the moisture content decreases. However, knowledge of water content by itself is insufficient to controlling stability and shelf life. Understanding water activity, or the ratio of vapor pressures, is necessary to control shelf life. A difference in water activity, either between candy and air or between two domains within the candy, is the driving force for moisture migration in confections. When the difference in water activity is large, moisture migration is rapid, although the rate of moisture migration depends on the nature of resistances to water diffusion. Barrier packaging films protect the candy from air whereas edible films inhibit moisture migration between different moisture domains within a confection. More recently, the concept of glass transition, or the polymer science approach, has supplemented water activity as a critical parameter related to candy stability. Confections with low moisture content, such as hard candy, cotton candy, and some caramels and toffees, may contain sugars in the amorphous or glassy state. As long as these products remain below their glass transition temperature, they remain stable for very long times. However, certain glassy sugars tend to be hygroscopic, rapidly picking up moisture from the air, which causes significant changes that lead to the end of shelf life. These products need to be protected from moisture uptake during storage. This review summarizes the concepts of water content, water activity, and glass transition and documents their importance to quality and shelf life of confections.

Soil moisture datasets at five sites in the central Sierra Nevada and northern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stern, Michelle A.; Anderson, Frank A.; Flint, Lorraine E.; Flint, Alan L.

2018-05-03

In situ soil moisture datasets are important inputs used to calibrate and validate watershed, regional, or statewide modeled and satellite-based soil moisture estimates. The soil moisture dataset presented in this report includes hourly time series of the following: soil temperature, volumetric water content, water potential, and total soil water content. Data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at five locations in California: three sites in the central Sierra Nevada and two sites in the northern Coast Ranges. This report provides a description of each of the study areas, procedures and equipment used, processing steps, and time series data from each site in the form of comma-separated values (.csv) tables.

Survey of in-situ and remote sensing methods for soil moisture determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmugge, T. J.; Jackson, T. J.; Mckim, H. L.

1981-01-01

General methods for determining the moisture content in the surface layers of the soil based on in situ or point measurements, soil water models and remote sensing observations are surveyed. In situ methods described include gravimetric techniques, nuclear techniques based on neutron scattering or gamma-ray attenuation, electromagnetic techniques, tensiometric techniques and hygrometric techniques. Soil water models based on column mass balance treat soil moisture contents as a result of meteorological inputs (precipitation, runoff, subsurface flow) and demands (evaporation, transpiration, percolation). The remote sensing approaches are based on measurements of the diurnal range of surface temperature and the crop canopy temperature in the thermal infrared, measurements of the radar backscattering coefficient in the microwave region, and measurements of microwave emission or brightness temperature. Advantages and disadvantages of the various methods are pointed out, and it is concluded that a successful monitoring system must incorporate all of the approaches considered.

Frequency, moisture content, and temperature dependent dielectric properties of potato starch related to drying with radio-frequency/microwave energy.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhuozhuo; Guo, Wenchuan

2017-08-24

To develop advanced drying methods using radio-frequency (RF) or microwave (MW) energy, dielectric properties of potato starch were determined using an open-ended coaxial-line probe and network analyzer at frequencies between 20 and 4,500 MHz, moisture contents between 15.1% and 43.1% wet basis (w.b.), and temperatures between 25 and 75 °C. The results showed that both dielectric constant (ε') and loss factor (ε″) were dependent on frequency, moisture content, and temperature. ε' decreased with increasing frequency at a given moisture content or temperature. At low moisture contents (≤25.4% w.b.) or low temperatures (≤45 °C), ε″ increased with increasing frequency. However, ε″ changed from decrease to increase with increasing frequency at high moisture contents or temperatures. At low temperatures (25-35 °C), both ε' and ε″ increased with increasing moisture content. At low moisture contents (15.1-19.5% w.b.), they increased with increasing temperature. The change trends of ε' and ε″ were different and dependent on temperature and moisture content at their high levels. The penetration depth (d p ) decreased with increasing frequency. RF treatments may provide potential large-scale industrial drying application for potato starch. This research offers useful information on dielectric properties of potato starch related to drying with electromagnetic energy.

Stress-wave velocity of wood-based panels: effect of moisture, product type, and material direction

Treesearch

Guangping Han; Qinglin Wu; Xiping Wang

2006-01-01

The effect of moisture on longitudinal stress-wave velocity (SWV), bending stiffness. and bending strength of commercial oriented strandboard, plywood. particleboard. and southern pine lumber was evaluated. It was shown that the stress-wave verocity decreased in general with increases in panel moisture content (MC). At a given MC level. SWV varied with panel type and...

Determination of the moisture content in the fluoride oxide fluxes of electroslag remelting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vdovin, K. N.; Feoktistov, N. A.; Pivovarova, K. G.; Deryabin, D. A.

2016-12-01

ANF-32 flux has been studied with regard to the moisture content both after storage and upon operation. A simple and reliable procedure for the determination of the moisture content in ESR fluxes is proposed, and recommendations are given on monitoring the moisture content in calcined fluxes. The main sources of crystallization water of hydration are hydrogen sources.

Effect of moisture content on strength of CCA-treated lumber

Treesearch

Jerrold E. Winandy

1995-01-01

Recent studies on the effects of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treatment on lumber design properties have primarily evaluated the effects of such treatment at or near 12% moisture content and at failure times of 1 to 10 min. The influence of various moisture contents and faster loading rates is unknown. This report discusses the influence of moisture content and its...

Understanding the bias between moisture content by oven drying and water content by Karl Fischer titration at moisture equilibrium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Multiple causes of the difference between equilibrium moisture and water content have been found. The errors or biases were traced to the oven drying procedure to determine moisture content. The present paper explains the nature of the biases in oven drying and how it is possible to suppress one ...

0-6676 : Rapid field detection of moisture content for base and subgrade : [project summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

Properly applying water during compaction of : roadway base and subgrade materials is : important for achieving adequate compaction. : Construction specifications determine the : required water content, and field measurement : historically takes plac...

Buildup Index as an Expression of Moisture Content in Duff

Treesearch

Von J. Johnson

1968-01-01

The relation between Buildup index and moisture content of grouped litter and duff samples from beneath four medium-site forest stands closely approximated the relation between Buildup index and moisture equivalent of 5-day timelag fuels having an equilibrium moisture content of 15 percent

Effect of process variables on the quality attributes of briquettes from wheat, oat, canola and barley

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaya Shankar Tumuluru

2011-08-01

Effect of process variables on the quality attributes of briquettes from wheat, oat, canola and barley straw Jaya Shankar Tumuluru*, L. G. Tabil, Y. Song, K. L. Iroba and V. Meda Biomass is a renewable energy source and environmentally friendly substitute for fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum products. Major limitation of biomass for successful energy application is its low bulk density, which makes it very difficult and costly to transport and handle. To overcome this limitation, biomass has to be densified. The commonly used technologies for densification of biomass are pelletization and briquetting. Briquetting offers many advantages atmore » it can densify larger particles sizes of biomass at higher moisture contents. Briquetting is influenced by a number of feedstock and process variables such as moisture content, particle size distribution, and some operating variables such as temperature and densification pressure. In the present study, experiments were designed and conducted based on Box-Behnken design to produce briquettes using barley, wheat, canola and barley straws. A laboratory scale hydraulic briquette press was used for the present study. The experimental process variables and their levels used in the present study were pressure levels (7.5, 10, 12.5 MPa), three levels of temperature (90, 110, 130 C), at three moisture content levels (9, 12, 15% w.b.), and three levels of particle size (19.1, 25.04, 31.75 mm). The quality variables studied includes moisture content, initial density and final briquette density after two weeks of storage, size distribution index and durability. The raw biomass was initially chopped and size reduced using a hammer mill. The ground biomass was conditioned at different moisture contents and was further densified using laboratory hydraulic press. For each treatment combination, ten briquettes were manufactured at a residence time of about 30 s after compression pressure setpoint was achieved. After compression, the initial dimensions and the final dimensions after 2 weeks of storage in controlled environment of all the samples were measured. Durability, dimensional stability, and moisture content tests were conducted after two weeks of storage of the briquettes produced. Initial results indicated that moisture content played a significant role on briquettes durability, stability, and density. Low moisture content of the straws (7-12%) gave more durable briquettes. Briquette density increased with increasing pressure depending on the moisture content value. The axial expansion was more significant than the lateral expansion, which in some cases tended to be nil depending on the material and operating variables. Further data analysis is in progress in order to understand the significance of the process variables based on ANOVA. Regression models were developed to predict the changes in quality of briquettes with respect of the process variables under study. Keywords: Herbaceous biomass, densification, briquettes, density, durability, dimensional stability, ANOVA and regression equations« less

The moisture content of ponderosa pine and whiteleaf manzanita foliage in the Central Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Charles W. Philpot

1963-01-01

In the first year of studies of moisture in living fuels, pine and manzanita had dissimilar moisture trends, the moisture content of brush varied with elevation during the growing season, and soil moisture was correlated with brush foliage moisture.

The influence of temperature and moisture contents regimes on the aerobic microbial activity of a biosolids composting blend.

PubMed

Liang, C; Das, K C; McClendon, R W

2003-01-01

To understand the relationships between temperature, moisture content, and microbial activity during the composting of biosolids (municipal wastewater treatment sludge), well-controlled incubation experiments were conducted using a 2-factor factorial design with six temperatures (22, 29, 36, 43, 50, and 57 degrees C) and five moisture contents (30, 40, 50, 60, and 70%). The microbial activity was measured as O2 uptake rate (mg g(-1) h(-1)) using a computer controlled respirometer. In this study, moisture content proved to be a dominant factor impacting aerobic microbial activity of the composting blend. Fifty percent moisture content appeared to be the minimal requirement for obtaining activities greater than 1.0 mg g(-1) h(-1). Temperature was also documented to be an important factor for biosolids composting. However, its effect was less influential than moisture content. Particularly, the enhancement of composting activities induced by temperature increment could be realized by increasing moisture content alone.

The effect of moisture content on physicochemical properties of extruded waxy and non-waxy rice flour.

PubMed

Jongsutjarittam, Ornpicha; Charoenrein, Sanguansri

2014-12-19

The properties of waxy rice flour (WRF) and non-waxy rice flour (RF) were modified using an extrusion process with different feeding material moisture contents. WRF was more affected by the thermomechanical stress from extrusion; consequently, it had a lower glass transition temperature but higher water solubility index (WSI) indicating higher molecular degradation than extruded RF. The lower moisture content of the feeding flour caused more severe flour damage (coarser surface of the extruded flour) and lowered relative crystallinity compared to higher moisture content processing. Moreover, low moisture content processing led to complete gelatinization, whereas, partial gelatinization occurred in the higher moisture content extrusion. Consequently, the extruded flours had a lower peak viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy but a higher water absorption index and WSI than native flour. In conclusion, the rice flour type and the moisture content of the extrusion feeding flour affected the physicochemical properties of the extruded flour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation residual moisture in lithium-ion battery electrodes and its effect on electrode performance

DOE PAGES

Li, Jianlin; Daniel, Claus; Wood, III, David L.; ...

2016-01-11

Removing residual moisture in lithium-ion battery electrodes is essential for desired electrochemical performance. In this manuscript, the residual moisture in LiNi 0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O 2 cathodes produced by conventional solvent-based and aqueous processing is characterized and compared. The electrochemical performance has also been investigated for various residual moisture contents. As a result, it has been demonstrated that the residual moisture lowers the first cycle coulombic efficiency, but its effect on short term cycle life is insignificant.

Soil moisture sensing via swept frequency based microwave sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate measurement of moisture content is a prime requirement in hydrological, geophysical, and biogeochemical research as well as for material characterization, process control, and irrigation efficiency in water limited regions. Within these areas, consideration of the surface area and associate...

A semi-mechanistic model of dead fine fuel moisture for Temperate and Mediterranean ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resco de Dios, Víctor; Fellows, Aaron; Boer, Matthias; Bradstock, Ross; Nolan, Rachel; Goulden, Michel

2014-05-01

Fire is a major disturbance in terrestrial ecosystems globally. It has an enormous economic and social cost, and leads to fatalities in the worst cases. The moisture content of the vegetation (fuel moisture) is one of the main determinants of fire risk. Predicting the moisture content of dead and fine fuel (< 2.5 cm in diameter) is particularly important, as this is often the most important component of the fuel complex for fire propagation. A variety of drought indices, empirical and mechanistic models have been proposed to model fuel moisture. A commonality across these different approaches is that they have been neither validated across large temporal datasets nor validated across broadly different vegetation types. Here, we present the results of a study performed at 6 locations in California, USA (5 sites) and New South Wales, Australia (1 site), where 10-hours fuel moisture content was continuously measured every 30 minutes during one full year at each site. We observed that drought indices did not accurately predict fuel moisture, and that empirical and mechanistic models both needed site-specific calibrations, which hinders their global application as indices of fuel moisture. We developed a novel, single equation and semi-mechanistic model, based on atmospheric vapor-pressure deficit. Across sites and years, mean absolute error (MAE) of predicted fuel moisture was 4.7%. MAE dropped <1% in the critical range of fuel moisture <10%. The high simplicity, accuracy and precision of our model makes it suitable for a wide range of applications: from operational purposes, to global vegetation models.

[Co-composting high moisture vegetable waste and flower waste in a sequential fed operation].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiangfeng; Wang, Hongtao; Nie, Yongfeng

2003-11-01

Co-composting of high moisture vegetable wastes (celery and cabbage) and flower wastes (carnation) were studied in a sequential fed bed. The preliminary materials of composting were celery and carnation wastes. The sequential fed materials of composting were cabbage wastes and were fed every 4 days. Moisture content of mixture materials was between 60% and 70%. Composting was done in an aerobic static bed of composting based temperature feedback and control via aeration rate regulation. Aeration was ended when temperature of the pile was about 40 degrees C. Changes of composting of temperature, aeration rate, water content, organic matter, ash, pH, volume, NH4(+)-N, and NO3(-)-N were studied. Results show that co-composting of high moisture vegetable wastes and flower wastes, in a sequential fed aerobic static bed based temperature feedback and control via aeration rate regulation, can stabilize organic matter and removal water rapidly. The sequential fed operation are effective to overcome the difficult which traditional composting cannot applied successfully where high moisture vegetable wastes in more excess of flower wastes, such as Dianchi coastal.

Influence of moisture content on inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in powdered red and black pepper spices by radio-frequency heating.

PubMed

Jeong, Seul-Gi; Kang, Dong-Hyun

2014-04-17

The influence of moisture content during radio-frequency (RF) heating on heating rate, dielectric properties, and inactivation of foodborne pathogens was investigated. The effect of RF heating on the quality of powdered red and black pepper spices with different moisture ranges was also investigated. Red pepper (12.6%, 15.2%, 19.1%, and 23.3% dry basis, db) and black pepper (10.1%, 17.2%, 23.7%, and 30.5% db) inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were treated in a RF heating system with 27.12 MHz. The heating rate of the sample was dependent on moisture content up to 19.1% (db) of red pepper and 17.2% (db) of black pepper, but there was a significant decrease in the heating rate when the moisture content was increased beyond these levels. The dielectric properties of both samples increased with a rise in moisture content. As the moisture content increased, treatment time required to reduce E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium by more than 7 log CFU/g (below the detection limit, 1 log CFU/g) decreased and then increased again without affecting product quality when the moisture content exceeded a level corresponding to the peak heating rate. RF treatment significantly (P<0.05) reduced moisture content of both spices. These results suggest that RF heating can be effectively used to not only control pathogens but also reduce moisture levels in spices and that the effect of inactivation is dependent on moisture content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of moisture content or particle size on the in situ degradability of maize silage and alfalfa haylage in lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Zou, Yang; Dong, Shuangzhao; Du, Yun; Li, Shengli; Wang, Yajing; Cao, Zhijun

2016-09-01

A study using four Holstein cows with ruminal cannulas was conducted to evaluate the degradability of different moisture content or particle size of maize silage and alfalfa haylage. The maize silage (MS; 20-mm length) and alfalfa haylage (AH; 40-mm length) samples were wet (wet maize silage, MSW; wet alfalfa haylage, AHW), dried (dried maize silage, MSD; dried alfalfa haylage, AHD), or ground to pass through a 2.5-mm screen (dried ground maize silage, MSG; dried ground alfalfa haylage, AHG). Samples were incubated in the rumen for 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h. Cows were fed ad libitum and allowed free access to water. High moisture content treatment of MSW expressed a lower rinsing NDF and ADF degradability at 2 h ( P  < 0.05) compared with dried samples (MSD and MSG). Different moisture content and particle size had a significant impact ( P  < 0.05) on the NDF degradability at 72 h, ADF degradability at 36, 48, and 72 h, and ruminally degradable ADF. All of the highest values were observed in small particle size and low moisture content AHG treatment. Based on this study, sample processing, such as drying and grinding, should be considered when evaluating nutritive values of forages.

Determination of Soil Moisture Content using Laboratory Experimental and Field Electrical Resistivity Values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Rosli, S.; Fauziah, A.; Wijeyesekera, D. C.; Ashraf, M. I. M.; Faizal, T. B. M.; Kamarudin, A. F.; Rais, Y.; Dan, M. F. Md; Azhar, A. T. S.; Hafiz, Z. M.

2018-04-01

The efficiency of civil engineering structure require comprehensive geotechnical data obtained from site investigation. In the past, conventional site investigation was heavily related to drilling techniques thus suffer from several limitations such as time consuming, expensive and limited data collection. Consequently, this study presents determination of soil moisture content using laboratory experimental and field electrical resistivity values (ERV). Field and laboratory electrical resistivity (ER) test were performed using ABEM SAS4000 and Nilsson400 soil resistance meter. Soil sample used for resistivity test was tested for characterization test specifically on particle size distribution and moisture content test according to BS1377 (1990). Field ER data was processed using RES2DINV software while laboratory ER data was analyzed using SPSS and Excel software. Correlation of ERV and moisture content shows some medium relationship due to its r = 0.506. Moreover, coefficient of determination, R2 analyzed has demonstrate that the statistical correlation obtain was very good due to its R2 value of 0.9382. In order to determine soil moisture content based on statistical correlation (w = 110.68ρ-0.347), correction factor, C was established through laboratory and field ERV given as 19.27. Finally, this study has shown that soil basic geotechnical properties with particular reference to water content was applicably determined using integration of laboratory and field ERV data analysis thus able to compliment conventional approach due to its economic, fast and wider data coverage.

Relation between L-band soil emittance and soil water content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroosnijder, L.; Lascano, R. J.; Van Bavel, C. H. M.; Newton, R. W.

1986-01-01

An experimental relation between soil emittance (E) at L-band and soil surface moisture content (M) is compared with a theoretical one. The latter depends on the soil dielectric constant, which is a function of both soil moisture content and of soil texture. It appears that a difference of 10 percent in the surface clay content causes a change in the estimate of M on the order of 0.02 cu m/cu m. This is based on calculations with a model that simulates the flow of water and energy, in combination with a radiative transfer model. It is concluded that an experimental determination of the E-M relation for each soil type is not required, and that a rough estimate of the soil texture will lead to a sufficiently accurate estimate of soil moisture from a general, theoretical relationship obtained by numerical simulation.

Moisture-dependent color characteristics of walnuts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Characterizing the shell color of walnuts based on their moisture content (MC) at harvest can provide valuable information for performing walnut sorting before drying. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the color characteristics of the shell of walnuts and their...

The influence of moisture content variation on fungal pigment formation in spalted wood

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Eight fungal species known to produce wood pigmentation were tested for reaction to various moisture contents in two hardwood species. Fungal pigmentation by Trametes versicolor and Xylaria polymorpha was stimulated at low water concentrations in both Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Fagus grandifolia (American beech), while Inonotus hispidus and Polyporus squamosus were stimulated above 22-28% and 34-38% moisture content in beech and in sugar maple respectively. Fomes fomentarius and Polyporus brumalis produced maximum pigmentation in beech at 26 - 41% and in sugar maple at 59 - 96% moisture content. The pink staining Scytalidium cuboideum pigmented both wood species at above 35% moisture content. This research indicates that controlling the moisture content values of wood substrates can stimulate the intensity of pigmentation of specific fungi when spalting wood for decorative and commercial purpose. PMID:23245292

Moisture sorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of bovine leather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakhfakh, Rihab; Mihoubi, Daoued; Kechaou, Nabil

2018-04-01

This study was aimed at the determination of bovine leather moisture sorption characteristics using a static gravimetric method at 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C. The curves exhibit type II behaviour according to the BET classification. The sorption isotherms fitting by seven equations shows that GAB model is able to reproduce the equilibrium moisture content evolution with water activity for moisture range varying from 0.02 to 0.83 kg/kg d.b (0.9898 < R2 < 0.999). The sorption isotherms exhibit hysteresis effect. Additionally, sorption isotherms data were used to determine the thermodynamic properties such as isosteric heat of sorption, sorption entropy, spreading pressure, net integral enthalpy and entropy. Net isosteric heat of sorption and differential entropy were evaluated through direct use of moisture isotherms by applying the Clausius-Clapeyron equation and used to investigate the enthalpy-entropy compensation theory. Both sorption enthalpy and entropy for desorption increase to a maximum with increasing moisture content, and then decrease sharply with rising moisture content. Adsorption enthalpy decreases with increasing moisture content. Whereas, adsorption entropy increases smoothly with increasing moisture content to a maximum of 6.29 J/K.mol. Spreading pressure increases with rising water activity. The net integral enthalpy seemed to decrease and then increase to become asymptotic. The net integral entropy decreased with moisture content increase.

Rapid determination of moisture content in paper materials by multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography.

PubMed

Xie, Wei-Qi; Chai, Xin-Sheng

2016-04-22

This paper describes a new method for the rapid determination of the moisture content in paper materials. The method is based on multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography (MHE-GC) at a temperature above the boiling point of water, from which an integrated water loss from the tested sample due to evaporation can be measured and from which the moisture content in the sample can be determined. The results show that the new method has a good precision (with the relative standard deviation <0.96%), high sensitivity (the limit of quantitation=0.005%) and good accuracy (the relative differences <1.4%). Therefore, the method is quite suitable for many uses in research and industrial applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An analysis of the drying process in forest fuel material

Treesearch

G.M. Byram; R.M. Nelson

2015-01-01

It is assumed that the flow of moisture in forest fuels and other woody materials is determined by the gradient of a quantity g which is a function of some property, or properties, of the moisture content. There appears to be no preferred choice for this function, hence moisture transfer equations can be based on a number of equally valid definitions of g. The physical...

Detection of moisture and moisture related phenomena from Skylab. [Texas and Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eagleman, J. R. (Principal Investigator); Lin, W. C.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The high correlations between radiometric temperature and soil moisture content are shown to remain quite high for independent footprints of the S194 sensor. Since an analysis based on overlapping footprints had previously been reported with a high correlation, it was necessary to verify that the correlation did not arise from dependent data.

Thermal insulation materials for inside applications: Hygric and thermal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jerman, Miloš; Černý, Robert

2017-11-01

Two thermal insulation materials suitable for the application on the interior side of historical building envelopes, namely calcium silicate and polyurethane-based foam are studied. Moisture diffusivity and thermal conductivity of both materials, as fundamental moisture and heat transport parameters, are measured in a dependence on moisture content. The measured data will be used as input parameters in computer simulation studies which will provide moisture and temperature fields necessary for an appropriate design of interior thermal insulation systems.

Retrieving topsoil moisture using RADARSAT-2 data, a novel approach applied at the east of the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eweys, Omar Ali; Elwan, Abeer A.; Borham, Taha I.

2017-12-01

This manuscript proposes an approach for estimating soil moisture content over corn fields using C-band SAR data acquired by RADARSAT-2 satellite. An image based approach is employed to remove the vegetation contribution to the satellite signals. In particular, the absolute difference between like and cross polarized signals (ADLC) is employed for segmenting the canopy growth cycle into tiny stages. Each stage is represented by a Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of the like polarized signals. For periods of bare soils and vegetation cover, CDFs are compared and the vegetation contribution is quantified. The portion which represent the soil contributions (σHHsoil°) to the satellite signals; are employed for inversely running Oh model and the water cloud model for estimating soil moisture, canopy water content and canopy height respectively. The proposed approach shows satisfactory performance where high correlation of determination (R2) is detected between the field observations and the corresponding retrieved soil moisture, canopy water content and canopy height (R2 = 0.64, 0.97 and 0.98 respectively). Soil moisture retrieval is associated with root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.03 m3 m-3 while estimating canopy water content and canopy height have RMSE of 0.38 kg m-2 and 0.166 m respectively.

Study of heat-moisture treatment of potato starch granules by chemical surface gelatinization.

PubMed

Bartz, Josiane; da Rosa Zavareze, Elessandra; Dias, Alvaro Renato Guerra

2017-08-01

Native potato starch was subjected to heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at 12%, 15%, 18%, 21%, and 24% of moisture content at 110 °C for 1 h, and the effects on morphology, structure, and thermal and physicochemical properties were investigated. To reveal the internal structure, 30% and 50% of the granular surface were removed by chemical surface gelatinization in concentrated LiCl solution. At moisture contents of 12% and 15%, HTM reduced the gelatinization temperatures and relative crystallinity of the starches, while at moisture contents of 21% and 24 % both increased. The alterations on morphology, X-ray pattern, physicochemical properties, and increase of amylose content were more intense with the increase of moisture content of HMT. The removal of granular layers showed that the changes promoted by HMT occur throughout the whole granule and were pronounced at the core or peripheral region, depending of the moisture content applied during HMT. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of gradation and moisture content on stiffness parameters of base materials : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

The performance of flexible pavement depends on the mechanical characteristics of its base layer. The mechanical : characteristics such as stiffness and deformation resistance depend on many factors such as the material gradation : fines content, moi...

Effects of spatial heterogeneity in moisture content on the horizontal spread of peat fires.

PubMed

Prat-Guitart, Nuria; Rein, Guillermo; Hadden, Rory M; Belcher, Claire M; Yearsley, Jon M

2016-12-01

The gravimetric moisture content of peat is the main factor limiting the ignition and spread propagation of smouldering fires. Our aim is to use controlled laboratory experiments to better understand how the spread of smouldering fires is influenced in natural landscape conditions where the moisture content of the top peat layer is not homogeneous. In this paper, we study for the first time the spread of peat fires across a spatial matrix of two moisture contents (dry/wet) in the laboratory. The experiments were undertaken using an open-top insulated box (22×18×6cm) filled with milled peat. The peat was ignited at one side of the box initiating smouldering and horizontal spread. Measurements of the peak temperature inside the peat, fire duration and longwave thermal radiation from the burning samples revealed important local changes of the smouldering behaviour in response to sharp gradients in moisture content. Both, peak temperatures and radiation in wetter peat (after the moisture gradient) were sensitive to the drier moisture condition (preceding the moisture gradient). Drier peat conditions before the moisture gradient led to higher temperatures and higher radiation flux from the fire during the first 6cm of horizontal spread into a wet peat patch. The total spread distance into a wet peat patch was affected by the moisture content gradient. We predicted that in most peat moisture gradients of relevance to natural ecosystems the fire self-extinguishes within the first 10cm of horizontal spread into a wet peat patch. Spread distances of more than 10cm are limited to wet peat patches below 160% moisture content (mass of water per mass of dry peat). We found that spatial gradients of moisture content have important local effects on the horizontal spread and should be considered in field and modelling studies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracing dynamics of relative volumetric soil moisture content using SAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avetisyan, Daniela; Velizarova, Emiliya; Nedkov, Roumen

2017-09-01

Soil is a dominant factor of the terrestrial geosystems in the dry sub-humid zones, particularly through its effect on biomass production. Due to the climate changes and industrial development, soil resources in these zones are prone to degradation. Mitigation of the negative effects of land degradation requires in-depth knowledge of the ongoing in the geosystems processes and application of innovative end effective methods for their investigation. The recent study aims to evaluate the relative soil moisture content in various soil differences and to trace its dynamics during growing season. In order to achieve this aim, Relative Soil Moisture Index (RSMI) based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data was calculated. The index estimates the relative variation of volumetric soil moisture content in a given time period and enables determination of its change in relative values. The generated results show very high level of correlation for the investigated pilot areas which testifies that the RSMI is applicable in different territories.

A method based on infrared detection for determining the moisture content of ceramic plaster materials.

PubMed

Macias-Melo, E V; Aguilar-Castro, K M; Alvarez-Lemus, M A; Flores-Prieto, J J

2015-09-01

In this work, we describe a methodology for developing a mathematical model based on infrared (IR) detection to determine the moisture content (M) in solid samples. For this purpose, an experimental setup was designed, developed and calibrated against the gravimetric method. The experimental arrangement allowed for the simultaneous measurement of M and the electromotive force (EMF), fitting the experimental variables as much as possible. These variables were correlated by a mathematical model, and the obtained correlation was M=1.12×exp(3.47×EMF), ±2.54%. This finding suggests that it is feasible to measure the moisture content when it has greater values than 2.54%. The proposed methodology could be used for different conditions of temperature, relative humidity and drying rates to evaluate the influence of these variables on the amount of energy received by the IR detector. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of supplemental irrigation based on the measurement of moisture content in different soil layers on the water consumption characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat].

PubMed

Yi, Li-Pan; Yu, Zhen-Wen; Zhang, Yong-Li; Wang, Dong; Shi, Yu; Zhao, Jun-Ye

2013-05-01

In 2010-2011, a field experiment with high-yielding winter wheat cultivar Jimai 22 was conducted to study the effects of supplemental irrigation based on the measurement of moisture content in different soil layers on the water consumption characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat. Four soil layers (0-20 cm, W1; 0-40 cm, W2; 0-60 cm, W3; and 0-140 cm, W4) were designed to make the supplemental irrigation at wintering stage (target soil relative moisture content = 75%), jointing stage (target soil relative moisture content = 70%), and anthesis stage (target soil relative moisture content = 70%), taking no irrigation (W0) during the whole growth season as the control. At the wintering, jointing, and anthesis stages, the required irrigation amount followed the order of W3 > W2 > W1. Treatment W4 required smaller irrigation amount at wintering and jointing stages, but significantly higher one at anthesis stage than the other treatments. The proportion of the irrigation amount relative to the total water consumption over the entire growth season followed the sequence of W4, W3 > W2 > W1. By contrast, the proportion of soil water consumption relative to the total water consumption followed the trend of W1 > W2 > W3 > W4. With the increase of the test soil depths, the soil water utilization ratio decreased. The water consumption in 80-140 cm and 160-200 cm soil layers was significantly higher in W2 than in W3 and W4. The required total irrigation amount was in the order of W3 > W4 > W2 > W1, the grain yield was in the order of W2, W3, W4 > W1 > W0, and the water use efficiency followed the order of W2, W4 > W0, W1 > W3. To consider the irrigation amount, grain yield, and water use efficiency comprehensively, treatment W2 under our experimental condition could be the optimal treatment, i. e., the required amount of supplemental irrigation based on the measurement of the moisture content in 0-40 cm soil layer should be feasible for the local winter wheat production.

Determining soil volumetric moisture content using time domain reflectometry

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-02-01

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is a technique used to measure indirectly the in situ volumetric moisture content of soil. Current research provides a variety of prediction equations that estimate the volumetric moisture content using the dielectric ...

Pupation Behaviors and Emergence Successes of Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in Response to Different Substrate Types and Moisture Contents.

PubMed

Wang, Huifang; Ma, Tao; Xiao, Qiang; Cao, Panrong; Chen, Xuan; Wen, Yuzhen; Xiong, Hongpeng; Qin, Wenquan; Liang, Shiping; Jian, Shengzhe; Li, Yanjun; Sun, Zhaohui; Wen, Xiujun; Wang, Cai

2017-12-08

Ectropis grisescens Warren (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is one of the most severe pests of tea plants in China. This species commonly pupates in soil; however, little is known about its pupation ecology. In the present study, choice and no-choice tests were conducted to investigate the pupation behaviors and emergence success of E. grisescens in response to different substrates (sand, sandy loam 1, sandy loam 2, and silt loam) and moisture contents (5, 20, 35, 50, 65, and 80%). Moisture-choice bioassays showed that significantly more E. grisescens individuals pupated in or on soil (sandy loam 1 and 2 and silt loam) that was at the intermediate moisture levels, whereas 5%- and 35%-moisture sand was significantly more preferred over 80%-moisture sand for pupating. Substrate-choice bioassays showed that sand was most preferred by E. grisescens individuals at 20%- and 80%-moisture levels, but no preference was detected among the four substrates at 50%-moisture content. No-choice tests showed that the percentage of burrowed E. grisescens individuals and pupation depth were significantly lower when soil was dry (20% moisture) or wet (80% moisture). In addition, 20%-moisture sandy loam 2 and silt loam significantly decreased the body water content of pupae and emergence success of adults compared to 50%-moisture content. However, each measurement (percentage of burrowed individuals, pupation depth, body water content, or emergence success) was similar when compared among different moisture levels of sand. Interestingly, pupae buried with 80%-moisture soil exhibited significantly lower emergence success than that were unburied. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ultrasound Algorithm Derivation for Soil Moisture Content Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belisle, W.R.; Metzl, R.; Choi, J.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Coleman, T.

1997-01-01

Soil moisture content can be estimated by evaluating the velocity at which sound waves travel through a known volume of solid material. This research involved the development of three soil algorithms relating the moisture content to the velocity at which sound waves moved through dry and moist media. Pressure and shear wave propagation equations were used in conjunction with soil property descriptions to derive algorithms appropriate for describing the effects of moisture content variation on the velocity of sound waves in soils with and without complete soil pore water volumes, An elementary algorithm was used to estimate soil moisture contents ranging from 0.08 g/g to 0.5 g/g from sound wave velocities ranging from 526 m/s to 664 m/s. Secondary algorithms were also used to estimate soil moisture content from sound wave velocities through soils with pores that were filled predominantly with air or water.

Comparison of standard moisture loss-on-drying methods for the determination of moisture content of corn distillers dried grains with solubles.

PubMed

Ileleji, Klein E; Garcia, Arnoldo A; Kingsly, Ambrose R P; Clementson, Clairmont L

2010-01-01

This study quantified the variability among 14 standard moisture loss-on-drying (gravimetric) methods for determination of the moisture content of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The methods were compared with the Karl Fischer (KF) titration method to determine their percent variation from the KF method. Additionally, the thermo-balance method using a halogen moisture analyzer that is routinely used in fuel ethanol plants was included in the methods investigated. Moisture contents by the loss-on-drying methods were significantly different for DDGS samples from three fuel ethanol plants. The percent deviation of the moisture loss-on-drying methods decreased with decrease in drying temperature and, to a lesser extent, drying time. This was attributed to an overestimation of moisture content in DDGS due to the release of volatiles at high temperatures. Our findings indicate that the various methods that have been used for moisture determination by moisture loss-on-drying will not give identical results and therefore, caution should be exercised when selecting a moisture loss-on-drying method for DDGS.

High resolution change estimation of soil moisture and its assimilation into a land surface model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayan, Ujjwal

Near surface soil moisture plays an important role in hydrological processes including infiltration, evapotranspiration and runoff. These processes depend non-linearly on soil moisture and hence sub-pixel scale soil moisture variability characterization is important for accurate modeling of water and energy fluxes at the pixel scale. Microwave remote sensing has evolved as an attractive technique for global monitoring of near surface soil moisture. A radiative transfer model has been tested and validated for soil moisture retrieval from passive microwave remote sensing data under a full range of vegetation water content conditions. It was demonstrated that soil moisture retrieval errors of approximately 0.04 g/g gravimetric soil moisture are attainable with vegetation water content as high as 5 kg/m2. Recognizing the limitation of low spatial resolution associated with passive sensors, an algorithm that uses low resolution passive microwave (radiometer) and high resolution active microwave (radar) data to estimate soil moisture change at the spatial resolution of radar operation has been developed and applied to coincident Passive and Active L and S band (PALS) and Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) datasets acquired during the Soil Moisture Experiments in 2002 (SMEX02) campaign with root mean square error of 10% and a 4 times enhancement in spatial resolution. The change estimation algorithm has also been used to estimate soil moisture change at 5 km resolution using AMSR-E soil moisture product (50 km) in conjunction with the TRMM-PR data (5 km) for a 3 month period demonstrating the possibility of high resolution soil moisture change estimation using satellite based data. Soil moisture change is closely related to precipitation and soil hydraulic properties. A simple assimilation framework has been implemented to investigate whether assimilation of surface layer soil moisture change observations into a hydrologic model will potentially improve it performance. Results indicate an improvement in model prediction of near surface and deep layer soil moisture content when the update is performed to the model state as compared to free model runs. It is also seen that soil moisture change assimilation is able to mitigate the effect of erroneous precipitation input data.

Maintaining high moisture content of macadamia nuts-in-shell during storage induces brown centres in raw kernels.

PubMed

Walton, David A; Randall, Bruce W; Le Lagadec, Marie D; Wallace, Helen M

2013-09-01

Kernel brown centres in macadamia are a defect causing internal discolouration of kernels. This study investigates the effect on the incidence of brown centres in raw kernel after maintaining high moisture content in macadamia nuts-in-shell stored at temperatures of 30°C, 35°C, 40°C and 45°C. Brown centres of raw kernel increased with nuts-in-shell storage time and temperature when high moisture content was maintained by sealing in polyethylene bags. Almost all kernels developed the defect when kept at high moisture content for 5 days at 45°C, and 44% developed brown centres after only 2 days of storage at high moisture content at 45°C. This contrasted with only 0.76% when stored for 2 days at 45°C but allowed to dry in open-mesh bags. At storage temperatures below 45°C, there were fewer brown centres, but there were still significant differences between those stored at high moisture content and those allowed to dry (P < 0.05). Maintenance of high moisture content during macadamia nuts-in-shell storage increases the incidence of brown centres in raw kernels and the defect increases with time and temperature. On-farm nuts-in-shell drying and storage practices should rapidly remove moisture to reduce losses. Ideally, nuts-in-shell should not be stored at high moisture content on-farm at temperatures over 30°C. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of sugar addition on glass transition temperatures of cassava starch with low to intermediate moisture contents.

PubMed

Figueroa, Yetzury; Guevara, Marvilan; Pérez, Adriana; Cova, Aura; Sandoval, Aleida J; Müller, Alejandro J

2016-08-01

This work studies how sucrose (S) addition modifies the thermal properties of cassava starch (CS). Neat CS and CS-S blends with 4, 6 and 8% sugar contents (CS-S-4%, CS-S-6% and CS-S-8%) were prepared and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), in a wide range of moisture levels (2-20%). In equilibrated samples with moisture contents lower than 10%, twoendothermic steps were observed during first DSC heating scans and two corresponding relaxation maxima in tan δ were detected by DMTA. The first transition, detected at around 45-55°C by both DSC and DMTA, is frequently found in starchy foods, while the second observed at higher temperatures is associated to the glass transition temperature of the blends. At higher moisture contents, only one thermal transition was observed. Samples analyzed immediately after cooling from the melt (i.e., after erasing their thermal history), exhibited a single glass transition temperature, regardless of their moisture content. Addition of sugar promotes water plasticization of CS only at high moisture contents. In the low moisture content range, anti-plasticization was observed for both neat and sugar-added CS samples. Addition of sugar decreases the moisture content needed to achieve the maximum value of the glass transition temperature before plasticization starts. The results of this work may be valuable for the study of texture establishment in low moisture content extruded food products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synopsis of moisture monitoring by neutron probe in the unsaturated zone at Area G

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vold, E.

1997-12-31

Moisture profiles from neutron probe data provide valuable information in site characterization and to supplement ground water monitoring efforts. The neutron probe precision error (reproducibility) is found to be about 0.2 vol% under in situ field conditions where the slope in moisture content with depth is varying slowly. This error is about 2 times larger near moisture spikes (e.g., at the vapor phase notch), due to the sensitivity of the probe response to vertical position errors on the order of 0.5 inches. Calibrations were performed to correct the downhole probe response to the volumetric moisture content determined on core samples.more » Calibration is sensitive to borehole diameter and casing type, requiring 3 separate calibration relations for the boreholes surveyed here. Power law fits were used for calibration in this study to assure moisture content results greater than zero. Findings in the boreholes reported here confirm the broad features seen previously in moisture profiles at Area G, a near-surface region with large moisture variability, a very dry region at greater depths, and a moisture spike at the vapor phase notch (VPN). This feature is located near the interface between the vitrified and vitrified stratigraphic units and near the base of the mesa. This report describes the in-field calibration methods used for the neutron moisture probe measurements and summarizes preliminary results of the monitoring program in the in-situ monitoring network at Area G. Reported results include three main areas: calibration studies, profiles from each of the vertical boreholes at Area G, and time-dependent variations in a select subset of boreholes. Results are reported here for the vertical borehole network. Results from the horizontal borehole network will be described when available.« less

Effects of moisture content of food waste on residue separation, larval growth and larval survival in black soldier fly bioconversion.

PubMed

Cheng, Jack Y K; Chiu, Sam L H; Lo, Irene M C

2017-09-01

In order to foster sustainable management of food waste, innovations in food waste valorization technologies are crucial. Black soldier fly (BSF) bioconversion is an emerging technology that can turn food waste into high-protein fish feed through the use of BSF larvae. The conventional method of BSF bioconversion is to feed BSF larvae with food waste directly without any moisture adjustment. However, it was reported that difficulty has been experienced in the separation of the residue (larval excreta and undigested material) from the insect biomass due to excessive moisture. In addition to the residue separation problem, the moisture content of the food waste may also affect the growth and survival aspects of BSF larvae. This study aims to determine the most suitable moisture content of food waste that can improve residue separation as well as evaluate the effects of the moisture content of food waste on larval growth and survival. In this study, pre-consumer and post-consumer food waste with different moisture content (70%, 75% and 80%) was fed to BSF larvae in a temperature-controlled rotary drum reactor. The results show that the residue can be effectively separated from the insect biomass by sieving using a 2.36mm sieve, for both types of food waste at 70% and 75% moisture content. However, sieving of the residue was not feasible for food waste at 80% moisture content. On the other hand, reduced moisture content of food waste was found to slow down larval growth. Hence, there is a trade-off between the sieving efficiency of the residue and the larval growth rate. Furthermore, the larval survival rate was not affected by the moisture content of food waste. A high larval survival rate of at least 95% was achieved using a temperature-controlled rotary drum reactor for all treatment groups. The study provides valuable insights for the waste management industry on understanding the effects of moisture content when employing BSF bioconversion for food waste recycling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MoisturEC: a new R program for moisture content estimation from electrical conductivity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

2018-01-01

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.

The effects of land use and its patterns on soil properties in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Fu, Bo-jie; Qiu, Yang; Chen, Li-ding

2003-03-01

Due to relatively strong human activities in the hilly area of Loess Plateau, the natural vegetation has been destroyed, and landscape pattern based on agricultural land matrix was land use mosaic composing of shrub land, grassland, woodland and orchard. This pattern has an important effect on soil moisture and soil nutrients. The Danangou catchment, a typical small catchment, was selected to study the effects of land use and its patterns on soil moisture and nutrients in this paper. The results are as follows: The comparisons of soil moisture among seven land uses for wet year and dry year were performed; (1) the average of soil moisture content for whole catchment was 12.11% in wet year, while it was 9.37% in dry year; (2) soil moisture among seven land uses significantly different in dry year, but not in wet year; (3) from wet year to dry year, the profile type of soil moisture changed from decreasing type to fluctuation-type and from fluctuant type to increasing type; (4) the increasing trend in soil moisture from the top to foot of hillslope occurred in simple land use along slope, while complicated distribution of soil moisture was observed in multiple land uses along slope. The relationship between soil nutrients and land uses and landscape positions were analysed: (1) five nutrient contents of soil organic matter (SOM), total N (TN), available N (AN), total P (TP) and available P (AP) in hilly area were lower than that in other area. SOM content was less than 1%, TN content less than 0.07%, and TP content between 0.05% and 0.06%; (2) SOM and TN contents in woodland, shrub land and grassland were significantly higher than that in fallow land and cropland, and higher level in soil fertility was found in crop-fruit intercropping land among croplands; (3) soil nutrient distribution and responses to landscape positions were variable depending on slope and the location of land use types.

Crunchiness Loss and Moisture Toughening in Puffed Cereals and Snacks.

PubMed

Peleg, Micha

2015-09-01

Upon moisture uptake, dry cellular cereals and snacks loose their brittleness and become soggy. This familiar phenomenon is manifested in smoothing their compressive force-displacement curves. These curves' degree of jaggedness, expressed by their apparent fractal dimension, can serve as an instrumental measure of the particles' crunchiness. The relationship between the apparent fractal dimension and moisture content or water activity has a characteristic sigmoid shape. The relationship between the sensorily perceived crunchiness and moisture also has a sigmoid shape whose inflection point lies at about the same location. The transition between the brittle and soggy states, however, appears sharper in the apparent fractal dimension compared with moisture plot. Less familiar is the observation that at moderate levels of moisture content, while the particles' crunchiness is being lost, their stiffness actually rises, a phenomenon that can be dubbed "moisture toughening." We show this phenomenon in commercial Peanut Butter Crunch® (sweet starch-based cereal), Cheese Balls (salty starch-based snack), and Pork Rind also known as "Chicharon" (salty deep-fried pork skin), 3 crunchy foods that have very different chemical composition. We also show that in the first 2 foods, moisture toughening was perceived sensorily as increased "hardness." We have concluded that the partial plasticization, which caused the brittleness loss, also inhibited failure propagation, which allowed the solid matrix to sustain higher stresses. This can explain other published reports of the phenomenon in different foods and model systems. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

MoisturEC: an R application for geostatistical estimation of moisture content from electrical conductivity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terry, N.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Werkema, D. D.; Lane, J. W., Jr.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture is a critical parameter for agriculture, water supply, and management of landfills. Whereas direct data (as from TDR or soil moisture probes) provide localized point scale information, it is often more desirable to produce 2D and/or 3D estimates of soil moisture from noninvasive measurements. To this end, geophysical methods for indirectly assessing soil moisture have great potential, yet are limited in terms of quantitative interpretation due to uncertainty in petrophysical transformations and inherent limitations in resolution. Simple tools to produce soil moisture estimates from geophysical data are lacking. We present a new standalone program, MoisturEC, for estimating moisture content distributions from electrical conductivity data. The program uses an indicator kriging method within a geostatistical framework to incorporate hard data (as from moisture probes) and soft data (as from electrical resistivity imaging or electromagnetic induction) to produce estimates of moisture content and uncertainty. The program features data visualization and output options as well as a module for calibrating electrical conductivity with moisture content to improve estimates. The user-friendly program is written in R - a widely used, cross-platform, open source programming language that lends itself to further development and customization. We demonstrate use of the program with a numerical experiment as well as a controlled field irrigation experiment. Results produced from the combined geostatistical framework of MoisturEC show improved estimates of moisture content compared to those generated from individual datasets. This application provides a convenient and efficient means for integrating various data types and has broad utility to soil moisture monitoring in landfills, agriculture, and other problems.

Estimating the fuel moisture content of indicator sticks from selected weather variables

Treesearch

Theodore G. Storey

1965-01-01

Equations were developed to predict the fuel moisture content of indicator sticks from the controlling weather variables. Moisture content of ⅛-inch thick basswood slats used in the South and East could be determined with about equal precision by equation in the critical low moisture range or by weighing at fire danger stations. The most useful equation...

A comparison of two methods for estimating conifer live foliar moisture content

Treesearch

W. Matt Jolly; Ann M. Hadlow

2012-01-01

Foliar moisture content is an important factor regulating how wildland fires ignite in and spread through live fuels but moisture content determination methods are rarely standardised between studies. One such difference lies between the uses of rapid moisture analysers or drying ovens. Both of these methods are commonly used in live fuel research but they have never...

Water content and the conversion of phytochrome regulation of lettuce dormancy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vertucci, C. W.; Vertucci, F. A.; Leopold, A. C.

1987-01-01

In an effort to determine which biological reactions can occur in relation to the water content of seeds, the regulation of lettuce seed dormancy by red and far red light was determined at various hydration levels. Far red light had an inhibiting effect on germination for seeds at all moisture contents from 4 to 32% water. Germination was progressively stimulated by red light as seed hydration increased from 8 to 15%, and reached a maximum at moisture contents above 18%. Red light was ineffective at moisture contents below 8%. Seeds that had been stimulated by red light and subsequently dried lost the enhanced germinability if stored at moisture contents above 8%. The contrast between the presumed photoconversion of phytochrome far red-absorbing (Pfr) to (Pr) occurring at any moisture content and the reverse reaction occurring only if the seed moisture content is greater than 8% may be explained on the basis of the existence of unstable intermediates in the Pr to Pfr conversion. Our results suggest that the initial photoreaction involved in phytochrome conversion is relatively independent of water content, while the subsequent partial reactions become increasingly facilitated as water content increases from 8 to 18%.

[Effects of soil moisture content and light intensity on the plant growth and leaf physiological characteristics of squash].

PubMed

Du, She-ni; Bai, Gang-shuan; Liang, Yin-li

2011-04-01

A pot experiment with artificial shading was conducted to study the effects of soil moisture content and light intensity on the plant growth and leaf physiological characteristics of squash variety "Jingyingyihao". Under all test soil moisture conditions, 30% shading promoted the growth of "Jingyingyihao", with the highest yield at 70% - 80% soil relative moisture contents. 70% shading inhibited plant growth severely, only flowering and not bearing fruits, no economic yield produced. In all treatments, there was a similar water consumption trend, i. e., both the daily and the total water consumption decreased with increasing shading and decreasing soil moisture content. Among all treatments, 30% shading and 70% - 80% soil relative moisture contents had the highest water use efficiency (2.36 kg mm(-1) hm(-2)) and water output rate (1.57 kg mm(-1) hm(-2)). The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content of squash leaves decreased with increasing shading, whereas the intercellular CO2 concentration was in adverse. The leaf protective enzyme activity and proline content decreased with increasing shading, and the leaf MAD content decreased in the order of 70% shading, natural radiation, and 30% shading. Under the three light intensities, the change characteristics of squash leaf photosynthesis, protective enzyme activity, and proline and MAD contents differed with the increase of soil relative moisture content.

Effects of moisture content in cigar tobacco on nicotine extraction. Similarity between soxhlet and focused open-vessel microwave-assisted techniques.

PubMed

Ng, Lay-Keow; Hupé, Michel

2003-09-05

The effects of tobacco moisture on nicotine yield were investigated in this study. Soxhlet and microwave-assisted techniques were used to extract nicotine from cigar fillers of varying moisture contents (5-20%), using a polar (methanol) and a non-polar (isooctane) solvent. The extracts were analyzed by a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame-ionization detector. For both extraction techniques, higher nicotine yields were consistently obtained with methanol than with isooctane from the same samples. Solubility of nicotine salts in methanol but not in isooctane is the major cause of this observation. Moreover, pronounced effects of the tobacco moisture content on extraction efficiency were observed with isooctane but not with methanol. For microwave assisted extraction (MAE) with isooctane, nicotine yield increased from 3 to 70% as the moisture level in tobacco was raised from 3 to 13%, and leveled off thereafter. Similar observations were made with Soxhlet extraction. While MAE results were rationalized by the known cell-rupture process, a mechanism based on the interaction between the solvents and the structural components of the plant cells has been proposed to account for the observations made with Soxhlet extraction.

Moisture Influence Reducing Method for Heavy Metals Detection in Plant Materials Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A Case Study for Chromium Content Detection in Rice Leaves.

PubMed

Peng, Jiyu; He, Yong; Ye, Lanhan; Shen, Tingting; Liu, Fei; Kong, Wenwen; Liu, Xiaodan; Zhao, Yun

2017-07-18

Fast detection of heavy metals in plant materials is crucial for environmental remediation and ensuring food safety. However, most plant materials contain high moisture content, the influence of which cannot be simply ignored. Hence, we proposed moisture influence reducing method for fast detection of heavy metals using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). First, we investigated the effect of moisture content on signal intensity, stability, and plasma parameters (temperature and electron density) and determined the main influential factors (experimental parameters F and the change of analyte concentration) on the variations of signal. For chromium content detection, the rice leaves were performed with a quick drying procedure, and two strategies were further used to reduce the effect of moisture content and shot-to-shot fluctuation. An exponential model based on the intensity of background was used to correct the actual element concentration in analyte. Also, the ratio of signal-to-background for univariable calibration and partial least squared regression (PLSR) for multivariable calibration were used to compensate the prediction deviations. The PLSR calibration model obtained the best result, with the correlation coefficient of 0.9669 and root-mean-square error of 4.75 mg/kg in the prediction set. The preliminary results indicated that the proposed method allowed for the detection of heavy metals in plant materials using LIBS, and it could be possibly used for element mapping in future work.

Estimating vegetation dryness to optimize fire risk assessment with spot vegetation satellite data in savanna ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbesselt, J.; Somers, B.; Lhermitte, S.; van Aardt, J.; Jonckheere, I.; Coppin, P.

2005-10-01

The lack of information on vegetation dryness prior to the use of fire as a management tool often leads to a significant deterioration of the savanna ecosystem. This paper therefore evaluated the capacity of SPOT VEGETATION time-series to monitor the vegetation dryness (i.e., vegetation moisture content per vegetation amount) in order to optimize fire risk assessment in the savanna ecosystem of Kruger National Park in South Africa. The integrated Relative Vegetation Index approach (iRVI) to quantify the amount of herbaceous biomass at the end of the rain season and the Accumulated Relative Normalized Difference vegetation index decrement (ARND) related to vegetation moisture content were selected. The iRVI and ARND related to vegetation amount and moisture content, respectively, were combined in order to monitor vegetation dryness and optimize fire risk assessment in the savanna ecosystems. In situ fire activity data was used to evaluate the significance of the iRVI and ARND to monitor vegetation dryness for fire risk assessment. Results from the binary logistic regression analysis confirmed that the assessment of fire risk was optimized by integration of both the vegetation quantity (iRVI) and vegetation moisture content (ARND) as statistically significant explanatory variables. Consequently, the integrated use of both iRVI and ARND to monitor vegetation dryness provides a more suitable tool for fire management and suppression compared to other traditional satellite-based fire risk assessment methods, only related to vegetation moisture content.

Hydrological modelling of the Mara River Basin, Kenya: Application of the Normalised Difference Infrared Index (NDII)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulsman, Petra; Savenije, Hubert; Bogaard, Thom

2017-04-01

In hydrology and water resources management, precipitation and discharge are the main time series for hydrological modelling. However, in African river catchments, the quantity and quality of the available precipitation stations and discharge measurements are unfortunately often inadequate for reliable hydrological modelling. To cope with these uncertainties, this study proposes to calibrate on water levels and to constrain the model using the Normalised Difference Infrared Index (NDII) as a proxy for root zone moisture stress. With the NDII, the leaf water content can be monitored. Previous studies related the NDII to the equivalent water thickness (EWT) of leaves, which is used to determine the vegetation water content (VWC). As the water content in the leaves is related to the water content in the root zone, the NDII can also be used as indicator of the soil moisture content in the root zone. In previous studies it was found that the root zone moisture content is exponentially correlated to the NDII during periods of moisture stress. In this study, the semi-distributed rainfall runoff model FLEX-Topo has been applied to the Mara River Basin. In this model seven sub-basins are distinguished and four hydrological response units with each a unique model structure based on the expected dominant flow processes. To calibrate the model, the water levels have been back-calculated from modelled discharges, using cross-section data and the Strickler formula calibrating parameter 'k•s1/2', and compared to measured water levels. In addition, the correlation between the NDII and root zone moisture content has been analysed for this river basin for each sub-catchment and hydrological response unit. Also, the application of the NDII as model constraint or for calibration has been analysed.

A Probe for Measuring Moisture Content in Dead Roundwood

Treesearch

Richard W. Blank; John S. Frost; James E. Eenigenburg

1983-01-01

This paper reports field test results of a wood moisture probe''s accuracy in measuring fuel moisture content of dead roundwood. Probe measurements, corrected for temperature, correlated well with observed fuel moistures of 1-inch dead jack pine branchwood.

Effects of heat-moisture treatment reaction conditions on the physicochemical and structural properties of maize starch: moisture and length of heating.

PubMed

Sui, Zhongquan; Yao, Tianming; Zhao, Yue; Ye, Xiaoting; Kong, Xiangli; Ai, Lianzhong

2015-04-15

Changes in the properties of normal maize starch (NMS) and waxy maize starch (WMS) after heat-moisture treatment (HMT) under various reaction conditions were investigated. NMS and WMS were adjusted to moisture levels of 20%, 25% and 30% and heated at 100 °C for 2, 4, 8 and 16 h. The results showed that moisture content was the most important factor in determining pasting properties for NMS, whereas the heating length was more important for WMS. Swelling power decreased in NMS but increased in WMS, and while the solubility index decreased for both samples, the changes were largely determined by moisture content. The gelatinisation temperatures of both samples increased with increasing moisture content but remained unchanged with increasing heating length. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorbance ratio was affected to different extents by the moisture levels but remained constant with increasing the heating length. The X-ray intensities increased but relative crystallinity decreased to a greater extent with increasing moisture content. This study showed that the levels of moisture content and length of heating had significant impacts on the structural and physicochemical properties of normal and waxy maize starches but to different extents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moisture content measurements of moss (Sphagnum spp.) using commercial sensors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yoshikawa, K.; Overduin, P.P.; Harden, J.W.

2004-01-01

Sphagnum (spp.) is widely distributed in permafrost regions around the arctic and subarctic. The moisture content of the moss layer affects the thermal insulative capacity and preservation of permafrost. It also controls the growth and collapse history of palsas and other peat mounds, and is relevant, in general terms, to permafrost thaw (thermokarst). In this study, we test and calibrate seven different soil moisture sensors for measuring the moisture content of Sphagnum moss under laboratory conditions. The soil volume to which each probe is sensitive is one of the important parameters influencing moisture measurement, particularly in a heterogeneous medium such as moss. Each sensor has a unique response to changing moisture content levels, solution salinity, moss bulk density and to the orientation (structure) of the Sphagnum relative to the sensor. All of the probes examined here require unique polynomial calibration equations to obtain moisture content from probe output. We provide polynomial equations for dead and live Sphagnum moss (R2 > 0.99. Copyright ?? 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

One-dimensional scanning of moisture in heated porous building materials with NMR.

PubMed

van der Heijden, G H A; Huinink, H P; Pel, L; Kopinga, K

2011-02-01

In this paper we present a new dedicated NMR setup which is capable of measuring one-dimensional moisture profiles in heated porous materials. The setup, which is placed in the bore of a 1.5 T whole-body scanner, is capable of reaching temperatures up to 500 °C. Moisture and temperature profiles can be measured quasi simultaneously with a typical time resolution of 2-5 min. A methodology is introduced for correcting temperature effects on NMR measurements at these elevated temperatures. The corrections are based on the Curie law for paramagnetism and the observed temperature dependence of the relaxation mechanisms occurring in porous materials. Both these corrections are used to obtain a moisture content profile from the raw NMR signal profile. To illustrate the methodology, a one-sided heating experiment of concrete with a moisture content in equilibrium with 97% RH is presented. This kind of heating experiment is of particular interest in the research on fire spalling of concrete, since it directly reveals the moisture and heat transport occurring inside the concrete. The obtained moisture profiles reveal a moisture peak building up behind the boiling front, resulting in a saturated layer. To our knowledge the direct proof of the formation of a moisture peak and subsequent moisture clogging has not been reported before. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy recovery from thermal treatment of dewatered sludge in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Yang, Qingfeng; Dussan, Karla; Monaghan, Rory F D; Zhan, Xinmin

Sewage sludge is a by-product generated from municipal wastewater treatment (WWT) processes. This study examines the conversion of sludge via energy recovery from gasification/combustion for thermal treatment of dewatered sludge. The present analysis is based on a chemical equilibrium model of thermal conversion of previously dewatered sludge with moisture content of 60-80%. Prior to combustion/gasification, sludge is dried to a moisture content of 25-55% by two processes: (1) heat recovered from syngas/flue gas cooling and (2) heat recovered from syngas combustion. The electricity recovered from the combined heat and power process can be reused in syngas cleaning and in the WWT plant. Gas temperature, total heat and electricity recoverable are evaluated using the model. Results show that generation of electricity from dewatered sludge with low moisture content (≤ 70%) is feasible within a self-sufficient sludge treatment process. Optimal conditions for gasification correspond to an equivalence ratio of 2.3 and dried sludge moisture content of 25%. Net electricity generated from syngas combustion can account for 0.071 kWh/m(3) of wastewater treated, which is up to 25.4-28.4% of the WWT plant's total energy consumption.

Influence of a step-change increase of peat moisture content on the horizontal propagation of smouldering fires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prat-Guitart, Nuria; Belcher, Claire M.; Hadden, Rory M.; Rein, Guillermo; Yearsley, Jon M.

2015-04-01

In shallow layers of peat, the transition between moss species causes a step-change of the horizontal distribution of peat moisture content. Post-fire studies in peatlands have reported shallow layers being consumed in irregular distributions. The unburned areas were found to be patches of wet Sphagnum moss. Our laboratory scale study analyses the effect of a horizontal step-change in moisture content on the spread of smouldering. We designed a laboratory-scale experiment (20×18×5 cm) within an insulated box filled with milled peat. Peat was ignited on one side of the box from which the smouldering fire horizontally self-propagates through a region of dry peat (MC1) and then through a wetter region of peat (MC2). An infrared camera, a webcam and thermocouples monitor the position of the smouldering fire spreading horizontally. The experiment was repeated with peats at different moisture content combinations to analyse the smouldering behaviour on a range of moisture content step-change conditions. The data analysis estimates the burned area and examines smouldering fire behaviour across a wide range of moisture content combinations reproducing realistic scenarios. We found that the area burned depends on peat moisture content before the step-change (MC1) as well as the increase in moisture of the step-change itself (difference between MC1 and MC2). Our study assists in researching the influence of peat moisture content on the spread of smouldering in peatland fire and contributes to a better understanding of the post-fire peatland landscape, helping to reconstruct smouldering fire events.

Inventory of File gdas1.t06z.sfluxgrbf00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

analysis Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [Fraction] 007 0.1-0.4 m below ground SOILW analysis Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [Fraction] 008 0-0.1 m below ground TMP analysis Temperature [K] 009 0.1-0.4 m Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [Fraction] 068 1-2 m below ground SOILW analysis Volumetric Soil Moisture

Effect of Moisture Content of Chitin-Calcium Silicate on Rate of Degradation of Cefotaxime Sodium.

PubMed

Al-Nimry, Suhair S; Alkhamis, Khouloud A

2018-04-01

Assessment of incompatibilities between active pharmaceutical ingredient and pharmaceutical excipients is an important part of preformulation studies. The objective of the work was to assess the effect of moisture content of chitin calcium silicate of two size ranges (two specific surface areas) on the rate of degradation of cefotaxime sodium. The surface area of the excipient was determined using adsorption method. The effect of moisture content of a given size range on the stability of the drug was determined at 40°C in the solid state. The moisture content was determined at the beginning and the end of the kinetic study using TGA. The degradation in solution was studied for comparison. Increasing the moisture content of the excipient of size range 63-180 μm (surface area 7.2 m 2 /g) from 3.88 to 8.06% increased the rate of degradation of the drug more than two times (from 0.0317 to 0.0718 h -1 ). While an opposite trend was observed for the excipient of size range < 63 μm (surface area 55.4 m 2 /g). The rate of degradation at moisture content < 3% was 0.4547 h -1 , almost two times higher than that (0.2594 h -1 ) at moisture content of 8.54%, and the degradation in solid state at both moisture contents was higher than that in solution (0.0871 h -1 ). In conclusion, the rate of degradation in solid should be studied taking into consideration the specific surface area and moisture content of the excipient at the storage condition and it may be higher than that in solution.

Subgrade moisture & temperature variations under road pavements in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-01-01

In this investigation the changes in the subgrade moisture content under five road pavements ranging in age from new to about ten years old were determined and evaluated. The moisture content was determined by means of a nuclear moisture depth probe....

Application of spatial time domain reflectometry measurements in heterogeneous, rocky substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, C.; Scheuermann, A.; Arnold, S.; Baumgartl, T.

2016-10-01

Measurement of soil moisture across depths using sensors is currently limited to point measurements or remote sensing technologies. Point measurements have limitations on spatial resolution, while the latter, although covering large areas may not represent real-time hydrologic processes, especially near the surface. The objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of elongated soil moisture probes—spatial time domain reflectometry (STDR)—and to describe transient soil moisture dynamics of unconsolidated mine waste rock materials. The probes were calibrated under controlled conditions in the glasshouse. Transient soil moisture content was measured using the gravimetric method and STDR. Volumetric soil moisture content derived from weighing was compared with values generated from a numerical model simulating the drying process. A calibration function was generated and applied to STDR field data sets. The use of elongated probes effectively assists in the real-time determination of the spatial distribution of soil moisture. It also allows hydrologic processes to be uncovered in the unsaturated zone, especially for water balance calculations that are commonly based on point measurements. The elongated soil moisture probes can potentially describe transient substrate processes and delineate heterogeneity in terms of the pore size distribution in a seasonally wet but otherwise arid environment.

Effect of temperature and moisture content on tensile behaviour of false banana fibre (Ensete ventricosum)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizera, Cestmir; Herak, David; Hrabe, Petr; Kabutey, Abraham

2017-07-01

The mechanical behaviour of natural fibres as composite materials can be affected by changes in temperature and moisture content. The aim of this paper was to describe the effect of temperature and moisture content on tensile strength of false banana fibre (Ensete ventricosum) and to determine its water absorption. Samples of fibres were prepared and tested until rupture point with strain rate of 0.05 min-1 at temperature change between -20 and 220°C as well as moisture content between 10 and 90% wb. The water absorption and release of Ensete fibres at 60 and 90% relative humidity was also determined. Results showed that Ensete fibres exhibited stability of tensile strength in the temperature range from 0 to 100°C but the increase of temperature decreased statistically significantly the tensile strength. The effect of moisture content on tensile strength was not statistically significant. The equilibrium moisture content at 60% relative humidity and 25°C was determined.

Probing bias reduction to improve comparability of lint cotton water and moisture contents at moisture equilibrium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Karl Fischer Titration (KFT) reference method is specific for water in lint cotton and was designed for samples conditioned to moisture equilibrium, thus limiting its biases. There is a standard method for moisture content – weight loss – by oven drying (OD), just not for equilibrium moisture c...

The impact of cerium oxide nanoparticles on the physiology of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) under different soil moisture conditions.

PubMed

Cao, Zhiming; Rossi, Lorenzo; Stowers, Cheyenne; Zhang, Weilan; Lombardini, Leonardo; Ma, Xingmao

2018-01-01

The ongoing global climate change raises concerns over the decreasing moisture content in agricultural soils. Our research investigated the physiological impact of two types of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) on soybean at different moisture content levels. One CeO 2 NP was positively charged on the surface and the other negatively charged due to the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating. The results suggest that the effect of CeO 2 NPs on plant photosynthesis and water use efficiency (WUE) was dependent upon the soil moisture content. Both types of CeO 2 NPs exhibited consistently positive impacts on plant photosynthesis at the moisture content above 70% of field capacity (θ fc ). Similar positive impact of CeO 2 NPs was not observed at 55% θ fc , suggesting that the physiological impact of CeO 2 NPs was dependent upon the soil moisture content. The results also revealed that V Cmax (maximum carboxylation rate) was affected by CeO 2 NPs, indicating that CeO 2 NPs affected the Rubisco activity which governs carbon assimilation in photosynthesis. In conclusion, CeO 2 NPs demonstrated significant impacts on the photosynthesis and WUE of soybeans and such impacts were affected by the soil moisture content. Graphical abstract Soil moisture content affects plant cerium oxide nanoparticle interactions.

Study of morphology, chemical, and amino acid composition of red deer meat.

PubMed

Okuskhanova, Eleonora; Assenova, Bahytkul; Rebezov, Maksim; Amirkhanov, Kumarbek; Yessimbekov, Zhanibek; Smolnikova, Farida; Nurgazezova, Almagul; Nurymkhan, Gulnur; Stuart, Marilyne

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate red deer (maral) meat quality based on chemical composition, pH, water-binding capacity (WBC), and amino acid content. Maral meat surface morphology measurements were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Active acidity (pH) was determined by potentiometry. Samples were analyzed for WBC by exudation of moisture to a filter paper by the application of pressure. Chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, and ash fractions) was obtained by drying at 150°C and by extraction, using ethylic ether, and ashing at 500-600°C. The amino acid composition was obtained by liquid chromatography. Maral meat, with a pH of 5.85 and an average moisture content of 76.82%, was found to be low in fat (2.26%). Its protein content was 18.71% while its ash content was 2.21%. The amino acid composition showed that lysine (9.85 g/100 g), threonine (5.38 g/100 g), and valine (5.84 g/100 g) predominated in maral meat, while phenylalanine (4.08 g/100 g), methionine (3.29 g/100 g), and tryptophan (0.94 g/100 g) were relatively low in maral meat compared to other meats. The average WBC was found to be 65.82% and WBC was found to inversely correlate with moisture content. Low-fat content, high mineral content, and balanced amino-acid composition qualify maral meat as a worthy dietary and functional food.

Study of morphology, chemical, and amino acid composition of red deer meat

PubMed Central

Okuskhanova, Eleonora; Assenova, Bahytkul; Rebezov, Maksim; Amirkhanov, Kumarbek; Yessimbekov, Zhanibek; Smolnikova, Farida; Nurgazezova, Almagul; Nurymkhan, Gulnur; Stuart, Marilyne

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate red deer (maral) meat quality based on chemical composition, pH, water-binding capacity (WBC), and amino acid content. Materials and Methods: Maral meat surface morphology measurements were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Active acidity (pH) was determined by potentiometry. Samples were analyzed for WBC by exudation of moisture to a filter paper by the application of pressure. Chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, and ash fractions) was obtained by drying at 150°C and by extraction, using ethylic ether, and ashing at 500-600°C. The amino acid composition was obtained by liquid chromatography. Results: Maral meat, with a pH of 5.85 and an average moisture content of 76.82%, was found to be low in fat (2.26%). Its protein content was 18.71% while its ash content was 2.21%. The amino acid composition showed that lysine (9.85 g/100 g), threonine (5.38 g/100 g), and valine (5.84 g/100 g) predominated in maral meat, while phenylalanine (4.08 g/100 g), methionine (3.29 g/100 g), and tryptophan (0.94 g/100 g) were relatively low in maral meat compared to other meats. The average WBC was found to be 65.82% and WBC was found to inversely correlate with moisture content. Conclusion: Low-fat content, high mineral content, and balanced amino-acid composition qualify maral meat as a worthy dietary and functional food. PMID:28717313

Evaluating the impact of water supply strategies on p-xylene biodegradation performance in an organic media-based biofilter.

PubMed

Gallastegui, G; Muñoz, R; Barona, A; Ibarra-Berastegi, G; Rojo, N; Elías, A

2011-01-30

The influence of water irrigation on both the long-term and short-term performance of p-xylene biodegradation under several organic loading scenarios was investigated using an organic packing material composed of pelletised sawdust and pig manure. Process operation in a modular biofilter, using no external water supply other than the moisture from the saturated inlet air stream, showed poor p-xylene abatement efficiencies (≈33 ± 7%), while sustained irrigation every 25 days rendered a high removal efficiency (RE) for a critical loading rate of 120 g m(-3)h(-1). Periodic profiles of removal efficiency, temperature and moisture content were recorded throughout the biofilter column subsequent to each biofilter irrigation. Hence, higher p-xylene biodegradation rates were always initially recorded in the upper module, which resulted in a subsequent increase in temperature and a decrease in moisture content. This decrease in the moisture content in the upper module resulted in a higher removal rate in the middle module, while the moisture level in the lower module steadily increased as a result of water condensation. Based on these results, mass balance calculations performed using measured bed temperatures and relatively humidity values were successfully used to account for water balances in the biofilter over time. Finally, the absence of bed compaction after 550 days of continuous operation confirmed the suitability of this organic material for biofiltration processes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of plasticizer type and concentration on physical properties of biodegradable films based on sugar palm (arenga pinnata) starch for food packaging.

PubMed

Sanyang, M L; Sapuan, S M; Jawaid, M; Ishak, M R; Sahari, J

2016-01-01

In this study, sugar palm starch (SPS) films were developed using glycerol (G), sorbitol (S) or their combination (GS) as plasticizers at the ratio of 15, 30 and 45 (wt)% using casting technique. The addition of plasticizers to SPS film-forming solutions helped to overcome the brittle and fragile nature of unplasticized SPS films. Increased plasticizer concentration resulted to an increase in film thickness, moisture content and solubility. On the contrary, density and water absorption of plasticized films decreased with increasing plasticizer concentration. Raising the plasticizer content from 15 to 45 % showed less effect on the moisture content and water absorption of S-plasticized films. Films containing glycerol and glycerol-sorbitol plasticizer (G, and GS) demonstrated higher moisture content, solubility and water absorption capacity compared to S-plasticized films. The results obtained in this study showed that plasticizer type and concentration significantly improves film properties and enhances their suitability for food packaging applications.

Laboratory microwave measurement of the moisture content in seed cotton and ginned cotton fiber

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The timely and accurate measurement of cotton fiber moisture content is important, but the measurement is often performed by laborious, time-consuming laboratory oven drying methods. Microwave technology for measuring fiber moisture content directly (not for drying only) offers potential advantages...

Water content estimated from point scale to plot scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akyurek, Z.; Binley, A. M.; Demir, G.; Abgarmi, B.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture controls the portioning of rainfall into infiltration and runoff. Here we investigate measurements of soil moisture using a range of techniques spanning different spatial scales. In order to understand soil water content in a test basin, 512 km2 in area, in the south of Turkey, a Cosmic Ray CRS200B soil moisture probe was installed at elevation of 1459 m and an ML3 ThetaProbe (CS 616) soil moisture sensor was established at 5cm depth used to get continuous soil moisture. Neutron count measurements were corrected for the changes in atmospheric pressure, atmospheric water vapour and intensity of incoming neutron flux. The calibration of the volumetric soil moisture was performed, from the laboratory analysis, the bulk density varies between 1.719 (g/cm3) -1.390 (g/cm3), and the dominant soil texture is silty clay loam and silt loamThe water content reflectometer was calibrated for soil-specific conditions and soil moisture estimates were also corrected with respect to soil temperature. In order to characterize the subsurface, soil electrical resistivity tomography was used. Wenner and Schlumberger array geometries were used with electrode spacing varied from 1m- 5 m along 40 m and 200 m profiles. From the inversions of ERT data it is apparent that within 50 m distance from the CRS200B, the soil is moderately resistive to a depth of 2m and more conductive at greater depths. At greater distances from the CRS200B, the ERT results indicate more resistive soils. In addition to the ERT surveys, ground penetrating radar surveys using a common mid-point configuration was used with 200MHz antennas. The volumetric soil moisture obtained from GPR appears to overestimate those based on TDR observations. The values obtained from CS616 (at a point scale) and CRS200B (at a mesoscale) are compared with the values obtained at a plot scale. For the field study dates (20-22.06.2017) the volumetric moisture content obtained from CS616 were 25.14%, 25.22% and 25.96% respectively. The values obtained from CRS200B were 23.23%, 22.81% and 23.26% for the same dates. Whereas the values obtained from GPR were between 32%-44%. Soil moisture observed by CRS200B is promising to monitor the water content in the soil at the mesoscale and ERT surveys help to understand the spatial variability of the soil water content within the footprint of CRS200B.

Discrimination of soil hydraulic properties by combined thermal infrared and microwave remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandegriend, A. A.; Oneill, P. E.

1986-01-01

Using the De Vries models for thermal conductivity and heat capacity, thermal inertia was determined as a function of soil moisture for 12 classes of soil types ranging from sand to clay. A coupled heat and moisture balance model was used to describe the thermal behavior of the top soil, while microwave remote sensing was used to estimate the soil moisture content of the same top soil. Soil hydraulic parameters are found to be very highly correlated with the combination of soil moisture content and thermal inertia at the same moisture content. Therefore, a remotely sensed estimate of the thermal behavior of the soil from diurnal soil temperature observations and an independent remotely sensed estimate of soil moisture content gives the possibility of estimating soil hydraulic properties by remote sensing.

MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data.

PubMed

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Werkema, Dale; Lane, John W

2018-03-06

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data-analysis tools are needed to "translate" geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user-friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil-moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two- and three-dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Modeling the Soil Water and Energy Balance of a Mixed Grass Rangeland and Evaluating a Soil Water Based Drought Index in Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engda, T. A.; Kelleners, T. J.; Paige, G. B.

2013-12-01

Soil water content plays an important role in the complex interaction between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Automated soil water content sensing is increasingly being used to assess agricultural drought conditions. A one-dimensional vertical model that calculates incoming solar radiation, canopy energy balance, surface energy balance, snow pack dynamics, soil water flow, snow-soil heat exchange is applied to calculate water flow and heat transport in a Rangeland soil located near Lingel, Wyoming. The model is calibrated and validated using three years of measured soil water content data. Long-term average soil water content dynamics are calculated using a 30 year historical data record. The difference between long-term average soil water content and observed soil water content is compared with plant biomass to evaluate the usefulness of soil water content as a drought indicator. Strong correlation between soil moisture surplus/deficit and plant biomass may prove our hypothesis that soil water content is a good indicator of drought conditions. Soil moisture based drought index is calculated using modeled and measured soil water data input and is compared with measured plant biomass data. A drought index that captures local drought conditions proves the importance of a soil water monitoring network for Wyoming Rangelands to fill the gap between large scale drought indices, which are not detailed enough to assess conditions at local level, and local drought conditions. Results from a combined soil moisture monitoring and computer modeling, and soil water based drought index soil are presented to quantify vertical soil water flow, heat transport, historical soil water variations and drought conditions in the study area.

Foliar Moisture Contents of North American Conifers

Treesearch

Christopher R. Keyes

2006-01-01

Foliar moisture content (FMC) is a primary factor in the canopy ignition process as surface fire transitions to crown fire. In combination with measured stand data and assumed environmental conditions, reasonable estimates of foliar moisture content are necessary to determine and justify silvicultural targets for canopy fuels management strategies. FMC values reported...

An empirical model for the complex dielectric permittivity of soils as a function of water content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J. R.; Chmugge, T. J.

1978-01-01

The recent measurements on the dielectric properties of soils shows that the variation of dielectric constant with moisture content depends on soil types. The observed dielectric constant increases only slowly with moisture content up to a transition point. Beyond the transition it increases rapidly with moisture content. The moisture value of transition region was found to be higher for high clay content soils than for sandy soils. Many mixing formulas were compared with, and were found incompatible with, the measured dielectric variations of soil-water mixtures. A simple empirical model was proposed to describe the dielectric behavior of ths soil-water mixtures. The relationship between transition moisture and wilting point provides a means of estimating soil dielectric properties on the basis of texture information.

Effect of initial moisture content on the in-vessel composting under air pressure of organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco.

PubMed

Makan, Abdelhadi; Assobhei, Omar; Mountadar, Mohammed

2013-01-03

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of initial moisture content on the in-vessel composting under air pressure of organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco in terms of internal temperature, produced gases quantity, organic matter conversion rate, and the quality of the final composts.For this purpose, in-vessel bioreactor was designed and used to evaluate both appropriate initial air pressure and appropriate initial moisture content for the composting process. Moreover, 5 experiments were carried out within initial moisture content of 55%, 65%, 70%, 75% and 85%. The initial air pressure and the initial moisture content of the mixture showed a significant effect on the aerobic composting. The experimental results demonstrated that for composting organic waste, relatively high moisture contents are better at achieving higher temperatures and retaining them for longer times.This study suggested that an initial moisture content of around 75%, under 0.6 bar, can be considered as being suitable for efficient composting of organic fraction of municipal solid waste. These last conditions, allowed maximum value of temperature and final composting product with good physicochemical properties as well as higher organic matter degradation and higher gas production. Moreover, final compost obtained showed good maturity levels and can be used for agricultural applications.

Assessment of the physical, mechanical, and moisture-retention properties of pullulan-based ternary co-blended films.

PubMed

Pan, Hongyang; Jiang, Bo; Chen, Jie; Jin, Zhengyu

2014-11-04

Multi-component substances made through direct blending or blending with co-drying can form films on the surfaces of intermediate moisture foods (IMFs), which help retain moisture and protect food texture and flavor. An IMF film system based on pullulan, with glycerol serving as the plasticizer, was studied using alginate and four different types of polysaccharides (propyleneglycol alginate, pectin, carrageenan, and aloe polysaccharide) as the blend-modified substances. The physical, mechanical, color, transparency, and moisture-retention properties of the co-blended films with the polysaccharides were assessed. A new formula was established for the average moisture retention property, water barrier, tensile strength, elongation at break, and oxygen barrier property of the ternary co-blended films using the Design Expert software. The new model established for moisture content measurement used an indirect method of film formation on food surfaces by humectants, which should expedite model validation and allow a better comprehension of moisture transfer through edible films. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared remote sensing to study soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, M. B.; Greeley, R.; Goettelman, R.

1974-01-01

Two methods are described which are used to estimate soil moisture remotely using the 0.4- to 14.0 micron wavelength region: (1) measurement of spectral reflectance, and (2) measurement of soil temperature. The reflectance method is based on observations which show that directional reflectance decreases as soil moisture increases for a given material. The soil temperature method is based on observations which show that differences between daytime and nighttime soil temperatures decrease as moisture content increases for a given material. In some circumstances, separate reflectance or temperature measurements yield ambiguous data, in which case these two methods may be combined to obtain a valid soil moisture determination. In this combined approach, reflectance is used to estimate low moisture levels; and thermal inertia (or thermal diffusivity) is used to estimate higher levels. The reflectance method appears promising for surface estimates of soil moisture, whereas the temperature method appears promising for estimates of near-subsurface (0 to 10 cm).

Use of visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared remote sensing to study soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, M. B.; Greeley, R.; Goettelman, R.

1974-01-01

Two methods are used to estimate soil moisture remotely using the 0.4- to 14.0-micron wavelength region: (1) measurement of spectral reflectance, and (2) measurement of soil temperature. The reflectance method is based on observations which show that directional reflectance decreases as soil moisture increases for a given material. The soil temperature method is based on observations which show that differences between daytime and nighttime soil temperatures decrease as moisture content increases for a given material. In some circumstances, separate reflectance or temperature measurements yield ambiguous data, in which case these two methods may be combined to obtain a valid soil moisture determination. In this combined approach, reflectance is used to estimate low moisture levels; and thermal inertia (or thermal diffusivity) is used to estimate higher levels. The reflectance method appears promising for surface estimates of soil moisture, whereas the temperature method appears promising for estimates of near-subsurface (0 to 10 cm).

Effect of Root Moisture Content and Diameter on Root Tensile Properties.

PubMed

Yang, Yuanjun; Chen, Lihua; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiufen

2016-01-01

The stabilization of slopes by vegetation has been a topical issue for many years. Root mechanical characteristics significantly influence soil reinforcement; therefore it is necessary to research into the indicators of root tensile properties. In this study, we explored the influence of root moisture content on tensile resistance and strength with different root diameters and for different tree species. Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Larix gmelinii, the most popular tree species used for slope stabilization in the rocky mountainous areas of northern China, were used in this study. A tensile test was conducted after root samples were grouped by diameter and moisture content. The results showedthat:1) root moisture content had a significant influence on tensile properties; 2) slightly loss of root moisture content could enhance tensile strength, but too much loss of water resulted in weaker capacity for root elongation, and consequently reduced tensile strength; 3) root diameter had a strong positive correlation with tensile resistance; and4) the roots of Betula platyphylla had the best tensile properties when both diameter and moisture content being controlled. These findings improve our understanding of root tensile properties with root size and moisture, and could be useful for slope stabilization using vegetation.

Effect of Root Moisture Content and Diameter on Root Tensile Properties

PubMed Central

Yang, Yuanjun; Chen, Lihua; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiufen

2016-01-01

The stabilization of slopes by vegetation has been a topical issue for many years. Root mechanical characteristics significantly influence soil reinforcement; therefore it is necessary to research into the indicators of root tensile properties. In this study, we explored the influence of root moisture content on tensile resistance and strength with different root diameters and for different tree species. Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Larix gmelinii, the most popular tree species used for slope stabilization in the rocky mountainous areas of northern China, were used in this study. A tensile test was conducted after root samples were grouped by diameter and moisture content. The results showedthat:1) root moisture content had a significant influence on tensile properties; 2) slightly loss of root moisture content could enhance tensile strength, but too much loss of water resulted in weaker capacity for root elongation, and consequently reduced tensile strength; 3) root diameter had a strong positive correlation with tensile resistance; and4) the roots of Betula platyphylla had the best tensile properties when both diameter and moisture content being controlled. These findings improve our understanding of root tensile properties with root size and moisture, and could be useful for slope stabilization using vegetation. PMID:27003872

High Pressure Compression-Molding of α-Cellulose and Effects of Operating Conditions.

PubMed

Pintiaux, Thibaud; Viet, David; Vandenbossche, Virginie; Rigal, Luc; Rouilly, Antoine

2013-05-30

Commercial α-cellulose was compression-molded to produce 1A dog-bone specimens under various operating conditions without any additive. The resulting agromaterials exhibited a smooth, plastic-like surface, and constituted a suitable target as replacement for plastic materials. Tensile and three-points bending tests were conducted according to ISO standards related to the evaluation of plastic materials. The specimens had strengths comparable to classical petroleum-based thermoplastics. They also exhibited high moduli, which is characteristic of brittle materials. A higher temperature and higher pressure rate produced specimens with higher mechanical properties while low moisture content produced weaker specimens. Generally, the strong specimen had higher specific gravity and lower moisture content. However, some parameters did not follow the general trend e.g., thinner specimen showed much higher Young's Modulus, although their specific gravity and moisture content remained similar to control, revealing a marked skin-effect which was confirmed by SEM observations.

Identification of Human-Induced Changes in Atmospheric Moisture Content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santer, B.D.; Mears, C.; Wentz, F.J.; Taylor, K.E.; Gleckler, P.J.; Wigley, T.M.; Barnett, T.P.; Boyle, J.S.; Bruggemann, W.; Gillett, N.P.;

NIR technology for on-line determination of superficial a(w) and moisture content during the drying process of fermented sausages.

PubMed

Collell, Carles; Gou, Pere; Arnau, Jacint; Muñoz, Israel; Comaposada, Josep

2012-12-01

Three different NIR equipment were evaluated based on their ability to predict superficial water activity (a(w)) and moisture content in two types of fermented sausages (with and without moulds on surface), using partial least squares (PLS) regression models. The instruments differed mainly in wavelength range, resolution and measurement configuration. The most accurate equipment was used in a new experiment to achieve robust models in sausages with different salt contents and submitted to different drying conditions. The models developed showed determination coefficients (R(2)(P)) values of 0.990, 0.910 and 0.984, and RMSEP values of 1.560%, 0.220% and 0.007% for moisture, salt and a(w) respectively. It was demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy could be a suitable non-destructive method for on-line monitoring and control of the drying process in fermented sausages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Pressure Compression-Molding of α-Cellulose and Effects of Operating Conditions

PubMed Central

Pintiaux, Thibaud; Viet, David; Vandenbossche, Virginie; Rigal, Luc; Rouilly, Antoine

2013-01-01

Commercial α-cellulose was compression-molded to produce 1A dog-bone specimens under various operating conditions without any additive. The resulting agromaterials exhibited a smooth, plastic-like surface, and constituted a suitable target as replacement for plastic materials. Tensile and three-points bending tests were conducted according to ISO standards related to the evaluation of plastic materials. The specimens had strengths comparable to classical petroleum-based thermoplastics. They also exhibited high moduli, which is characteristic of brittle materials. A higher temperature and higher pressure rate produced specimens with higher mechanical properties while low moisture content produced weaker specimens. Generally, the strong specimen had higher specific gravity and lower moisture content. However, some parameters did not follow the general trend e.g., thinner specimen showed much higher Young’s Modulus, although their specific gravity and moisture content remained similar to control, revealing a marked skin-effect which was confirmed by SEM observations. PMID:28809271

Field performance of three real-time moisture sensors in sandy loam and clay loam soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study was conducted to evaluate HydraProbe (HyP), Campbell Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and Watermarks (WM) moisture sensors for their ability to estimate water content based on calibrated neutron probe measurements. The three sensors were in-situ tested under natural weather conditions over ...

An Automated Approach to Peanut dring with real-time monitoring of in-shell Kernel Moisture Content with a Microwave Sensor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Today’s peanut drying processes utilize decision support software based on modeling and require substantial human interaction for moisture sampling. These conditions increase the likelihood of peanuts being overdried or underdried. This research addresses the need for an automated controller with re...

Prediction of moisture variation during composting process: A comparison of mathematical models.

PubMed

Wang, Yongjiang; Ai, Ping; Cao, Hongliang; Liu, Zhigang

2015-10-01

This study was carried out to develop and compare three models for simulating the moisture content during composting. Model 1 described changes in water content using mass balance, while Model 2 introduced a liquid-gas transferred water term. Model 3 predicted changes in moisture content without complex degradation kinetics. Average deviations for Model 1-3 were 8.909, 7.422 and 5.374 kg m(-3) while standard deviations were 10.299, 8.374 and 6.095, respectively. The results showed that Model 1 is complex and involves more state variables, but can be used to reveal the effect of humidity on moisture content. Model 2 tested the hypothesis of liquid-gas transfer and was shown to be capable of predicting moisture content during composting. Model 3 could predict water content well without considering degradation kinetics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Radar Vegetation Indices for Vegetation Water Content Estimation Using Data from a Ground-Based SMAP Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Prashant K.; O'Neill, Peggy; Cosh, Michael; Lang, Roger; Joseph, Alicia

2015-01-01

Vegetation water content (VWC) is an important component of microwave soil moisture retrieval algorithms. This paper aims to estimate VWC using L band active and passive radar/radiometer datasets obtained from a NASA ground-based Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) simulator known as ComRAD (Combined Radar/Radiometer). Several approaches to derive vegetation information from radar and radiometer data such as HH, HV, VV, Microwave Polarization Difference Index (MPDI), HH/VV ratio, HV/(HH+VV), HV/(HH+HV+VV) and Radar Vegetation Index (RVI) are tested for VWC estimation through a generalized linear model (GLM). The overall analysis indicates that HV radar backscattering could be used for VWC content estimation with highest performance followed by HH, VV, MPDI, RVI, and other ratios.

Dielectric properties for prediction of moisture content in Vidalia onions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microwave Sensing provides a means for nondestructively determining the amount of moisture in materials by sensing the dielectric properties of the material. In this study, dielectric properties of Vidalia onions were analyzed for moisture dependence at 13.36 GHz and 23°C for moisture content betwee...

Microwave moisture measurement of cotton fiber moisture content in the laboratory

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The moisture content of cotton fiber is an important fiber property, but it is often measured by a laborious, time-consuming laboratory oven drying method. A program was implemented to establish the capabilities of a laboratory microwave moisture measurement instrument to perform rapid, precise and...

Effect of grain moisture content during milling on pasting profile and functional properties of amaranth fractions.

PubMed

Kumar, K Vishnuswamy Preetham; Dharmaraj, Usha; Sakhare, Suresh D; Inamdar, Aashitosh A

2016-05-01

Evaluation of functional properties of milled fractions of grain amaranth may be useful to decide the end uses of the grain. Hence, pasting profiles of amaranth fractions obtained by milling the grains at different moisture contents were studied in relation with their starch profile and also with their swelling power and solubility indices. It was observed that, for flour fraction, the viscosity parameters were lowest at 14-16 % moisture content. Swelling power and solubility indices of the samples varied as a function of grain moisture content. The middling fraction also showed similar pasting pattern with the variation of grain moisture content. The seed coat fractions showed higher gelatinization temperature compared to that of fine flour and middling fractions. However, starch content of the fine seed coat fraction was comparable with that of the flour and middling fractions. The coarse seed coat fraction showed lower viscosity parameters than the other samples. Viscosity parameters correlated well among themselves while, they did not show significant correlation with the starch content. However, the viscosity parameters showed negative correlation with the soluble amylose content. The study revealed that, the fractions obtained by milling the grains at different moisture content show differential pasting profiles and functional properties.

Electromagnetic characterization of white spruce at different moisture contents using synthetic aperture radar imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingemi, Christopher M.; Owusu Twumasi, Jones; Yu, Tzuyang

2018-03-01

Detection and quantification of moisture content inside wood (timber) is key to ensuring safety and reliability of timber structures. Moisture inside wood attracts insects and fosters the development of fungi to attack the timber, causing significant damages and reducing the load bearing capacity during their design life. The use of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques (e.g., microwave/radar, ultrasonic, stress wave, and X-ray) for condition assessment of timber structures is a good choice. NDE techniques provide information about the level of deterioration and material properties of timber structures without obstructing their functionality. In this study, microwave/radar NDE technique was selected for the characterization of wood at different moisture contents. A 12 in-by-3.5 in-by-1.5 in. white spruce specimen (picea glauca) was imaged at different moisture contents using a 10 GHz synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor inside an anechoic chamber. The presence of moisture was found to increase the SAR image amplitude as expected. Additionally, integrated SAR amplitude was found beneficial in modeling the moisture content inside the wood specimen.

Impact of Different Elastomer Formulations on Moisture Permeation through Stoppers Used for Lyophilized Products Stored under Humid Conditions.

PubMed

Sasaki, Hitoshi; Kikuchi, Jun; Maeda, Terutoshi; Kuboniwa, Hitoshi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of moisture permeability of different elastomer formulation stoppers, which had different moisture absorption abilities, on the increase of moisture content inside lyophilized vials during long-term storage under humid conditions. Two different elastomer formulation stoppers (high-moisture and low-moisture uptake stoppers) were compared. The increased amount of moisture content inside lyophilized vials fitted with high-moisture stoppers was higher than those fitted with low-moisture stoppers during the early stage of storage. However, this trend was reversed during the later stage of storage. Our data show that the moisture increase inside the lyophilized vials at the early stage was caused by moisture transfer from the stoppers, whereas the later moisture increase was caused by external moisture permeation through the stoppers. Results indicate that the difference in the moisture uptake profile inside the lyophilized vials at each period of storage was caused by the moisture absorption ability and moisture permeation ability of the two elastomer formulation stoppers. In terms of long-term storage stability under humid conditions, our data indicate that external moisture permeating through the stopper into the lyophilized vial during the late stage was the more important factor. In addition, the increase in moisture content at the early stage was controlled by stopper drying time. Furthermore, stopper drying time did not have an effect on moisture permeation at the late stage. Moisture permeation during the storage period appears to be dependent on the different elastomer formulations of the stoppers. The moisture permeation of different elastomer stoppers was an important factor in terms of the increased moisture content inside the lyophilized vials during the late stage of long-term storage under humid conditions. For lyophilized products stored at room temperature, the moisture permeation ability of the stopper is one of the most important factors for long-term storage stability.

The modelling influence of water content to mechanical parameter of soil in analysis of slope stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusman, M.; Nazki, A.; Putra, R. R.

2018-04-01

One of the parameters in slope stability analysis is the shear strength of the soil. Changes in soil shear strength characteristics lead to a decrease in safety factors on the slopes. This study aims to see the effect of increased moisture content on soil mechanical parameters. The case study study was conducted on the slopes of Sitinjau Lauik Kota Padang. The research method was done by laboratory analysis and simple liniear regression analysis and multiple. Based on the test soil results show that the increase in soil water content causes a decrease in cohesion values and internal shear angle. The relationship of moisture content to cohesion is described in equation Y = 55.713-0,6X with R2 = 0.842. While the relationship of water content to shear angle in soil is described in the equation Y = 38.878-0.258X with R2 = 0.915. From several simulations of soil water level improvement, calculation of safety factor (SF) of slope. The calculation results show that the increase of groundwater content is very significant affect the safety factor (SF) slope. SF slope values are in safe condition when moisture content is 50% and when it reaches maximum water content 73.74% slope safety factor value potentially for landslide.

Dehumidifier assisted drying of a model fruit pulp-based gel and sensory attributes.

PubMed

Tiwari, Shipra; Ravi, Ramasamy; Bhattacharya, Suvendu

2012-07-01

Model fruit pulp-based gels were prepared by varying mango pulp (0% to 50%), sucrose (0% to 20%), and agar (1% to 3%) and according to a response surface experimental design followed by drying at a low temperature of 40 °C upto 15 h in a tray dryer assisted by a dehumidifier. The moisture content, shrinkage (SHR), and rheological parameters (failure strain, failure stress (FS), firmness, and energy for compression) were determined as a function of drying time. The composition of gel, particularly the agar content had a prominent effect on the characteristics of the dried gel. Detailed descriptive sensory analysis employing principle component analysis (PCA) biplot indicated two distinct groups of attributes; the first group comprised initial and final moisture contents, extent of moisture removal (EMR), and shrinkage. The fracture stress and energy formed the second group. The analysis of variance for failure stress showed that it depended only on the positive linear and quadratic effects of agar (significant at P ≤ 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). The theoretically predicted extent of moisture removal at 95.6% could be achieved when the level of agar was 1.2%; pulp and sucrose levels were also close to their lowest levels of 3.6% and 0.04%, respectively. Scope exists to develop gel-based fruit analogues wherein an appropriate hydrocolloid can be employed along with fruit juice/pulp. To provide a reasonable shelf-life of the developed intermediate moisture containing product, dehumidifier assisted drying is a pragmatic approach that affects sensory and rheological attributes of the dried fruit analogue. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

In-line multipoint near-infrared spectroscopy for moisture content quantification during freeze-drying.

PubMed

Kauppinen, Ari; Toiviainen, Maunu; Korhonen, Ossi; Aaltonen, Jaakko; Järvinen, Kristiina; Paaso, Janne; Juuti, Mikko; Ketolainen, Jarkko

2013-02-19

During the past decade, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been applied for in-line moisture content quantification during a freeze-drying process. However, NIR has been used as a single-vial technique and thus is not representative of the entire batch. This has been considered as one of the main barriers for NIR spectroscopy becoming widely used in process analytical technology (PAT) for freeze-drying. Clearly it would be essential to monitor samples that reliably represent the whole batch. The present study evaluated multipoint NIR spectroscopy for in-line moisture content quantification during a freeze-drying process. Aqueous sucrose solutions were used as model formulations. NIR data was calibrated to predict the moisture content using partial least-squares (PLS) regression with Karl Fischer titration being used as a reference method. PLS calibrations resulted in root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) values lower than 0.13%. Three noncontact, diffuse reflectance NIR probe heads were positioned on the freeze-dryer shelf to measure the moisture content in a noninvasive manner, through the side of the glass vials. The results showed that the detection of unequal sublimation rates within a freeze-dryer shelf was possible with the multipoint NIR system in use. Furthermore, in-line moisture content quantification was reliable especially toward the end of the process. These findings indicate that the use of multipoint NIR spectroscopy can achieve representative quantification of moisture content and hence a drying end point determination to a desired residual moisture level.

40 CFR 63.2266 - Initial compliance demonstration for a veneer redryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... If you operate a veneer redryer, you must record the inlet moisture content of the veneer processed... average inlet veneer moisture content with your Notification of Compliance Status to show that your veneer redryer processes veneer with an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight...

40 CFR 63.2266 - Initial compliance demonstration for a veneer redryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operate a veneer redryer, you must record the inlet moisture content of the veneer processed in the... inlet veneer moisture content with your Notification of Compliance Status to show that your veneer redryer processes veneer with an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

40 CFR 63.2266 - Initial compliance demonstration for a veneer redryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operate a veneer redryer, you must record the inlet moisture content of the veneer processed in the... inlet veneer moisture content with your Notification of Compliance Status to show that your veneer redryer processes veneer with an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight...

40 CFR 63.2266 - Initial compliance demonstration for a veneer redryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... If you operate a veneer redryer, you must record the inlet moisture content of the veneer processed... average inlet veneer moisture content with your Notification of Compliance Status to show that your veneer redryer processes veneer with an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

40 CFR 63.2266 - Initial compliance demonstration for a veneer redryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... If you operate a veneer redryer, you must record the inlet moisture content of the veneer processed... average inlet veneer moisture content with your Notification of Compliance Status to show that your veneer redryer processes veneer with an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight...

The role of moisture content in above-ground leaching

Treesearch

Stan Lebow; Patricia Lebow

2007-01-01

This paper reviews previous reports on the moisture content of wood exposed above ground and compares those values to moisture contents obtained using simulated rainfall and immersion methods. Laboratory leaching trials with CCA-treated specimens were also conducted and the results compared to published values for leaching of CCA-treated specimens exposed above ground...

Thermophysical properties of enzyme clarified Lime (Citrus aurantifolia L) juice at different moisture contents.

PubMed

Manjunatha, S S; Raju, P S; Bawa, A S

2014-11-01

Thermophysical properties of enzyme clarified lime (Citrus aurantifolia L.) juice were evaluated at different moisture contents ranging from 30.37 % to 89.30 % (wet basis) corresponding to a water activity range of 0.835 to 0.979. The thermophysical properties evaluated were density, Newtonian viscosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat and thermal diffusivity. The investigation showed that density and Newtonian viscosity of enzyme clarified lime juice decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with increase in moisture content and water activity, whereas thermal conductivity and specific heat increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increase in moisture content and water activity and the thermal diffusivity increased marginally. Empirical mathematical models were established relating to thermophysical properties of enzyme clarified lime juice with moisture content/water activity employing regression analysis by the method of least square approximation. Results indicated the existence of strong correlation between thermophysical properties and moisture content/water activity of enzyme clarified lime juice, a significant (p < 0.0001) negative correlation between physical and thermal properties was observed.

A Compound Sensor for Simultaneous Measurement of Packing Density and Moisture Content of Silage.

PubMed

Meng, Delun; Meng, Fanjia; Sun, Wei; Deng, Shuang

2017-12-28

Packing density and moisture content are important factors in investigating the ensiling quality. Low packing density is a major cause of loss of sugar content. The moisture content also plays a determinant role in biomass degradation. To comprehensively evaluate the ensiling quality, this study focused on developing a compound sensor. In it, moisture electrodes and strain gauges were embedded into an ASABE Standard small cone for the simultaneous measurements of the penetration resistance (PR) and moisture content (MC) of silage. In order to evaluate the performance of the designed sensor and the theoretical analysis being used, relevant calibration and validation tests were conducted. The determination coefficients are 0.996 and 0.992 for PR calibration and 0.934 for MC calibration. The validation indicated that this measurement technique could determine the packing density and moisture content of the silage simultaneously and eliminate the influence of the friction between the penetration shaft and silage. In this study, we not only design a compound sensor but also provide an alternative way to investigate the ensiling quality which would be useful for further silage research.

Field-scale soil moisture space-time geostatistical modeling for complex Palouse landscapes in the inland Pacific Northwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chahal, M. K.; Brown, D. J.; Brooks, E. S.; Campbell, C.; Cobos, D. R.; Vierling, L. A.

2012-12-01

Estimating soil moisture content continuously over space and time using geo-statistical techniques supports the refinement of process-based watershed hydrology models and the application of soil process models (e.g. biogeochemical models predicting greenhouse gas fluxes) to complex landscapes. In this study, we model soil profile volumetric moisture content for five agricultural fields with loess soils in the Palouse region of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. Using a combination of stratification and space-filling techniques, we selected 42 representative and distributed measurement locations in the Cook Agronomy Farm (Pullman, WA) and 12 locations each in four additional grower fields that span the precipitation gradient across the Palouse. At each measurement location, soil moisture was measured on an hourly basis at five different depths (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 cm) using Decagon 5-TE/5-TM soil moisture sensors (Decagon Devices, Pullman, WA, USA). This data was collected over three years for the Cook Agronomy Farm and one year for each of the grower fields. In addition to ordinary kriging, we explored the correlation of volumetric water content with external, spatially exhaustive indices derived from terrain models, optical remote sensing imagery, and proximal soil sensing data (electromagnetic induction and VisNIR penetrometer)

Evaluation of soil pH and moisture content on in-situ ozonation of pyrene in soils.

PubMed

Luster-Teasley, S; Ubaka-Blackmoore, N; Masten, S J

2009-08-15

In this study, pyrene spiked soil (300 ppm) was ozonated at pH levels of 2, 6, and 8 and three moisture contents. It was found that soil pH and moisture content impacted the effectiveness of PAH oxidation in unsaturated soils. In air-dried soils, as pH increased, removal increased, such that pyrene removal efficiencies at pH 6 and pH 8 reached 95-97% at a dose of 2.22 mg O(3)/mg pyrene. Ozonation at 16.2+/-0.45 mg O(3)/ppm pyrene in soil resulted in 81-98% removal of pyrene at all pH levels tested. Saturated soils were tested at dry, 5% or 10% moisture conditions. The removal of pyrene was slower in moisturized soils, with the efficiency decreasing as the moisture content increased. Increasing the pH of the soil having a moisture content of 5% resulted in improved pyrene removals. On the contrary, in the soil having a moisture content of 10%, as the pH increased, pyrene removal decreased. Contaminated PAH soils were stored for 6 months to compare the efficiency of PAH removal in freshly contaminated soil and aged soils. PAH adsorption to soil was found to increase with longer exposure times; thus requiring much higher doses of ozone to effectively oxidize pyrene.

Historical development of grain moisture measurement and other food quality sensing through electrical properties.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A review of the use of electrical properties of agricultural products for sensing moisture content and other qualities shows that their use for rapid measurements of the moisture content in grain and seed has been the most successful application. Discovery of useful correlations between the moistur...

Measuring moisture content in living chaparral: a field user's manual

Treesearch

Clive M. Countryman; William A. Dean

1979-01-01

This manual standardizes procedures for determining the moisture content of living chaparral for use in a proposed statewide system of monitoring living fuel moisture. The manual includes a comprehensive examination of fuel moisture variations in California chaparral, and describes techniques for sampling these variations. Equipment needed to sample and determine...

Global sensitivity analysis for identifying important parameters of nitrogen nitrification and denitrification under model uncertainty and scenario uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhuowei; Shi, Liangsheng; Ye, Ming; Zhu, Yan; Yang, Jinzhong

2018-06-01

Nitrogen reactive transport modeling is subject to uncertainty in model parameters, structures, and scenarios. By using a new variance-based global sensitivity analysis method, this paper identifies important parameters for nitrogen reactive transport with simultaneous consideration of these three uncertainties. A combination of three scenarios of soil temperature and two scenarios of soil moisture creates a total of six scenarios. Four alternative models describing the effect of soil temperature and moisture content are used to evaluate the reduction functions used for calculating actual reaction rates. The results show that for nitrogen reactive transport problem, parameter importance varies substantially among different models and scenarios. Denitrification and nitrification process is sensitive to soil moisture content status rather than to the moisture function parameter. Nitrification process becomes more important at low moisture content and low temperature. However, the changing importance of nitrification activity with respect to temperature change highly relies on the selected model. Model-averaging is suggested to assess the nitrification (or denitrification) contribution by reducing the possible model error. Despite the introduction of biochemical heterogeneity or not, fairly consistent parameter importance rank is obtained in this study: optimal denitrification rate (Kden) is the most important parameter; reference temperature (Tr) is more important than temperature coefficient (Q10); empirical constant in moisture response function (m) is the least important one. Vertical distribution of soil moisture but not temperature plays predominant role controlling nitrogen reaction. This study provides insight into the nitrogen reactive transport modeling and demonstrates an effective strategy of selecting the important parameters when future temperature and soil moisture carry uncertainties or when modelers face with multiple ways of establishing nitrogen models.

NIR spectroscopic measurement of moisture content in Scots pine seeds.

PubMed

Lestander, Torbjörn A; Geladi, Paul

2003-04-01

When tree seeds are used for seedling production it is important that they are of high quality in order to be viable. One of the factors influencing viability is moisture content and an ideal quality control system should be able to measure this factor quickly for each seed. Seed moisture content within the range 3-34% was determined by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) single seeds and on bulk seed samples consisting of 40-50 seeds. The models for predicting water content from the spectra were made by partial least squares (PLS) and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Different conditions were simulated involving both using less wavelengths and going from samples to single seeds. Reflectance and transmission measurements were used. Different spectral pretreatment methods were tested on the spectra. Including bias, the lowest prediction errors for PLS models based on reflectance within 780-2280 nm from bulk samples and single seeds were 0.8% and 1.9%, respectively. Reduction of the single seed reflectance spectrum to 850-1048 nm gave higher biases and prediction errors in the test set. In transmission (850-1048 nm) the prediction error was 2.7% for single seeds. OLS models based on simulated 4-sensor single seed system consisting of optical filters with Gaussian transmission indicated more than 3.4% error in prediction. A practical F-test based on test sets to differentiate models is introduced.

Precipitation extreme changes exceeding moisture content increases in MIROC and IPCC climate models

PubMed Central

Sugiyama, Masahiro; Shiogama, Hideo; Emori, Seita

2010-01-01

Precipitation extreme changes are often assumed to scale with, or are constrained by, the change in atmospheric moisture content. Studies have generally confirmed the scaling based on moisture content for the midlatitudes but identified deviations for the tropics. In fact half of the twelve selected Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models exhibit increases faster than the climatological-mean precipitable water change for high percentiles of tropical daily precipitation, albeit with significant intermodel scatter. Decomposition of the precipitation extreme changes reveals that the variations among models can be attributed primarily to the differences in the upward velocity. Both the amplitude and vertical profile of vertical motion are found to affect precipitation extremes. A recently proposed scaling that incorporates these dynamical effects can capture the basic features of precipitation changes in both the tropics and midlatitudes. In particular, the increases in tropical precipitation extremes significantly exceed the precipitable water change in Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC), a coupled general circulation model with the highest resolution among IPCC climate models whose precipitation characteristics have been shown to reasonably match those of observations. The expected intensification of tropical disturbances points to the possibility of precipitation extreme increases beyond the moisture content increase as is found in MIROC and some of IPCC models. PMID:20080720

Effect of initial moisture content on the in-vessel composting under air pressure of organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of initial moisture content on the in-vessel composting under air pressure of organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco in terms of internal temperature, produced gases quantity, organic matter conversion rate, and the quality of the final composts. For this purpose, in-vessel bioreactor was designed and used to evaluate both appropriate initial air pressure and appropriate initial moisture content for the composting process. Moreover, 5 experiments were carried out within initial moisture content of 55%, 65%, 70%, 75% and 85%. The initial air pressure and the initial moisture content of the mixture showed a significant effect on the aerobic composting. The experimental results demonstrated that for composting organic waste, relatively high moisture contents are better at achieving higher temperatures and retaining them for longer times. This study suggested that an initial moisture content of around 75%, under 0.6 bar, can be considered as being suitable for efficient composting of organic fraction of municipal solid waste. These last conditions, allowed maximum value of temperature and final composting product with good physicochemical properties as well as higher organic matter degradation and higher gas production. Moreover, final compost obtained showed good maturity levels and can be used for agricultural applications. PMID:23369502

Effects of soil moisture on dust emission from 2011 to 2015 observed over the Horqin Sandy Land area, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Tingting; Li, Xiaolan; Zhang, Hongsheng; Cai, Xuhui; Song, Yu

2018-06-01

Using the observational data of dust concentrations and meteorological parameters from 2011 to 2015, the effects of soil moisture and air humidity on dust emission were studied at long (monthly) and short (several days or hours) time scales over the Horqin Sandy Land area, Inner Mongolia of China. The results show that the monthly mean dust concentrations and dust fluxes within the near-surface layer had no obvious relationship with the monthly mean soil moisture content but had a slightly negative correlation with monthly mean air relative humidity from 2011 to 2015. The daily mean soil moisture exhibited a significantly negative correlation with the daily mean dust concentrations and dust fluxes, as soil moisture changed obviously. However, such negative correlation between soil moisture and dust emission disappeared on dust blowing days. Additionally, the effect of soil moisture on an important parameter for dust emission, the threshold friction velocity (u∗t), was investigated during several saltation-bombardment and/or aggregation-disintegration dust emission (SADE) events. Under dry soil conditions, the values of u∗t were not influenced by soil moisture content; however, when the soil moisture content was high, the values of u∗t increased with increasing soil moisture content.

Improving irrigation and groundwater parameterizations in the Community Land Model (CLM) using in-situ observations and satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felfelani, F.; Pokhrel, Y. N.

2017-12-01

In this study, we use in-situ observations and satellite data of soil moisture and groundwater to improve irrigation and groundwater parameterizations in the version 4.5 of the Community Land Model (CLM). The irrigation application trigger, which is based on the soil moisture deficit mechanism, is enhanced by integrating soil moisture observations and the data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission which is available since 2015. Further, we incorporate different irrigation application mechanisms based on schemes used in various other land surface models (LSMs) and carry out a sensitivity analysis using point simulations at two different irrigated sites in Mead, Nebraska where data from the AmeriFlux observational network are available. We then conduct regional simulations over the entire High Plains region and evaluate model results with the available irrigation water use data at the county-scale. Finally, we present results of groundwater simulations by implementing a simple pumping scheme based on our previous studies. Results from the implementation of current irrigation parameterization used in various LSMs show relatively large difference in vertical soil moisture content profile (e.g., 0.2 mm3/mm3) at point scale which is mostly decreased when averaged over relatively large regions (e.g., 0.04 mm3/mm3 in the High Plains region). It is found that original irrigation module in CLM 4.5 tends to overestimate the soil moisture content compared to both point observations and SMAP, and the results from the improved scheme linked with the groundwater pumping scheme show better agreement with the observations.

Development of a Moisture-in-Solid-Insulation Sensor for Power Transformers

PubMed Central

García, Belén; García, Diego; Robles, Guillermo

2015-01-01

Moisture is an important variable that must be kept under control to guarantee a safe operation of power transformers. Because of the hydrophilic character of cellulose, water mainly remains in the solid insulation, while just a few parts per million are dissolved in oil. The distribution of moisture between paper and oil is not static, but varies depending on the insulation temperature, and thus, water migration processes take place continuously during transformers operation. In this work, a sensor is presented that allows the determination of the moisture content of the transformer solid insulation in the steady state and during the moisture migration processes. The main objective of the design is that the electrodes of the sensor should not obstruct the movement of water from the solid insulation to the oil, so the proposed prototype uses a metallic-mesh electrode to do the measurements. The measurement setup is based on the characterization of the insulation dielectric response by means of the frequency dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) method. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor has been tested on samples with a moisture content within 1% to 5%, demonstrating the good sensitivity and repeatability of the measurements. PMID:25658393

Development of a moisture-in-solid-insulation sensor for power transformers.

PubMed

García, Belén; García, Diego; Robles, Guillermo

2015-02-04

Moisture is an important variable that must be kept under control to guarantee a safe operation of power transformers. Because of the hydrophilic character of cellulose, water mainly remains in the solid insulation, while just a few parts per million are dissolved in oil. The distribution of moisture between paper and oil is not static, but varies depending on the insulation temperature, and thus, water migration processes take place continuously during transformers operation. In this work, a sensor is presented that allows the determination of the moisture content of the transformer solid insulation in the steady state and during the moisture migration processes. The main objective of the design is that the electrodes of the sensor should not obstruct the movement of water from the solid insulation to the oil, so the proposed prototype uses a metallic-mesh electrode to do the measurements. The measurement setup is based on the characterization of the insulation dielectric response by means of the frequency dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) method. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor has been tested on samples with a moisture content within 1% to 5%, demonstrating the good sensitivity and repeatability of the measurements.

Modeling Heat and Moisture Transport in Steam-Cured Mortar: Application to Aashto Type Vi Beams.

PubMed

Hernández-Bautista, E; Sandoval-Torres, S; de J Cano-Barrita, P F; Bentz, D P

2017-10-01

During steam curing of concrete, temperature and moisture gradients are developed, which are difficult to measure experimentally and can adversely affect the durability of concrete. In this research, a model of cement hydration coupled to moisture and heat transport was used to simulate the process of steam curing of mortars with water-to-cement ( w/c ) ratios by mass of 0.30 and 0.45, considering natural convection boundary conditions in mortar and concrete specimens of AASHTO Type VI beams. The primary variables of the model were moisture content, temperature, and degree of hydration. Moisture content profiles of mortar specimens (40 mm in diameter and 50 mm in height) were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. The degree of hydration was obtained by mass-based measurements of loss on ignition to 1000 °C. The results indicate that the model correctly simulates the moisture distribution and degree of hydration in mortar specimens. Application of the model to the steam curing of an AASHTO Type VI beam indicates temperature differences (between the surface and the center) higher than 20 °C during the cooling stage, and internal temperatures higher than 70 °C that may compromise the durability of the concrete.

Equilibrated moisture content of several carbon phenolics and their relationship to resin, fiber, and interface properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stokes, E. H.

1991-01-01

This study focuses on the relationship between relative humidity and the equilibrated moisture content of several variants of two distinctly different carbon phenolic composites. One of the materials gives a typical exponential relationship between RH and equilibrated moisture content while the second gives an inverse sigmoidal relationship with the largest increase in moisture between 45-60 percent relative humidity. The possible relationship between the shape of the curves and the nature of the material constituents is discussed.

Summer Moisture Content of Some Northern Lower Michigan Understory Plants

Treesearch

Robert M. Loomis; Richard W. Blank

1981-01-01

Summer moisture contents and factors for converting fresh plant weights to ovendry weights were determined for selected herbs, ferns, and small shrubs commonly found on upland sites in northern Lower Michigan. Sampling was done weekly from mid-June through early September 1978, following the period of major plant growth. Average summer moisture contents range from...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart Dddd of... - Continuous Compliance With the Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with... inlet furnish moisture content at less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND... records of the inlet temperature of furnish moisture content and inlet dryer temperature. (2) Hardwood...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart Dddd of... - Continuous Compliance With the Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with... inlet furnish moisture content at less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND... records of the inlet temperature of furnish moisture content and inlet dryer temperature. (2) Hardwood...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart Dddd of... - Continuous Compliance With the Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with... inlet furnish moisture content at less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND... records of the inlet temperature of furnish moisture content and inlet dryer temperature. (2) Hardwood...

Chemical modification : a non-toxic approach to wood preservation

Treesearch

Roger M. Rowell

2006-01-01

Wood can be chemically modified to reduce the moisture content of the cell wall and increases decay resistance. As the level of bonded chemical increases, the cell wall equilibrium moisture content decreases and the resistance to attack by white-and brown-rot fungi increases. There is a direct relationship between the decrease in cell wall moisture Content and...

Subcellular Electrical Measurements as a Function of Wood Moisture Content

Treesearch

Samuel L. Zelinka; José L. Colon Quintana; Samuel V. Glass; Joseph E. Jakes; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

2015-01-01

The percolation model developed by Zelinka et al. was based upon macroscale measurements of the electrical conductivity and implicitly treats the wood material as homogenous. The transport mechanism proposed by Jakes et al. depends upon a moisture induced glass transition occurring in the hemicelluloses. This theory suggests that there are likely differences in the...

Measuring moisture dynamics to predict fire severity in longleaf pine forests.

Treesearch

Sue A. Ferguson; Julia E. Ruthford; Steven J. McKay; David Wright; Clint Wright; Roger Ottmar

2002-01-01

To understand the combustion limit of biomass fuels in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forest, an experiment was conducted to monitor the moisture content of potentially flammable forest floor materials (litter and duff) at Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle. While longleaf pine forests are fire dependent ecosystems, a long history of...

Automation of peanut drying with a sensor network including an in-shell kernel moisture sensor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peanut drying is an essential task in the processing and handling of peanuts. Peanuts leave the fields with kernel moisture contents > 20% wet basis and need to be dried to < 10.5% w.b. for grading and storage purposes. Current peanut drying processes utilize decision support software based on model...

Effect of moisture on the fatigue behavior of graphite/epoxy composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramani, S. V.; Nelson, H. G.

1979-01-01

The form of the moisture distribution in the specimen (gradient and flat profile) was considered to establish the influence of accelerated moisture conditioning on fatigue behavior. For the gradient specimens having an average moisture content of 1.4 percent, fatigue life was reduced by a factor of 8 at all stress levels investigated. Corresponding reduction in fatigue life for the flat moisture profile specimens at the same average moisture content was comparatively smaller, being about a factor of 5 from the value in dry specimens. X-ray radiographic analysis of damage accumulation in compression-compression fatigue revealed interlaminar cracking to be the dominant mode of failure responsible for the observed enhanced cyclic degradation of moisture-conditioned specimens. This finding was corroborated by the observed systematic reduction in interlaminar shear strength as a function of moisture content, which, in turn, increased the propensity for delamination under cyclic compressive loads. Residual strength measurements on cycled specimens indicated significant strength reductions at long lives, particularly in moisture conditioned specimens.

Roller compaction of moist pharmaceutical powders.

PubMed

Wu, C-Y; Hung, W-L; Miguélez-Morán, A M; Gururajan, B; Seville, J P K

2010-05-31

The compression behaviour of powders during roller compaction is dominated by a number of factors, such as process conditions (roll speed, roll gap, feeding mechanisms and feeding speed) and powder properties (particle size, shape, moisture content). The moisture content affects the powder properties, such as the flowability and cohesion, but it is not clear how the moisture content will influence the powder compression behaviour during roller compaction. In this study, the effect of moisture contents on roller compaction behaviour of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, Avicel PH102) was investigated experimentally. MCC samples of different moisture contents were prepared by mixing as-received MCC powder with different amount of water that was sprayed onto the powder bed being agitated in a rotary mixer. The flowability of these samples were evaluated in terms of the poured angle of repose and flow functions. The moist powders were then compacted using the instrumented roller compactor developed at the University of Birmingham. The flow and compression behaviour during roller compaction and the properties of produced ribbons were examined. It has been found that, as the moisture content increases, the flowability of moist MCC powders decreases and the powder becomes more cohesive. As a consequence of non-uniform flow of powder into the compaction zone induced by the friction between powder and side cheek plates, all produced ribbons have a higher density in the middle and lower densities at the edges. For the ribbons made of powders with high moisture contents, different hydration states across the ribbon width were also identified from SEM images. Moreover, it was interesting to find that these ribbons were split into two halves. This is attributed to the reduction in the mechanical strength of moist powder compacts with high moisture contents produced at high compression pressures. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moisture content prediction in poultry litter using artificial intelligence techniques and Monte Carlo simulation to determine the economic yield from energy use.

PubMed

Rico-Contreras, José Octavio; Aguilar-Lasserre, Alberto Alfonso; Méndez-Contreras, Juan Manuel; López-Andrés, Jhony Josué; Cid-Chama, Gabriela

2017-11-01

The objective of this study is to determine the economic return of poultry litter combustion in boilers to produce bioenergy (thermal and electrical), as this biomass has a high-energy potential due to its component elements, using fuzzy logic to predict moisture and identify the high-impact variables. This is carried out using a proposed 7-stage methodology, which includes a statistical analysis of agricultural systems and practices to identify activities contributing to moisture in poultry litter (for example, broiler chicken management, number of air extractors, and avian population density), and thereby reduce moisture to increase the yield of the combustion process. Estimates of poultry litter production and heating value are made based on 4 different moisture content percentages (scenarios of 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40%), and then a risk analysis is proposed using the Monte Carlo simulation to select the best investment alternative and to estimate the environmental impact for greenhouse gas mitigation. The results show that dry poultry litter (25%) is slightly better for combustion, generating 3.20% more energy. Reducing moisture from 40% to 25% involves considerable economic investment due to the purchase of equipment to reduce moisture; thus, when calculating financial indicators, the 40% scenario is the most attractive, as it is the current scenario. Thus, this methodology proposes a technology approach based on the use of advanced tools to predict moisture and representation of the system (Monte Carlo simulation), where the variability and uncertainty of the system are accurately represented. Therefore, this methodology is considered generic for any bioenergy generation system and not just for the poultry sector, whether it uses combustion or another type of technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of storage conditions on the calorific value of municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Nzioka, Antony Mutua; Hwang, Hyeon-Uk; Kim, Myung-Gyun; Yan, Cao Zheng; Lee, Chang-Soo; Kim, Young-Ju

2017-08-01

Storage conditions are considered to be an important factor as far as waste material characteristics are concerned. This experimental investigation was conducted using municipal solid waste (MSW) with a high moisture content and varying composition of organic waste. The objective of this study was to understand the effect of storage conditions and temperature on the moisture content and calorific value of the waste. Samples were subjected to two different storage conditions and investigated at specified temperatures. The composition of sample materials investigated was varied for each storage condition and temperature respectively. Gross calorific value was determined experimentally while net calorific value was calculated using empirical formulas proposed by other researchers. Results showed minimal changes in moisture content as well as in gross and net calorific values when the samples were subjected to sealed storage conditions. Moisture content reduced due to the ventilation process and the rate of moisture removal increased with a rise in storage temperature. As expected, rate of moisture removal had a positive effect on gross and net calorific values. Net calorific values also increased at varying rates with a simultaneous decrease in moisture content. Experimental investigation showed the effectiveness of ventilation in improving the combustion characteristics of the waste.

Study of hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural formation in cakes during baking in different ovens, using a validated multiple-stage extraction-based analytical method.

PubMed

Petisca, Catarina; Henriques, Ana Rita; Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Pinho, Olívia; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O

2013-12-15

A procedure for extraction of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural from cakes was validated. Higher yield was achieved by multiple step extraction with water/methanol (70/30) and clarification with Carrez I and II reagents. Oven type and baking time strongly influenced HMF, moisture and volatile profile of model cakes, whereas furfural content was not significantly affected. No correlation was found between these parameters. Baking time influenced moisture and HMF formation in cakes from traditional and microwave ovens but not in steam oven cakes. Significant moisture decrease and HMF increase (3.63, 9.32, and 41.9 mg kg(-1)dw at 20, 40 and 60 min, respectively) were observed during traditional baking. Cakes baked by microwave also presented a significant increase of HMF (up to 16.84 mg kg(-1)dw at 2.5 min). Steam oven cakes possessed the highest moisture content and no significant differences in HMF and furfural. This oven is likely to form low HMF and furfural, maintaining cake moisture and aroma compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Moisture Content on Thermal Properties of Porous Building Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kočí, Václav; Vejmelková, Eva; Čáchová, Monika; Koňáková, Dana; Keppert, Martin; Maděra, Jiří; Černý, Robert

2017-02-01

The thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of characteristic types of porous building materials are determined in the whole range of moisture content from dry to fully water-saturated state. A transient pulse technique is used in the experiments, in order to avoid the influence of moisture transport on measured data. The investigated specimens include cement composites, ceramics, plasters, and thermal insulation boards. The effect of moisture-induced changes in thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity on the energy performance of selected building envelopes containing the studied materials is then analyzed using computational modeling of coupled heat and moisture transport. The results show an increased moisture content as a substantial negative factor affecting both thermal properties of materials and energy balance of envelopes, which underlines the necessity to use moisture-dependent thermal parameters of building materials in energy-related calculations.

Effects of extrusion variables on the properties of waxy hulless barley extrudates.

PubMed

Köksel, Hamit; Ryu, Gy-Hyung; Başman, Arzu; Demiralp, Hande; Ng, Perry K W

2004-02-01

The objective of this research was to investigate the extrudability of waxy hulless barley flour under various extrusion conditions. Waxy hulless barley flour was processed in a laboratory-scale corotating twin-screw extruder with different levels of feed moisture content (22.3, 26.8, and 30.7%) and die temperature (130, 150, and 170 degrees C) to develop a snack food with high beta-glucan content. The effects of extrusion condition variables (screw configuration, moisture, and temperature) on the system variables (pressure and specific mechanical energy), the extrudate physical properties (sectional expansion index, bulk density), starch gelatinization, pasting properties (cold peak viscosity, trough viscosity, and final viscosity), and beta-glucan contents were determined. Results were evaluated by using response surface methodology. Increased extrusion temperature and feed moisture content resulted in decreases in exit die pressure and specific mechanical energy values. For extrudates extruded under low shear screw configuration (LS), increased barrel temperature decreased sectional expansion index (SEI) values at both low and high moisture contents. The feed moisture seems to have an inverse relationship with SEI over the range studied. Bulk density was higher at higher moisture contents, for both low and high barrel temperatures, for samples extruded under high shear screw configuration (HS) and LS. Cold peak viscosities (CV) were observed in all samples. The CV increased with the increase in extrusion temperature and feed moisture content. Although beta-glucan contents of the LS extrudates were comparable to that of barley flour sample, HS samples had generally lower beta-glucan contents. The extrusion cooking technique seems to be promising for the production of snack foods with high beta-glucan content, especially using LS conditions.

Investigation of Historic Equilibrium Moisture Content Data from the Forest Products Laboratory

Treesearch

Samuel V. Glass; Samuel L. Zelinka; Jay A. Johnson

2014-01-01

The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has provided equilibrium moisture content (EMC) values of wood for given temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions in various forms over the course of its history, primarily for practical purposes related to drying lumber and controlling moisture content. The FPL EMC data have been widely cited and reprinted, not only in...

The effect of moisture content on the corrosion of fasteners embedded in wood subjected to alkaline copper quaternary treatment

Treesearch

Samuel L. Zelinka; Samuel V. Glass; Dominique Derome

2014-01-01

This paper characterizes the corrosion rate of embedded fasteners as a function of wood moisture content using gravimetric and electrochemical measurements. The results indicated that the corrosion rate increased with moisture content before reaching a plateau. The phases present in the corrosion products, as analyzed using X-ray diffraction, are generally consistent...

Computer programs for adjusting the mechanical properties of 2-inch dimension lumber for changes in moisture content

Treesearch

James W. Evans; Jane K. Evans; David W. Green

1990-01-01

This paper presents computer programs for adjusting the mechanical properties of 2-in. dimension lumber for changes in moisture content. Mechanical properties adjusted are modulus of rupture, ultimate tensile stress parallel to the grain, ultimate compressive stress parallel to the gain, and flexural modulus of elasticity. The models are valid for moisture contents...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with an inlet dryer... dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer temperature (as required in... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with an inlet dryer... dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer temperature (as required in... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

Influence of moisture content of combusted wood on the thermal efficiency of a boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzurenda, Ladislav; Banski, Adrián

2017-03-01

In the paper the influence of moisture content of wood on the heat losses and thermal efficiency of a boiler is analysed. The moisture content of wood has a negative effect, especially on flue gas loss. The mathematical dependence of the thermal efficiency of a boiler is presented for the following boundary conditions: the moisture content of wood 10-60%, range of temperatures of emitted flue gases from the boiler into the atmosphere 120-200 C, the emissions meeting the emission standards: carbon monoxide 250 mgm-3, fly ash 50 mgm-3 and the heat power range 30-100%.

A Portable Solid-State Moisture Meter For Agricultural And Food Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bull, C. R.; Stafford, J. V.; Weaving, G. S.

1988-10-01

This paper reports on the development of a small, robust, battery operated near infra-red (NIR) reflectance device, designed for rapid on-farm measurement of the moisture content of forage crops without prior sample preparation. It has potential application to other agricultural or food materials. The instrument is based on two light emitting diodes (LEDs), a germanium detector and a control CMOS single chip microcomputer. The meter has been calibrated to give a direct read out of moisture content for 4 common grass varieties at 3 stages of development. The accuracy of a single point measurement on a grass sample is approximately +/- 6% over a range of 40-80% (wet basis). However, the potential accuracy on a homogeous sample may be as goon as 0.15%.

Survival of pathogenic bacteria in compost with special reference to Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Gong, Chun-ming; Koichi, Inoue; Shunji, Inanaga; Takashi, Someya

2005-01-01

Application of compost in agricultural practice could potentially cause contamination of foodstuffs with pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. Coli O157). We investigated pathogenic bacteria in compost collected from the compost facilities, and evaluated the survival of E. coli K12 and O157 in laboratory experiments. Out of 19 compost product samples, coliform bacteria and salmonella were detected in 7 and 3 samples respectively. The number of coliform bacteria was 1.8 x 10(2) to 2.5 x 10(6) CFU/g dw and that of salmonella was 4.2 x 10(1) to 6.0 x 10(3) CFU/g dw. Moreover, coliform bacteria, fecal coliform, E. coli and salmonella were detected during composting at 54 degrees C to 67 degrees C. The results indicated that moisture content was a very important factor to the heat sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria in compost, E. coil in compost of high moisture content was more sensitive than that in compost of low moisture content, cells harvested in logarithmic phase was more sensitive than these in stationary phase, and E. coli K12 was more sensitive than E. coli O157. Based on the D values, the lethal time of E. coli K12 and O157 from l0(8) to 10(0) CFU/g dw were 16.3 and 28.8 min, respectively, at 60 degrees C in compost with 40% moisture content. However, some E. coil cells survived in composting process at 54 degrees C to 67 degrees C. Water potential (low moisture content) and physiological aspects of bacteria (stationary phase) could explain only in part of the prolonged survival of E. coil in compost, and there should be some other factors that are conducive to bacterial survival in compost.

Moisture transfer from stopper to product and resulting stability implications.

PubMed

Pikal, M J; Shah, S

1992-01-01

Since the stability of a freeze-dried product is often sensitive to the level of moisture, control of residual moisture by attention to the secondary drying phase of the freeze-drying process is of considerable importance. However, several reports in the literature as well as our own experience suggest that low residual moisture immediately after manufacture does not ensure low moisture throughout the shelf life of the product. Equilibration of the product with moisture in the stopper can lead to significant increases in product water content. This research is a study of the kinetic and equilibrium aspects of moisture transfer from stopper to product at 5 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 40 degrees C for two amorphous materials: vancomycin (highly hygroscopic) and lactose (moderately hygroscopic). Stoppers are 13 mm butyl rubber (#1816, West Co.) slotted freeze-drying stoppers which were studied: (a) "U"-with no treatment; (b) "SV1"-steam-sterilized followed by 1 hr vacuum drying; and (c) "SV8"-steam sterilized followed by 8 hrs vacuum drying. No evidence was found for moisture transmission through the stopper. Rather, the product moisture content increases with time and reaches an apparent equilibrium value characteristic of the product, amount of product, and stopper treatment method ("SV1" much greater than "U" greater than "SV1"). As a first approximation, the rate of approach to "equilibrium" depends only on temperature (t1/2 approximately 10 months at 5 degrees C to approximately 4 days at 40 degrees C) with the "equilibrium" water content being independent of temperature. The "equilibrium" moisture content increases as the dose decreases and is larger for vancomycin than for lactose. The "equilibrium" moisture contents range from 5.0% (25 mg vancomycin, "SV1" stoppers) to 0.68% (100 mg lactose, "SV8" stoppers).

Adaptive observer-based control for an IPMC actuator under varying humidity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernat, Jakub; Kolota, Jakub

2018-05-01

As ionic polymer metal composites (IPMC) are increasingly applied to mechatronic systems, many new IPMC modeling efforts have been reported in the literature. The demands of rapidly growing technology has generated interest in advancing the intrinsic actuation and sensing capabilities of IPMC. Classical IPMC applications need constant hydration to operate. On the other hand, for IPMCs operating in air, the water content of the polymer varies with the humidity level of the ambient environment, which leads to its strong humidity-dependent behavior. Furthermore, decreasing water content over time plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of IPMC. Therefore, the primary challenge of this work is to accurately model this phenomenon. The principal contribution of the paper is a new IPMC model, which considers the change of moisture content. A novel nonlinear adaptive observer is designed to determine the unknown electric potential and humidity level in the polymer membrane. This approach effectively determines the moisture content of the IPMC during long-term continuous operation in air. This subsequently allows us to develop an effective back-stepping control algorithm that considers varying moisture content. Data from experiments are presented to support the effectiveness of the observation process, which is shown in illustrative examples.

Assessment of Evapotranspiration and Soil Moisture Content Across Different Scales of Observation

PubMed Central

Verstraeten, Willem W.; Veroustraete, Frank; Feyen, Jan

2008-01-01

The proper assessment of evapotranspiration and soil moisture content are fundamental in food security research, land management, pollution detection, nutrient flows, (wild-) fire detection, (desert) locust, carbon balance as well as hydrological modelling; etc. This paper takes an extensive, though not exhaustive sample of international scientific literature to discuss different approaches to estimate land surface and ecosystem related evapotranspiration and soil moisture content. This review presents: (i)a summary of the generally accepted cohesion theory of plant water uptake and transport including a shortlist of meteorological and plant factors influencing plant transpiration;(ii)a summary on evapotranspiration assessment at different scales of observation (sap-flow, porometer, lysimeter, field and catchment water balance, Bowen ratio, scintillometer, eddy correlation, Penman-Monteith and related approaches);(iii)a summary on data assimilation schemes conceived to estimate evapotranspiration using optical and thermal remote sensing; and(iv)for soil moisture content, a summary on soil moisture retrieval techniques at different spatial and temporal scales is presented. Concluding remarks on the best available approaches to assess evapotranspiration and soil moisture content with and emphasis on remote sensing data assimilation, are provided. PMID:27879697

Fast detection of tobacco mosaic virus infected tobacco using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Jiyu; Song, Kunlin; Zhu, Hongyan; Kong, Wenwen; Liu, Fei; Shen, Tingting; He, Yong

2017-03-01

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is one of the most devastating viruses to crops, which can cause severe production loss and affect the quality of products. In this study, we have proposed a novel approach to discriminate TMV-infected tobacco based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Two different kinds of tobacco samples (fresh leaves and dried leaf pellets) were collected for spectral acquisition, and partial least squared discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) was used to establish classification models based on full spectrum and observed emission lines. The influences of moisture content on spectral profile, signal stability and plasma parameters (temperature and electron density) were also analysed. The results revealed that moisture content in fresh tobacco leaves would worsen the stability of analysis, and have a detrimental effect on the classification results. Good classification results were achieved based on the data from both full spectrum and observed emission lines of dried leaves, approaching 97.2% and 88.9% in the prediction set, respectively. In addition, support vector machine (SVM) could improve the classification results and eliminate influences of moisture content. The preliminary results indicate that LIBS coupled with chemometrics could provide a fast, efficient and low-cost approach for TMV-infected disease detection in tobacco leaves.

Fast detection of tobacco mosaic virus infected tobacco using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Peng, Jiyu; Song, Kunlin; Zhu, Hongyan; Kong, Wenwen; Liu, Fei; Shen, Tingting; He, Yong

2017-01-01

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is one of the most devastating viruses to crops, which can cause severe production loss and affect the quality of products. In this study, we have proposed a novel approach to discriminate TMV-infected tobacco based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Two different kinds of tobacco samples (fresh leaves and dried leaf pellets) were collected for spectral acquisition, and partial least squared discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) was used to establish classification models based on full spectrum and observed emission lines. The influences of moisture content on spectral profile, signal stability and plasma parameters (temperature and electron density) were also analysed. The results revealed that moisture content in fresh tobacco leaves would worsen the stability of analysis, and have a detrimental effect on the classification results. Good classification results were achieved based on the data from both full spectrum and observed emission lines of dried leaves, approaching 97.2% and 88.9% in the prediction set, respectively. In addition, support vector machine (SVM) could improve the classification results and eliminate influences of moisture content. The preliminary results indicate that LIBS coupled with chemometrics could provide a fast, efficient and low-cost approach for TMV-infected disease detection in tobacco leaves. PMID:28300144

Microwave meter for rapid, nondestructive determination of in-shell peanut kernel moisture content from dielectric measurements on cleaned and uncleaned pod samples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microwave Sensing provides a means for nondestructively determining the amount of moisture in materials by sensing the dielectric properties of the material. In this study, dielectric properties of Vidalia onions were analyzed for moisture dependence at 13.36 GHz and 23°C for moisture content betwee...

Comparing jack pine slash and forest floor moisture contents and National Fire Danger Rating System predictions.

Treesearch

Robert M. Loomis; William A. Main

1980-01-01

Relations between certain slash and forest floor moisture contents and the applicable estimated time lag fuel moistures of the National Fire Danger Rating System were investigated for 1-year-old jack pine fuel types in northeastern Minnesota and central Lower Michigan. Only approximate estimates of actual fuel moisture are possible fore the relations determined, thus...

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.sfluxgrbf00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [Fraction] 007 0.1-0.4 m below ground SOILW analysis Volumetric Soil Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [Fraction] 068 1-2 m below ground SOILW analysis Volumetric Soil Moisture analysis Temperature [K] 071 0-0.1 m below ground SOILL analysis Liquid Volumetric Soil Moisture (non

Measuring Moisture Levels in Graphite Epoxy Composite Sandwich Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark; Youngquist, Robert; Starr, Stanley

2011-01-01

Graphite epoxy composite (GEC) materials are used in the construction of rocket fairings, nose cones, interstage adapters, and heat shields due to their high strength and light weight. However, they absorb moisture depending on the environmental conditions they are exposed to prior to launch. Too much moisture absorption can become a problem when temperature and pressure changes experienced during launch cause the water to vaporize. The rapid state change of the water can result in structural failure of the material. In addition, heat and moisture combine to weaken GEC structures. Diffusion models that predict the total accumulated moisture content based on the environmental conditions are one accepted method of determining if the material strength has been reduced to an unacceptable level. However, there currently doesn t exist any field measurement technique to estimate the actual moisture content of a composite structure. A multi-layer diffusion model was constructed with Mathematica to predict moisture absorption and desorption from the GEC sandwich structure. This model is used in conjunction with relative humidity/temperature sensors both on the inside and outside of the material to determine the moisture levels in the structure. Because the core materials have much higher diffusivity than the face sheets, a single relative humidity measurement will accurately reflect the moisture levels in the core. When combined with an external relative humidity measurement, the model can be used to determine the moisture levels in the face sheets. Since diffusion is temperaturedependent, the temperature measurements are used to determine the diffusivity of the face sheets for the model computations.

Improved cellulase production by Botryosphaeria rhodina from OPEFB at low level moisture condition through statistical optimization.

PubMed

Bahrin, E K; Ibrahim, M F; Abd Razak, M N; Abd-Aziz, S; Shah, U K Md; Alitheen, N; Salleh, M Md

2012-01-01

The response surface method was applied in this study to improve cellulase production from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) by Botryosphaeria rhodina. An experimental design based on a two-level factorial was employed to screen the significant environmental factors for cellulase production. The locally isolated fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina was cultivated on OPEFB under solid-state fermentation (SSF). From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the initial moisture content, amount of substrate, and initial pH of nutrient supplied in the SSF system significantly influenced cellulase production. Then the optimization of the variables was done using the response surface method according to central composite design (CCD). Botryosphaeria rhodina exhibited its best performance with a high predicted value of FPase enzyme production (17.95 U/g) when the initial moisture content was at 24.32%, initial pH of nutrient was 5.96, and 3.98 g of substrate was present. The statistical optimization from actual experiment resulted in a significant increment of FPase production from 3.26 to 17.91 U/g (5.49-fold). High cellulase production at low moisture content is a very rare condition for fungi cultured in solid-state fermentation.

Effect of moisture content on fed batch composting reactor of vegetable and fruit wastes.

PubMed

Jolanun, B; Tripetchkul, S; Chiemchaisri, C; Chaiprasert, P; Towprayoon, S

2005-03-01

Vegetable and fruit wastes mixed with sawdust were composted in a laboratory scale reactor by controlling the waste feeding rate at 21 kg m(-3) day(-1) and aeration rate at 10.6 l m(-3) min(-1). The effects of initial moisture content on organic matter degradation and process performance of fed batch composting were investigated. The absolute amount of removal, removal percentage, and removal rate of dry mass obtained were substantially different among the initial moisture contents. The rapid rise of moisture content and the lowest absolute amount of removal observed were achieved in the 50% condition. The initial moisture content yielding the largest absolute amount of removal in both feeding and curing stage was 30% whereas the removal percentage and rate constant of waste decomposition were highest in the 50% condition. Examined by traditional soil physics method, the moisture content at 50-55% was suitable for satisfying the degree of free air space (65-70%) of compost during the fed batch composting. Most degradable organic matter was mainly consumed in the feeding stage as indicated by a higher removal rate of dry mass in all cases. It is recommended that the initial moisture content of 30% and mode of aeration and agitation should be adopted for achieving practical fed batch composting of vegetable and fruit wastes. The study also demonstrated that the composting kinetics of vegetable and fruit wastes mixed with sawdust can be described by a first order model.

Response of deep soil moisture to land use and afforestation in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Lei; Wei, Wei; Chen, Liding; Mo, Baoru

2012-12-01

SummarySoil moisture is an effective water source for plant growth in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China. Characterizing the response of deep soil moisture to land use and afforestation is important for the sustainability of vegetation restoration in this region. In this paper, the dynamics of soil moisture were quantified to evaluate the effect of land use on soil moisture at a depth of 2 m. Specifically, the gravimetric soil moisture content was measured in the soil layer between 0 and 8 m for five land use types in the Longtan catchment of the western Loess Plateau. The land use types included traditional farmland, native grassland, and lands converted from traditional farmland (pasture grassland, shrubland and forestland). Results indicate that the deep soil moisture content decreased more than 35% after land use conversion, and a soil moisture deficit appeared in all types of land with introduced vegetation. The introduced vegetation decreased the soil moisture content to levels lower than the reference value representing no human impact in the entire 0-8 m soil profile. No significant differences appeared between different land use types and introduced vegetation covers, especially in deeper soil layers, regardless of which plant species were introduced. High planting density was found to be the main reason for the severe deficit of soil moisture. Landscape management activities such as tillage activities, micro-topography reconstruction, and fallowed farmland affected soil moisture in both shallow and deep soil layers. Tillage and micro-topography reconstruction can be used as effective countermeasures to reduce the soil moisture deficit due to their ability to increase soil moisture content. For sustainable vegetation restoration in a vulnerable semi-arid region, the plant density should be optimized with local soil moisture conditions and appropriate landscape management practices.

Prediction of Moisture Content for Congou Black Tea Withering Leaves Using Image Features and Nonlinear Method.

PubMed

Liang, Gaozhen; Dong, Chunwang; Hu, Bin; Zhu, Hongkai; Yuan, Haibo; Jiang, Yongwen; Hao, Guoshuang

2018-05-18

Withering is the first step in the processing of congou black tea. With respect to the deficiency of traditional water content detection methods, a machine vision based NDT (Non Destructive Testing) method was established to detect the moisture content of withered leaves. First, according to the time sequences using computer visual system collected visible light images of tea leaf surfaces, and color and texture characteristics are extracted through the spatial changes of colors. Then quantitative prediction models for moisture content detection of withered tea leaves was established through linear PLS (Partial Least Squares) and non-linear SVM (Support Vector Machine). The results showed correlation coefficients higher than 0.8 between the water contents and green component mean value (G), lightness component mean value (L * ) and uniformity (U), which means that the extracted characteristics have great potential to predict the water contents. The performance parameters as correlation coefficient of prediction set (Rp), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP), and relative standard deviation (RPD) of the SVM prediction model are 0.9314, 0.0411 and 1.8004, respectively. The non-linear modeling method can better describe the quantitative analytical relations between the image and water content. With superior generalization and robustness, the method would provide a new train of thought and theoretical basis for the online water content monitoring technology of automated production of black tea.

Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed under different drying methods to promote storage stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, So'bah; Shamsul Anuar, Mohd; Saleena Taip, Farah; Shamsudin, Rosnah; M, Siti Roha A.

2017-05-01

The effects of two drying methods, oven and microwave drying on the effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed were studied. Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy are the main indicators used for moisture movement within the material. Hence, it is beneficial to determine an appropriate drying method to attain a final moisture content of rambutan seed that potentially could be used as secondary sources in the industry. An appropriate final moisture content will provide better storage stability that can extend the lifespan of the rambutan seed. The rambutan seeds were dried with two drying methods (oven and microwave) at two level of the process variables (oven temperature; 40°C and 60°C and microwave power; 250W and 1000W) at constant initial moisture contents. The result showed that a higher value of effective moisture diffusivity and less activation energy were observed in microwave drying compared to oven drying. This finding portrays microwave drying expedites the moisture removal to achieve the required final moisture content and the most appropriate drying method for longer storage stability for rambutan seed. With respect to the process variables; higher oven temperatures and lower microwave powers also exhibit similar trends. Hopefully, this study would provide a baseline data to determine an appropriate drying method for longer storage period for turning waste to by-products.

Computed parameters : moisture content for unbound materials at seasonal monitoring program sites

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-01-01

Moisture content plays a significant role in the performance of pavements. Variation in the amount of moisture in the subgrade can change the volume of swelling soil, which may result in detrimental deformation of the pavement structure. An increase ...

Fiber optic moisture sensor with moisture-absorbing reflective target

DOEpatents

Kirkham, Randy R.

1987-01-01

A method and apparatus for sensing moisture changes by utilizing optical fiber technology. One embodiment uses a reflective target at the end of an optical fiber. The reflectance of the target varies with its moisture content and can be detected by a remote unit at the opposite end of the fiber. A second embodiment utilizes changes in light loss along the fiber length. This can be attributed to changes in reflectance of cladding material as a function of its moisture content. It can also be affected by holes or inserts interposed in the cladding material and/or fiber. Changing light levels can also be coupled from one fiber to another in an assembly of fibers as a function of varying moisture content in their overlapping lengths of cladding material.

Response of bacteria in wastewater sludge to moisture loss by evaporation and effect of moisture content on bacterial inactivation by ionizing radiation.

PubMed Central

Ward, R L; Yeager, J G; Ashley, C S

1981-01-01

Two studies were carried out to determine the influence of moisture content of the survival of bacteria in raw wastewater sludge. The first study involved the effect of water loss by evaporation on the bacterial population. The second used these dewatered samples to measure the effects of moisture content on the inactivation of bacteria sludge by ionizing radiation. Both studies involved survival measurements of six representative fecally associated bacteria grown separately in sterilized sludge as well as survival data on bacteria indigenous to sludge. Growth of bacteria was stimulated in sludge during the initial phase of moisture removal by evaporation, but the reduction of moisture content below about 50% by weight caused a proportional decrease in bacterial numbers. In comparison with the original sludge, this decrease reached about one-half to one order of magnitude in all dried samples except those containing Proteus mirabilis, which decreased about four orders of magnitude. The rates of inactivation of bacteria by ionizing radiation in sludge were usually modified to some degrees by variations in moisture content. Most bacteria were found to be somewhat protected from ionizing radiation at reduced moisture levels. The largest effect was found with Salmonella typhimurium, whose radiation resistance approximately doubled in dried sludge. However, no excessively large D10 values were found for any bacterial species tested. PMID:6789765

Fiber Optic Thermo-Hygrometers for Soil Moisture Monitoring.

PubMed

Leone, Marco; Principe, Sofia; Consales, Marco; Parente, Roberto; Laudati, Armando; Caliro, Stefano; Cutolo, Antonello; Cusano, Andrea

2017-06-20

This work deals with the fabrication, prototyping, and experimental validation of a fiber optic thermo-hygrometer-based soil moisture sensor, useful for rainfall-induced landslide prevention applications. In particular, we recently proposed a new generation of fiber Bragg grating (FBGs)-based soil moisture sensors for irrigation purposes. This device was realized by integrating, inside a customized aluminum protection package, a FBG thermo-hygrometer with a polymer micro-porous membrane. Here, we first verify the limitations, in terms of the volumetric water content (VWC) measuring range, of this first version of the soil moisture sensor for its exploitation in landslide prevention applications. Successively, we present the development, prototyping, and experimental validation of a novel, optimized version of a soil VWC sensor, still based on a FBG thermo-hygrometer, but able to reliably monitor, continuously and in real-time, VWC values up to 37% when buried in the soil.

Fiber Optic Thermo-Hygrometers for Soil Moisture Monitoring

PubMed Central

Leone, Marco; Principe, Sofia; Consales, Marco; Parente, Roberto; Laudati, Armando; Caliro, Stefano; Cutolo, Antonello; Cusano, Andrea

2017-01-01

This work deals with the fabrication, prototyping, and experimental validation of a fiber optic thermo-hygrometer-based soil moisture sensor, useful for rainfall-induced landslide prevention applications. In particular, we recently proposed a new generation of fiber Bragg grating (FBGs)-based soil moisture sensors for irrigation purposes. This device was realized by integrating, inside a customized aluminum protection package, a FBG thermo-hygrometer with a polymer micro-porous membrane. Here, we first verify the limitations, in terms of the volumetric water content (VWC) measuring range, of this first version of the soil moisture sensor for its exploitation in landslide prevention applications. Successively, we present the development, prototyping, and experimental validation of a novel, optimized version of a soil VWC sensor, still based on a FBG thermo-hygrometer, but able to reliably monitor, continuously and in real-time, VWC values up to 37% when buried in the soil. PMID:28632172

Moisture sensor based on evanescent wave light scattering by porous sol-gel silica coating

DOEpatents

Tao, Shiquan; Singh, Jagdish P.; Winstead, Christopher B.

2006-05-02

An optical fiber moisture sensor that can be used to sense moisture present in gas phase in a wide range of concentrations is provided, as well techniques for making the same. The present invention includes a method that utilizes the light scattering phenomenon which occurs in a porous sol-gel silica by coating an optical fiber core with such silica. Thus, a porous sol-gel silica polymer coated on an optical fiber core forms the transducer of an optical fiber moisture sensor according to an embodiment. The resulting optical fiber sensor of the present invention can be used in various applications, including to sense moisture content in indoor/outdoor air, soil, concrete, and low/high temperature gas streams.

Determination of Moisture Content in Coke with 239Pu-Be Neutron Source and BGO Scintillation Gamma Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grozdanov, D. N.; Aliyev, F. A.; Hramco, C.; Kopach, Yu. N.; Bystritsky, V. M.; Skoy, V. R.; Gundorin, N. A.; Ruskov, I. N.

2018-03-01

A series of experiments has been conducted at the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics (FLNP) of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in order to study the possibility of determining the moisture content of coke using a standard neutron source. The proposed method is based on a measurement of the spectrum of prompt γ rays emitted when samples are irradiated by fast and/or thermal neutrons. The moisture content is determined from the area of the peaks of characteristic γ rays produced in the radiative capture of thermal neutrons by the proton ( E γ = 2.223 MeV) and inelastic scattering of fast neutrons by 16O (Eγ = 6.109 MeV). The 239Pu-Be neutron source (< E n > 4.5 MeV) with an intensity of 5 × 106 n/s was used to irradiate the samples under study. A scintillation detector based on a BGO crystal was used to register the characteristic γ radiation from the inelastic fast neutron scattering and slow (thermal) neutron capture. This paper presents the results of humidity measurement in the range of 2-50% [1, 2].

Temperature dependence of soil water potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, A.M.O.; Yong, R.N.; Cheung, S.C.H.

1992-12-01

To understand the process of coupled heat and water transport, the relationship between temperature and soil water potential must be known. Two clays, Avonlea bentonite and Lake Agassiz clay, are being considered as the clay-based sealing materials for the Canadian nuclear fuel waste disposal vault. Avonlea bentonite is distinguished from Lake Agassiz clay by its high sealing potential in water. A series of experiments was performed in which the two clays were mixed with equal amounts of sand and were compacted to a dry density of 1.67 Mg/m[sup 3] under various moisture contents and temperatures. A psychrometer was placed withinmore » the compacted clay-sand to measure the soil water potential based on the electromotive force measured by the psychrometer. The results indicate that the soil water potential at a particular temperature is higher for both clay-sand mixtures than predicted by the change in the surface tension of water; this effect is much more prominent in the Avonlea bentonite and at low moisture contents. The paper presents empirical equations relating the soil water potential with the moisture content and temperature of the two clay-sand mixtures. 24 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Influence of Food with High Moisture Content on Oxygen Barrier Property of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/Vermiculite Nanocomposite Coated Multilayer Packaging Film.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Min; Lee, Min Hyeock; Ko, Jung A; Kang, Dong Ho; Bae, Hojae; Park, Hyun Jin

2018-02-01

This study investigates the potential complications in applying nanoclay-based waterborne coating to packaging films for food with high moisture content. Multilayer packaging films were prepared by dry laminating commercially available polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/vermiculite nanocomposite coating films and linear low-density polyethylene film, and the changes in oxygen barrier properties were investigated according to different relative humidity using 3 types of food simulants. When the relative humidity was above 60%, the oxygen permeability increased sharply, but this was reversible. Deionized water and 3% acetic acid did not cause any large structural change in the PVA/vermiculite nanocomposite but caused a reversible deterioration of the oxygen barrier properties. In contrast, 50% ethanol, a simulant for the semifatty food, induced irreversible structural changes with deterioration of the oxygen barrier property. These changes are due to the characteristics of PVA rather than vermiculite. We believe this manuscript would be of interest to the wide group of researchers, organizations, and companies in the field of developing nanoclay-based gas barrier packaging for foods with high moisture content. Hence, we wish to diffuse our knowledge to the scientific community. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Vis-NIR hyperspectral imaging in visualizing moisture distribution of mango slices during microwave-vacuum drying.

PubMed

Pu, Yuan-Yuan; Sun, Da-Wen

2015-12-01

Mango slices were dried by microwave-vacuum drying using a domestic microwave oven equipped with a vacuum desiccator inside. Two lab-scale hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems were employed for moisture prediction. The Page and the Two-term thin-layer drying models were suitable to describe the current drying process with a fitting goodness of R(2)=0.978. Partial least square (PLS) was applied to correlate the mean spectrum of each slice and reference moisture content. With three waveband selection strategies, optimal wavebands corresponding to moisture prediction were identified. The best model RC-PLS-2 (Rp(2)=0.972 and RMSEP=4.611%) was implemented into the moisture visualization procedure. Moisture distribution map clearly showed that the moisture content in the central part of the mango slices was lower than that of other parts. The present study demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging was a useful tool for non-destructively and rapidly measuring and visualizing the moisture content during drying process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating industrial drying of cellulosic feedstock for bioenergy: A systems approach

DOE PAGES

Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

2016-01-21

Here, a large portion of herbaceous and woody biomass must be dried following harvest. Natural field drying is possible if the weather cooperates. Mechanical drying is a certain way of reducing the moisture content of biomass. This paper presents an engineering analysis applied to drying of 10 Mg h –1 (exit mass flow) of biomass with an initial moisture content ranging from 25% to 70% (wet mass basis) down to 10% exit moisture content. The requirement for hog fuel to supply heat to the dryer increases from 0.5 dry Mg to 3.8 dry Mg h –1 with the increased initialmore » moisture of biomass. The capital cost for the entire drying system including equipment for biomass size reduction, pollution control, dryer, and biomass combustor sums up to more than 4.7 million dollars. The operating cost (electricity, labor, repair, and maintenance) minus fuel cost for the dryer alone amount to 4.05 Mg –1 of dried biomass. For 50% moisture content biomass, the cost of fuel to heat the drying air is 7.41 dollars/ dry ton of biomass for a total 11.46 dollars per dry ton at 10% moisture content. The fuel cost ranges from a low of 2.21 dollars to a high of 18.54 dollars for a biomass at an initial moisture content of 25% to 75%, respectively. This wide range in fuel cost indicates the extreme sensitivity of the drying cost to initial moisture content of biomass and to ambient air humidity and temperature and highlights the significance of field drying for a cost effective drying operation.« less

Monitoring moisture content, temperature, and humidity in whole-tree pine chip piles

Treesearch

John Klepac; Dana Mitchell; Jason Thompson

2015-01-01

Two whole-tree chip piles were monitored for moisture content, temperature, and relative humidity from October 8th, 2010 to March 16th, 2011 at a location in south Alabama. Initial moisture content samples were collected immediately after chips were delivered to the study location on October 8th for Pile 1 and October 22nd for Pile 2. During pile construction, Lascar...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

40 CFR 63.1947 - When do I have to comply with this subpart if I own or operate a bioreactor?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... initiating liquids addition or within 180 days after achieving a moisture content of 40 percent by weight... achieving a 40 percent moisture content instead of 180 days after liquids addition, use the procedures in § 63.1980(g) and (h) to determine when the bioreactor moisture content reaches 40 percent. (b) If your...

40 CFR 63.1947 - When do I have to comply with this subpart if I own or operate a bioreactor?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... initiating liquids addition or within 180 days after achieving a moisture content of 40 percent by weight... achieving a 40 percent moisture content instead of 180 days after liquids addition, use the procedures in § 63.1980(g) and (h) to determine when the bioreactor moisture content reaches 40 percent. (b) If your...

40 CFR 63.1947 - When do I have to comply with this subpart if I own or operate a bioreactor?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... initiating liquids addition or within 180 days after achieving a moisture content of 40 percent by weight... achieving a 40 percent moisture content instead of 180 days after liquids addition, use the procedures in § 63.1980(g) and (h) to determine when the bioreactor moisture content reaches 40 percent. (b) If your...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

Moisture content and its impact on aflatoxin levels in ready-to-use red chillies.

PubMed

Sahar, Najmus; Arif, Saqib; Iqbal, Sajid; Afzal, Qurat Ul Ain; Aman, Sahar; Ara, Jahan; Ahmed, Mubarik

2015-01-01

Moisture content (MC) and aflatoxin contamination were analysed to determine Red Chilli quality. A wide range (9.1-19.8%) of MC with a mean value of 11.4 ± 2.4% was found. Of 116 chilli samples, about 37% had low MC (<10%), 29.4% had medium-low MC (10-12%), 18.9% had medium-high MC (12 < MC < 14%) and 14.7% were above 14%. These four chilli groups had average aflatoxin levels of 2.1 ± 1.1, 5.3 ± 4.2, 8.9 ± 5.9 and 37 ± 20 µg/Kg, respectively. A direct relationship between moisture and aflatoxin content was found. The data best fitted a polynomial trend (R² = 0.89). The obtained equation could be utilised to assess aflatoxin levels based on MC. This study highlights the importance of using properly dried chillies with low MC, that is, ≤10%, to minimise health hazards associated with aflatoxin contamination.

A multi-frequency radiometric measurement of soil moisture content over bare and vegetated fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J. R.; Schmugge, T. J.; Mcmurtrey, J. E., III; Gould, W. I.; Glazar, W. S.; Fuchs, J. E. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center site was used for an experiment in which soil moisture remote sensing over bare, grass, and alfalfa fields was conducted over a three-month period using 0.6 GHz, 1.4 GHz, and 10.6 GHz Dicke-type microwave radiometers mounted on mobile towers. Ground truth soil moisture content and ambient air and sil temperatures were obtained concurrently with the radiometric measurements. Biomass of the vegetation cover was sampled about once a week. Soil density for each of the three fields was measured several times during the course of the experiment. Results of the radiometric masurements confirm the frequency dependence of moisture sensing sensitivity reduction reported earlier. Observations over the bare, wet field show that the measured brightness temperature is lowest at 5.0 GHz and highest of 0.6 GHz frequency, a result contrary to expectation based on the estimated dielectric permittivity of soil water mixtures and current radiative transfer model in that frequency range.

Effects of varying soil moisture contents and vegetation canopies on microwave emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, H.-H. K.; Schmugge, T. J.

1982-01-01

Results of NASA airborne passive microwave scans of bare and vegetated fields for comparison with ground truth tests are discussed and a model for atmospheric scattering of radiation by vegetation is detailed. On-board radiometers obtained data at 21, 2.8, and 1.67 cm during three passes over each of 46 fields, 28 of which were bare and the others having wheat or alfalfa. Ground-based sampling included moisture in five layers down to 15 cm in addition to soil temperature. The relationships among the brightness temperature and soil moisture, as well as the surface roughness and the vegetation canopy were examined. A model was developed for the dielectric coefficient and volume scattering for a vegetation medium. L- to C-band data were found useful for retrieving soil information directly. A surface moisture content of 5-35% yielded an emissivity of 0.9-0.7. The data agreed well with a combined multilayer radiative transfer model with simple roughness correction.

Defatted flaxseed meal incorporated corn-rice flour blend based extruded product by response surface methodology.

PubMed

Ganorkar, Pravin M; Patel, Jhanvi M; Shah, Vrushti; Rangrej, Vihang V

2016-04-01

Considering the evidence of flaxseed and its defatted flaxseed meal (DFM) for human health benefits, response surface methodology (RSM) based on three level four factor central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed for the development of DFM incorporated corn - rice flour blend based extruded snack. The effect of DFM fortification (7.5-20 %), moisture content of feed (14-20 %, wb), extruder barrel temperature (115-135 °C) and screw speed (300-330 RPM) on expansion ratio (ER), breaking strength (BS), overall acceptability (OAA) score and water solubility index (WSI) of extrudates were investigated using central composite rotatable design (CCRD). Significant regression models explained the effect of considered variables on all responses. DFM incorporation level was found to be most significant independent variable affecting on extrudates characteristics followed by extruder barrel temperature and then screw rpm. Feed moisture content did not affect extrudates characteristics. As DFM level increased (7.5 % to 20 %), ER and OAA value decreased. However, BS and WSI values were found to increase with increase in DFM level. Based on the defined criteria for numerical optimization, the combination for the production of DFM incorporated extruded snack with desired sensory attributes was achieved by incorporating 10 % DFM (replacing rice flour in flour blend) and by keeping 20 % moisture content, 312 screw rpm and 125 °C barrel temperature.

The benefits of using remotely sensed soil moisture in parameter identification of large-scale hydrological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanders, N.; Bierkens, M. F. P.; de Jong, S. M.; de Roo, A.; Karssenberg, D.

2014-08-01

Large-scale hydrological models are nowadays mostly calibrated using observed discharge. As a result, a large part of the hydrological system, in particular the unsaturated zone, remains uncalibrated. Soil moisture observations from satellites have the potential to fill this gap. Here we evaluate the added value of remotely sensed soil moisture in calibration of large-scale hydrological models by addressing two research questions: (1) Which parameters of hydrological models can be identified by calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture? (2) Does calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture lead to an improved calibration of hydrological models compared to calibration based only on discharge observations, such that this leads to improved simulations of soil moisture content and discharge? A dual state and parameter Ensemble Kalman Filter is used to calibrate the hydrological model LISFLOOD for the Upper Danube. Calibration is done using discharge and remotely sensed soil moisture acquired by AMSR-E, SMOS, and ASCAT. Calibration with discharge data improves the estimation of groundwater and routing parameters. Calibration with only remotely sensed soil moisture results in an accurate identification of parameters related to land-surface processes. For the Upper Danube upstream area up to 40,000 km2, calibration on both discharge and soil moisture results in a reduction by 10-30% in the RMSE for discharge simulations, compared to calibration on discharge alone. The conclusion is that remotely sensed soil moisture holds potential for calibration of hydrological models, leading to a better simulation of soil moisture content throughout the catchment and a better simulation of discharge in upstream areas. This article was corrected on 15 SEP 2014. See the end of the full text for details.

Analysis of absorption and spreading of moisturizer on the microscopic region of the skin surface with near-infrared imaging.

PubMed

Arimoto, H; Yanai, M; Egawa, M

2016-11-01

Near-infrared (NIR) light with high water absorption enables us to visualize the water content distribution appeared in the superficial skin layer. The light penetration depth with the wavelength of 1920 nm is almost 100 μm from the skin surface. Thus, the water distribution in the stratum corneum can be effectively imaged by detecting the wavelength band around 1920 nm. The aim of this article was to measure the time-lapse behavior of the tiny droplet of the moisturizer spreading on the skin surface by imaging in 1920 nm wavelength band for investigating the correlation with the traditional index of the skin condition such as the water content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Experiment is performed with three moisturizer products and seven volunteer subjects. The NIR image is acquired by an originally designed imaging scope equipped with the white light of the strong brightness [super continuum (SC) light], the bandpass filter with the center wavelength of 1920 nm, and the NIR image sensor. A tiny droplet of the moisturizer is put on the surface of the skin and the time-lapse images are saved. Each acquired image is analyzed from a view point of the droplet area and elapsed time for absorption into the skin. The water content and TEWL of all subjects are measured by the conventional electrical method for investigating the relationship with the measured droplet dynamics parameters. Elapsed time for moisturizer droplet to be absorbed into the skin, the droplet area just before absorption for three moisturizer products, skin water contents, and TEWL for seven subjects were measured and correlation coefficients for each parameters were calculated. It was found that the skin with higher water contents or lower TEWL absorbed the moisturizer faster and spreads moisturizer wider. Also absorption and spreading speed depend on moisturizer property (moisturizing or fresh) which is originated from the moisturizer constituents. The correlation values between the moisturizer dynamics on the skin surface and the traditional index of the skin property were clarified. It was found that the skin with the high water content or low TEWL absorbs the moisturizer droplet fast. The spreading area depends not only on the skin property but on the constituents of the moisturizers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of feed composition, moisture content and extrusion temperature on extrudate characteristics of yam-corn-rice based snack food.

PubMed

Seth, Dibyakanta; Badwaik, Laxmikant S; Ganapathy, Vijayalakshmi

2015-03-01

Blends of yam, rice and corn flour were processed in a twin-screw extruder. Effects of yam flour (10-40 %), feed moisture content (12-24 %) and extruder barrel temperature (100-140 °C) on the characteristics of the dried extrudates was investigated using a statistical technique response surface methodology (RSM). Radial expansion ratio differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with change in all the independent variables. Highest expansion (3.97) was found at lowest moisture content (12 %) and highest barrel temperature (140 °C). Increased yam flour level decreased the expansion ratio significantly. Water absorption index (WAI) increased significantly with increase of all variables. However, water solubility index (WSI) did not change with change in yam flour percent. Hardness of extrudates that varied from 3.86 to 6.94 N was positively correlated with yam flour level and feed moisture content, however it decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.001) with increase of barrel temperature. Yam percent of 15.75 with feed moisture and barrel temperature at 12.00 % and 140 °C respectively gave an optimized product of high desirability (> 0.90) with optimum responses of 3.29 expansion ratio, 5.64 g/g dry solid water absorption index, 30.39 % water solubility index and 3.86 N hardness. The predicted values registered non-significant (p < 0.10) differences from the experimental results. Further study would include the sensory properties enhancement of extruded snacks and little emphasis on the chemistry of interaction between different components.

Significance of heat-moisture treatment conditions on the pasting and gelling behaviour of various starch-rich cereal and pseudocereal flours.

PubMed

Collar, Concha

2017-10-01

The impact of heat-moisture treatment processing conditions (15%, 25%, and 35% moisture content; 1, 3, and 5 h heating time at 120 ℃) on the viscosity pasting and gelling profiles of different grain flours matrices (barley, buckwheat, sorghum, high β-glucan barley, and wheat) was investigated by applying successive cooking and cooling cycles to rapid visco analyser canisters with highly hydrated samples (3.5:25, w:w). At a milder heat-moisture treatment conditions (15% moisture content, 1 h heating time), except for sorghum, heat-moisture treatment flours reached much higher viscosity values during earlier pasting and subsequent gelling than the corresponding native counterparts. Besides heat-moisture treatment wheat flour, the described behaviour found also for non-wheat-treated flours has not been previously reported in the literature. An increased hydrophobicity of prolamins and glutelins in low moisture-short heating time heat-moisture treatment of non-wheat flours with high protein content (12.92%-19.95%) could explain the enhanced viscosity profile observed.

Relative performance evaluation of a custom-made near infrared reflectance instrument and two commercial instruments (Foss and ASD) in the nondestructive moisture content measurement of in-shell peanuts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A custom made Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscope was used to determine the moisture content of in-shell peanuts of Virginia type peanuts. Peanuts were conditioned to different moisture levels between 6 and 26 % (wet basis) and samples from different moisture levels were separated into two...

Photoacoustic spectroscopy and thermal relaxation method to evaluate corn moisture content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedrochi, F.; Medina, A. N.; Bento, A. C.; Baesso, M. L.; Luz, M. L. S.; Dalpasquale, V. A.

2005-06-01

In this study, samples of popcorn with different degrees of moisture were analyzed. The optical absorption bands at the mid infrared were measured using photoacoustic spectroscopy and were correlated to the sample moisture. The results were in agreement with moisture data determined by the well known reference method, the Karl Fischer. In addition, the thermal relaxation method was used to determine the sample specific heat as a function of the moisture content. The results were also in agreement with the two mentioned methods.

Characterization of recycled rubber media for hydrogen sulphide (H2S) control.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Park, Jaeyoung; Evans, Eric A; Ellis, Timothy G

2014-01-01

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) adsorption capacities on recycled rubber media, tyre-derived rubber particle (TDRP), and other rubber material (ORM) have been evaluated. As part of the research, densities, moisture contents, and surface properties of TDRP and ORM have been determined. The research team findings show that TDRP and ORM are more particulate in nature and not highly porous-like activated carbon. The characteristics of surface area, pore size, and moisture content support chemisorption on the macrosurface rather than physical adsorption in micropores. For example, moisture content is essential for H2S adsorption on ORM, and an increase in moisture content results in an increase in adsorption capacity.

Soil moisture, dielectric permittivity and emissivity of soil: effective depth of emission measured by the L-band radiometer ELBARA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usowicz, Boguslaw; Lukowski, Mateusz; Marczewski, Wojciech; Usowicz, Jerzy; Lipiec, Jerzy; Rojek, Edyta; Slominska, Ewa; Slominski, Jan

2014-05-01

Due to the large variation of soil moisture in space and in time, obtaining soil water balance with an aid of data acquired from the surface is still a challenge. Microwave remote sensing is widely used to determine the water content in soil. It is based on the fact that the dielectric constant of the soil is strongly dependent on its water content. This method provides the data in both local and global scales. Very important issue that is still not solved, is the soil depth at which radiometer "sees" the incoming radiation and how this "depth of view" depends on water content and physical properties of soil. The microwave emission comes from its entire profile, but much of this energy is absorbed by the upper layers of soil. As a result, the contribution of each layer to radiation visible for radiometer decreases with depth. The thickness of the surface layer, which significantly contributes to the energy measured by the radiometer is defined as the "penetration depth". In order to improve the physical base of the methodology of soil moisture measurements using microwave remote sensing and to determine the effective emission depth seen by the radiometer, a new algorithm was developed. This algorithm determines the reflectance coefficient from Fresnel equations, and, what is new, the complex dielectric constant of the soil, calculated from the Usowicz's statistical-physical model (S-PM) of dielectric permittivity and conductivity of soil. The model is expressed in terms of electrical resistance and capacity. The unit volume of soil in the model consists of solid, water and air, and is treated as a system made up of spheres, filling volume by overlapping layers. It was assumed that connections between layers and spheres in the layer are represented by serial and parallel connections of "resistors" and "capacitors". The emissivity of the soil surface is calculated from the ratio between the brightness temperature measured by the ELBARA radiometer (GAMMA Remote Sensing AG) and the physical temperature of the soil surface measured by infrared sensor. As the input data for S-PM: volumes of soil components, mineralogical composition, organic matter content, specific surface area and bulk density of the soil were used. Water contents in the model are iteratively changed, until emissivities calculated from the S-PM reach the best agreement with emissivities measured by the radiometer. Final water content will correspond to the soil moisture measured by the radiometer. Then, the examined soil profile will be virtually divided into thin slices where moisture, temperature and thermal properties will be measured and simultaneously modelled via S-PM. In the next step, the slices will be "added" starting from top (soil surface), until the effective soil moisture will be equal to the soil moisture measured by ELBARA. The thickness of obtained stack will be equal to desired "penetration depth". Moreover, it will be verified further by measuring the moisture content using thermal inertia. The work was partially funded by the Government of Poland through an ESA Contract under the PECS ELBARA_PD project No. 4000107897/13/NL/KML.

Relative Roles of Soil Moisture, Nutrient Supply, Depth, and Mechanical Impedance in Determining Composition and Structure of Wisconsin Prairies

PubMed Central

Wernerehl, Robert W.; Givnish, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

Ecologists have long classified Midwestern prairies based on compositional variation assumed to reflect local gradients in moisture availability. The best known classification is based on Curtis’ continuum index (CI), calculated using the presence of indicator species thought centered on different portions of an underlying moisture gradient. Direct evidence of the extent to which CI reflects differences in moisture availability has been lacking, however. Many factors that increase moisture availability (e.g., soil depth, silt content) also increase nutrient supply and decrease soil mechanical impedance; the ecological effects of the last have rarely been considered in any ecosystem. Decreased soil mechanical impedance should increase the availability of soil moisture and nutrients by reducing the root costs of retrieving both. Here we assess the relative importance of soil moisture, nutrient supply, and mechanical impedance in determining prairie composition and structure. We used leaf δ13C of C3 plants as a measure of growing-season moisture availability, cation exchange capacity (CEC) x soil depth as a measure of mineral nutrient availability, and penetrometer data as a measure of soil mechanical impedance. Community composition and structure were assessed in 17 remnant prairies in Wisconsin which vary little in annual precipitation. Ordination and regression analyses showed that δ13C increased with CI toward “drier” sites, and decreased with soil depth and % silt content. Variation in δ13C among remnants was 2.0‰, comparable to that along continental gradients from ca. 500–1500 mm annual rainfall. As predicted, LAI and average leaf height increased significantly toward “wetter” sites. CI accounted for 54% of compositional variance but δ13C accounted for only 6.2%, despite the strong relationships of δ13C to CI and CI to composition. Compositional variation reflects soil fertility and mechanical impedance more than moisture availability. This study is the first to quantify the effects of soil mechanical impedance on community ecology. PMID:26368936

Relative Roles of Soil Moisture, Nutrient Supply, Depth, and Mechanical Impedance in Determining Composition and Structure of Wisconsin Prairies.

PubMed

Wernerehl, Robert W; Givnish, Thomas J

2015-01-01

Ecologists have long classified Midwestern prairies based on compositional variation assumed to reflect local gradients in moisture availability. The best known classification is based on Curtis' continuum index (CI), calculated using the presence of indicator species thought centered on different portions of an underlying moisture gradient. Direct evidence of the extent to which CI reflects differences in moisture availability has been lacking, however. Many factors that increase moisture availability (e.g., soil depth, silt content) also increase nutrient supply and decrease soil mechanical impedance; the ecological effects of the last have rarely been considered in any ecosystem. Decreased soil mechanical impedance should increase the availability of soil moisture and nutrients by reducing the root costs of retrieving both. Here we assess the relative importance of soil moisture, nutrient supply, and mechanical impedance in determining prairie composition and structure. We used leaf δ13C of C3 plants as a measure of growing-season moisture availability, cation exchange capacity (CEC) x soil depth as a measure of mineral nutrient availability, and penetrometer data as a measure of soil mechanical impedance. Community composition and structure were assessed in 17 remnant prairies in Wisconsin which vary little in annual precipitation. Ordination and regression analyses showed that δ13C increased with CI toward "drier" sites, and decreased with soil depth and % silt content. Variation in δ13C among remnants was 2.0‰, comparable to that along continental gradients from ca. 500-1500 mm annual rainfall. As predicted, LAI and average leaf height increased significantly toward "wetter" sites. CI accounted for 54% of compositional variance but δ13C accounted for only 6.2%, despite the strong relationships of δ13C to CI and CI to composition. Compositional variation reflects soil fertility and mechanical impedance more than moisture availability. This study is the first to quantify the effects of soil mechanical impedance on community ecology.

Geologic and climatic controls on the radon emanation coefficient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schumann, R.R.; Gundersen, L.C.S.; ,

1997-01-01

Geologic, pedologic, and climatic factors, including radium content, grain size, siting of radon parents within soil grains or on grain coatings, and soil moisture conditions, determine a soil's emanating power and radon transport characteristics. Data from field studies indicate that soils derived from similar parent rocks in different regions have significantly different emanation coefficients due to the effects of climate on these soil characteristics. An important tool for measuring radon source strength (i.e., radium content) is ground-based and aerial gamma radioactivity measurements. Regional correlations between soil radium content, determined by gamma spectrometry, and soil-gas or indoor radon concentrations can be traced to the influence of climatic and geologic factors on intrinsic permeability and radon emanation coefficients. Data on soil radium content, permeability, and moisture content, when combined with data on emanation coefficients, can form a framework for development of quantitative predictive models for radon generation in rocks and soils.

Determining the frequency, depth and velocity of preferential flow by high frequency soil moisture monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardie, Marcus; Lisson, Shaun; Doyle, Richard; Cotching, William

2013-01-01

Preferential flow in agricultural soils has been demonstrated to result in agrochemical mobilisation to shallow ground water. Land managers and environmental regulators need simple cost effective techniques for identifying soil - land use combinations in which preferential flow occurs. Existing techniques for identifying preferential flow have a range of limitations including; often being destructive, non in situ, small sampling volumes, or are subject to artificial boundary conditions. This study demonstrated that high frequency soil moisture monitoring using a multi-sensory capacitance probe mounted within a vertically rammed access tube, was able to determine the occurrence, depth, and wetting front velocity of preferential flow events following rainfall. Occurrence of preferential flow was not related to either rainfall intensity or rainfall amount, rather preferential flow occurred when antecedent soil moisture content was below 226 mm soil moisture storage (0-70 cm). Results indicate that high temporal frequency soil moisture monitoring may be used to identify soil type - land use combinations in which the presence of preferential flow increases the risk of shallow groundwater contamination by rapid transport of agrochemicals through the soil profile. However use of high frequency based soil moisture monitoring to determine agrochemical mobilisation risk may be limited by, inability to determine the volume of preferential flow, difficulty observing macropore flow at high antecedent soil moisture content, and creation of artificial voids during installation of access tubes in stony soils.

Cattle feedlot soil moisture and manure content: I. Impacts on greenhouse gases, odor compounds, nitrogen losses, and dust.

PubMed

Miller, Daniel N; Berry, Elaine D

2005-01-01

Beef cattle feedlots face serious environmental challenges associated with manure management, including greenhouse gas, odor, NH3, and dust emissions. Conditions affecting emissions are poorly characterized, but likely relate to the variability of feedlot surface moisture and manure contents, which affect microbial processes. Odor compounds, greenhouse gases, nitrogen losses, and dust potential were monitored at six moisture contents (0.11, 0.25, 0.43, 0.67, 1.00, and 1.50 g H2O g(-1) dry matter [DM]) in three artificial feedlot soil mixtures containing 50, 250, and 750 g manure kg(-1) total (manure + soil) DM over a two-week period. Moisture addition produced three microbial metabolisms: inactive, aerobic, and fermentative at low, moderate, and high moisture, respectively. Manure content acted to modulate the effect of moisture and enhanced some microbial processes. Greenhouse gas (CO2, N2O, and CH4) emissions were dynamic at moderate to high moisture. Malodorous volatile fatty acid (VFA) compounds did not accumulate in any treatments, but their persistence and volatility varied depending on pH and aerobic metabolism. Starch was the dominant substrate fueling both aerobic and fermentative metabolism. Nitrogen losses were observed in all metabolically active treatments; however, there was evidence for limited microbial nitrogen uptake. Finally, potential dust production was observed below defined moisture thresholds, which were related to manure content of the soil. Managing feedlot surface moisture within a narrow moisture range (0.2-0.4 g H2O g(-1) DM) and minimizing the accumulation of manure produced the optimum conditions that minimized the environmental impact from cattle feedlot production.

In vitro and in vivo assessment of the effect of initial moisture content and drying temperature on the feeding value of maize grain.

PubMed

Huart, F; Malumba, P; Odjo, S; Al-Izzi, W; Béra, F; Beckers, Y

2018-06-11

1. This study assessed the impact of drying temperature (54, 90, and 130°C) and maize grain moisture content at harvest (36% and 29%) on in vitro digestibility, the growth performance and ileal digestibility of broiler chickens. 2. In contrast to the results from the in vitro digestibility, apparent ileal digestibility of starch and energy decreased when the drying temperature was raised from 54 to 130°C, and this effect was more pronounced in maize grain harvested at high initial moisture content (36%). Ileal protein digestibility of maize grain decreased significantly when dried at the intermediate temperature (90°C) and with a high harvest moisture content (36%). Drying temperature and initial moisture content did not significantly affect AMEn. 3. When maize was dried at 130°C, the particle sizes of flour recovered after standard milling procedures decreased significantly, which would influence animal growth performance and in vivo digestibility through animal feed selection.

[Effect of moisture content on vigor of Cyathula officinalis seeds and its anti-aging mechanism analysis].

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Yang, Mei; Pei, Jin; Wang, Li; Wu, Yi-Yun; Lv, Hui

2016-04-01

Effects of nine different moisture contents on vigor of Cyathula officinalis seeds and its anti-aging mechanism were studied by artificial accelerated aging through high temperature and wet. The research results showedthat seed vigor were generally decreased after artificial aging; in general, seed vigor and its anti-aging ability are relatively stronger within the scope of 6.55%-4.78% moisture content, the increase range of seed conductivity, peroxidase activity, malondialdehyde content,and reduce amplitude of activityof dehydrogenase , superoxide dismutaseare alllower as well. And when the moisture content reduced to 5.77%, all of the germination tests index of the non-aged seeds are the highest, and the activity of peroxidase the lowest,conductivity of leaching solution relatively low, activity of dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase the highest,and catalase activityrelatively high.Therefore, in the low temperature germplasm preservation of C. officinalis seeds, the seed moisture content should be controlled close to the range of (5.70±1)% to keep higher vigor and anti-aging ability. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Estimation of Moisture Content of Forest Canopy and Floor from SAR Data Part I: Volume Scattering Case

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moghaddam, M.; Saatchi, S.

1996-01-01

To understand and predict the functioning of forest biomes, their interaction with the atmosphere, and their growth rates, the knowledge of moisture content of their canopy and the floor soil is essential. The synthetic aperture radar on airborne and spaceborne platforms has proven to be a flexible tool for measuring electromagnetic back- scattering properties of vegetation related to their moisture content.

Time to ignition is influenced by both moisture content and soluble carbohydrates in live Douglas fir and Lodgepole pine needles

Treesearch

Matt Jolly; Sara McAllister; Mark Finney; Ann Hadlow

2010-01-01

Living plants are often the primary fuels burning in wildland fire but little is known about the factors that govern their ignition behavior. Moisture content has long been hypothesized to determine the characteristics of fires spreading in live fuels but moisture content alone fails to explain observed differences in the ignition of various species at different times...

A numerical investigation of the influence of radiation and moisture content on pyrolysis and ignition of a leaf-like fuel element

Treesearch

B.L. Yashwanth; B. Shotorban; S. Mahalingam; C.W. Lautenberger; David Weise

2016-01-01

The effects of thermal radiation and moisture content on the pyrolysis and gas phase ignition of a solid fuel element containing high moisture content were investigated using the coupled Gpyro3D/FDS models. The solid fuel has dimensions of a typical Arctostaphylos glandulosa leaf which is modeled as thin cellulose subjected to radiative heating on...

Stress wave velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity of yellow-poplar ranging from 100 to 10 percent moisture content

Treesearch

Jody D. Gray; Shawn T. Grushecky; James P. Armstrong

2008-01-01

Moisture content has a significant impact on mechanical properties of wood. In recent years, stress wave velocity has been used as an in situ and non-destructive method for determining the stiffness of wooden elements. The objective of this study was to determine what effect moisture content has on stress wave velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity. Results...

Evaluation and modeling of aerodynamic properties of mung bean seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahbazi, Feizollah

2015-01-01

Aerodynamic properties of solid materials have long been used to convey and separate seeds and grains during post harvest operations. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the aerodynamic properties of mung bean seeds as a function of moisture content and two grades referred to above and below a cut point of 4.8 mm in length. The results showed that as the moisture content increased from 7.8 to 25% (w.b.), the terminal velocity of seeds increased following a polynomial relationship, from 7.28 to 8.79 and 6.02 to 7.12 m s-1, for grades A and B, respectively. Seeds at grade A had terminal velocities with a mean value of 8.05 m s-1, while at grade B had a mean value of 6.46 m s-1. The Reynolds number of both grades increased linearly with the increase of seeds moisture content, while the drag coefficient decreased with the increase of moisture content. Mathematical relationships were developed to relate the change in seeds moisture content with the obtained values of aerodynamic properties. The analysis of variance showed that moisture content had a significant effect, at 1% probability level, on all the aerodynamics properties of mung beans.

Dropping macadamia nuts-in-shell reduces kernel roasting quality.

PubMed

Walton, David A; Wallace, Helen M

2010-10-01

Macadamia nuts ('nuts-in-shell') are subjected to many impacts from dropping during postharvest handling, resulting in damage to the raw kernel. The effect of dropping on roasted kernel quality is unknown. Macadamia nuts-in-shell were dropped in various combinations of moisture content, number of drops and receiving surface in three experiments. After dropping, samples from each treatment and undropped controls were dry oven-roasted for 20 min at 130 °C, and kernels were assessed for colour, mottled colour and surface damage. Dropping nuts-in-shell onto a bed of nuts-in-shell at 3% moisture content or 20% moisture content increased the percentage of dark roasted kernels. Kernels from nuts dropped first at 20%, then 10% moisture content, onto a metal plate had increased mottled colour. Dropping nuts-in-shell at 3% moisture content onto nuts-in-shell significantly increased surface damage. Similarly, surface damage increased for kernels dropped onto a metal plate at 20%, then at 10% moisture content. Postharvest dropping of macadamia nuts-in-shell causes concealed cellular damage to kernels, the effects not evident until roasting. This damage provides the reagents needed for non-enzymatic browning reactions. Improvements in handling, such as reducing the number of drops and improving handling equipment, will reduce cellular damage and after-roast darkening. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Non-destructive Moisture Content Measurement of Bioabsorbable Polymers Used in Medical Implants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, P. A.; Bell, S. A.; Maxwell, A. S.; Tomlins, P. E.

2012-09-01

Measurements have been made that link moisture content to the degradation of a bioabsorbable polymeric material, poly ( dl-lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA). Bioabsorbable polymers used in medical implants degrade and are absorbed into the body. In the course of degradation, these polymers absorb water. Progressive non-destructive laboratory measurements of moisture content can be used as a means of tracking changes in these materials over the course of their degradation. Measurements of moisture content were made using a non-destructive microwave resonance instrument. The measurement approach, more usually applied to granular materials, was adapted to measure small, individual solid samples that do not fill the conventional sample volume of the resonator. Using the microwave resonance technique, gains in moisture content were measurable in increasingly degraded samples. The results were confirmed using alternative (destructive) measurements of sample moisture content. The microwave resonance technique offers a non-destructive measurement that can be used to study the degradation characteristics of PLGA. Better understanding of the degradation process can enable the polymer break-down rate to be tailored to match the healing rate of tissue. Non-destructive measurement allows effective study using single rather than multiple samples. This is a strong advantage when novel materials under study may be either expensive or in strictly limited availability.

Temporal and spatial variabilities in the surface moisture content of a fine-grained beach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namikas, S. L.; Edwards, B. L.; Bitton, M. C. A.; Booth, J. L.; Zhu, Y.

2010-01-01

This study examined spatial and temporal variations in the surface moisture content of a fine-grained beach at Padre Island, Texas, USA. Surface moisture measurements were collected on a 27 × 24 m grid that extended from the dune toe to the upper foreshore. The grid was surveyed at 2 to 4 h intervals for two tidal cycles, generating 17 maps of the spatial distribution of surface moisture. Simultaneous measurements of air temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, tidal elevation, and water table elevation were used to interpret observed changes in surface moisture. It was found that the spatial distribution of surface moisture was broadly characterized by a cross-shore gradient of high to low content moving landward from the swash zone. The distribution of surface moisture was conceptualized in terms of three zones: saturated (> 25%), intermediate or transitional (5-25%), and dry (< 5%). The position of the saturated zone corresponded to the uppermost swash zone and therefore shifted in accordance with tidal elevation. Moisture contents in the intermediate and dry zones were primarily related to variation in water table depth (which was in turn controlled by tidal elevation) and to a lesser extent by evaporation. Signals associated with atmospheric processes such as evaporation were muted by the minimal degree of variation in atmospheric parameters experienced during most of the study period, but were apparent for the last few hours. The observed spatial and temporal variations in moisture content correspond reasonably well with observations of key controlling processes, but more work is needed to fully characterize this process suite.

Effect of process variables on the quality characteristics of pelleted wheat distiller's dried grains with solubles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaya Shankar Tumuluru; Lope Tabil; Anthony Opoku

2011-04-01

The rapid expansion of ethanol processing plants in Canada has resulted in a significant increase in the production of wheat-based distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Transportation and flowability problems associated with DDGS necessitate investigations on pelleting. In the present study, the effect of process variables like die temperature (T) and feed moisture content (Mw) on the pellet properties like pellet moisture content, durability and pellet density was explored using a single pelleting machine; further studies on pelleting DDGS using a pilot-scale pellet mill were also conducted to understand the effect of die diameter and steam conditioning on durability andmore » bulk density of pellets. Proximate analysis of DDGS indicated that crude protein and dry matter were in the range of 37.37–40.33% and 91.27–92.60%, respectively. Linear regression models developed for pellet quality attributes like pellet moisture content, pellet density and durability adequately described the single pelleting process with R2 value of 0.97, 0.99 and 0.7, respectively. ANOVA results have indicated that linear terms T and Mw and the interaction term T × Mw were statistically significant at P < 0.01 and P < 0.1 for pellet moisture content and pellet density. Based on the trends of the surface plots, a medium T of about 50–80 °C and a low Mw of about 5.1% resulted in maximum pellet density and durability and minimum pellet moisture content. Results from pilot-scale studies indicated that bulk density, durability and throughput values were 436.8–528.9 kg m-3, 60.3–92.7% and 45.52–68.77 kg h-1, respectively. It was observed that both die diameter and steam addition had a significant effect on the bulk density and the durability values. The highest bulk density and durability were achieved with 6.4 mm die diameter with steam addition compared to 7.9 mm die with or without steam addition.« less

Factors influencing moisture analysis in the 3013 destructive examination surveillance program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scogin, J. H.

Thermogravimetric analysis of a solid sample with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) of the evolved gas is used in the destructive examination (DE) portion of the Integrated Surveillance Program to quantify the moisture content of the material stored in a 3013 container. As with any measurement determined from a small sample, the collection, storage, transportation, and handling of the sample can affect its ability to represent the properties of the bulk material. During the course of the DE program, questions have periodically arisen concerning the ability of the moisture sample to reflect reliably the actual moisture content of the entire material storedmore » in the 3013 container. Most concerns are related to the ability to collect a representative sample and to preserve the moisture content of the sample between collection and analysis. Recent delays in analysis caused by maintenance issues with the TGA-MS instrument presented a unique opportunity to document and quantify the effects various factors have on the TGA-MS moisture measurement. This report will use recent data to document the effects that current sample collection and handling practices have on the TGA-MS moisture measurement. Some suggestions will be made which could improve the current sample collection and handling practices for the TGA-MS moisture measurement so that the analytical results more accurately reflect the moisture content of the material stored in the 3013 container.« less

Soil Texture Often Exerts a Stronger Influence Than Precipitation on Mesoscale Soil Moisture Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Jingnuo; Ochsner, Tyson E.

2018-03-01

Soil moisture patterns are commonly thought to be dominated by land surface characteristics, such as soil texture, at small scales and by atmospheric processes, such as precipitation, at larger scales. However, a growing body of evidence challenges this conceptual model. We investigated the structural similarity and spatial correlations between mesoscale (˜1-100 km) soil moisture patterns and land surface and atmospheric factors along a 150 km transect using 4 km multisensor precipitation data and a cosmic-ray neutron rover, with a 400 m diameter footprint. The rover was used to measure soil moisture along the transect 18 times over 13 months. Spatial structures of soil moisture, soil texture (sand content), and antecedent precipitation index (API) were characterized using autocorrelation functions and fitted with exponential models. Relative importance of land surface characteristics and atmospheric processes were compared using correlation coefficients (r) between soil moisture and sand content or API. The correlation lengths of soil moisture, sand content, and API ranged from 12-32 km, 13-20 km, and 14-45 km, respectively. Soil moisture was more strongly correlated with sand content (r = -0.536 to -0.704) than with API for all but one date. Thus, land surface characteristics exhibit coherent spatial patterns at scales up to 20 km, and those patterns often exert a stronger influence than do precipitation patterns on mesoscale spatial patterns of soil moisture.

Dilatometric measurement of the partial molar volume of water sorbed to durum wheat flour.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Ayako; Ogawa, Takenobu; Adachi, Shuji

2013-01-01

Moisture sorption isotherms were measured at 25 °C for untreated, dry-heated and pre-gelatinized durum wheat flour samples. The isotherms could be expressed by the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer equation. The amount of water sorbed to the untreated flour was highest for low water activity, with water sorbed to the pre-gelatinized and dry-heated flour samples following. The dry-heated and pregelatinized flour samples exhibited the same dependence of the moisture content on the partial molar volume of water at 25 °C as the untreated flour. The partial molar volume of water was ca. 9 cm(3)/mol at a moisture content of 0.03 kg-H2O/kg-d.m. The volume increased with increasing moisture content, and reached a constant value of ca. 17.5 cm(3)/mol at a moisture content of 0.2 kg-H2O/kg-d.m. or higher.

Effect of moisture content on the heating profile in composted broiler litter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Moisture content can affect the magnitude of heat generation during composting. Temperature was recorded every 2 min for 7 d at 10-cm increments throughout the vertical profile of broiler litter treated with five quantities of water addition. Water additions were applied to achieve litter moisture...

Effects of Starting Moisture on Characteristics of Oil Roasted Peanut

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous research has shown that the moisture content of peanuts before dry roasting affects the quality of the finished product. This study demonstrates the effects of the starting moisture content of the raw product on peanuts that were oil roasted. Scanning Electron Microscope images taken befo...

Modeling the use of microwave energy in sensing of moisture content in vidalia onions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microwave moisture sensing provides a means to nondestructively determine the amount of water in materials. This is accomplished through the correlation of dielectric constant and loss factor with moisture content in the material. In this study, linear relationships between a density-independent fun...

Moisture effects on the prediction performance of a single kernel near-infrared deoxynivalenol calibration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effect of moisture content variation on the accuracy of single kernel deoxynivalenol (DON) prediction by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was investigated. Sample moisture content (MC) considerably affected accuracy of the current NIR DON calibration by underestimating or over estimating DON at high...

Crop moisture estimation over the southern Great Plains with dual polarization 1.66 centimeter passive microwave data from Nimbus 7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfarland, M. J.; Harder, P. H., II; Wilke, G. D.; Huebner, G. L., Jr.

1984-01-01

Moisture content of snow-free, unfrozen soil is inferred using passive microwave brightness temperatures from the scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) on Nimbus-7. Investigation is restricted to the two polarizations of the 1.66 cm wavelength sensor. Passive microwave estimates of soil moisture are of two basic categories; those based upon soil emissivity and those based upon the polarization of soil emission. The two methods are compared and contrasted through the investigation of 54 potential functions of polarized brightness temperatures and, in some cases, ground-based temperature measurements. Of these indices, three are selected for the estimated emissivity, the difference between polarized brightness temperatures, and the normalized polarization difference. Each of these indices is about equally effective for monitoring soil moisture. Using an antecedent precipitation index (API) as ground control data, temporal and spatial analyses show that emissivity data consistently give slightly better soil moisture estimates than depolarization data. The difference, however, is not statistically significant. It is concluded that polarization data alone can provide estimates of soil moisture in areas where the emissivity cannot be inferred due to nonavailability of surface temperature data.

The critical micelle concentration of lecithin in bulk oils and medium chain triacylglycerol is influenced by moisture content and total polar materials.

PubMed

Kim, JiSu; Kim, Mi-Ja; Lee, JaeHwan

2018-09-30

Effects of different moisture contents and oxidised compounds on the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of lecithin were determined in bulk oils and in medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT). CMC of lecithin in MCT was significantly higher than that in other vegetable oils including olive, soybean, corn, and rapeseed oils (p < 0.05). Presence of moisture significantly affected the CMC of lecithin in MCT (p < 0.05). CMC of lecithin was high when the moisture content was below 900 ppm, whereas at a moisture content of 1000 ppm, CMC of lecithin decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and then started to increase. Addition of total polar materials (TPM), which are oxidation products, at 3 and 5% concentrations, decreased CMC of lecithin significantly (p < 0.05) in MCT, compared to when 0, 1, and 1.5% of TPM was added to MCT. As the degree of oxidation increased in corn oil, CMC of lecithin gradually decreased. Additionally, under different moisture contents, corn oils showed a similar pattern of CMC of lecithin in MCT, whereas oxidised corn oil had a little lower CMC of lecithin than unoxidised corn oil. The results clearly showed that the concentration of lecithin for the formation of micelles is greatly influenced by the presence of oxidation products and the moisture content in bulk oils. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fiber optic moisture sensor

DOEpatents

Kirkham, R.R.

1984-08-03

A method and apparatus for sensing moisture changes by utilizing optical fiber technology. One embodiment uses a reflective target at the end of an optical fiber. The reflectance of the target varies with its moisture content and can be detected by a remote unit at the opposite end of the fiber. A second embodiment utilizes changes in light loss along the fiber length. This can be attributed to changes in reflectance of cladding material as a function of its moisture content. It can also be affected by holes or inserts interposed in the cladding material and/or fiber. Changing light levels can also be coupled from one fiber to another in an assembly of fibers as a function of varying moisture content in their overlapping lengths of cladding material.

Towards an improved soil moisture retrieval for organic-rich soils from SMOS passive microwave L-band observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bircher, Simone; Richaume, Philippe; Mahmoodi, Ali; Mialon, Arnaud; Fernandez-Moran, Roberto; Wigneron, Jean-Pierre; Demontoux, François; Jonard, François; Weihermüller, Lutz; Andreasen, Mie; Rautiainen, Kimmo; Ikonen, Jaakko; Schwank, Mike; Drusch, Mattias; Kerr, Yann H.

2017-04-01

From the passive L-band microwave radiometer onboard the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) space mission global surface soil moisture data is retrieved every 2 - 3 days. Thus far, the empirical L-band Microwave Emission of the Biosphere (L-MEB) radiative transfer model applied in the SMOS soil moisture retrieval algorithm is exclusively calibrated over test sites in dry and temperate climate zones. Furthermore, the included dielectric mixing model relating soil moisture to relative permittivity accounts only for mineral soils. However, soil moisture monitoring over the higher Northern latitudes is crucial since these regions are especially sensitive to climate change. A considerable positive feedback is expected if thawing of these extremely organic soils supports carbon decomposition and release to the atmosphere. Due to differing structural characteristics and thus varying bound water fractions, the relative permittivity of organic material is lower than that of the most mineral soils at a given water content. This assumption was verified by means of L-band relative permittivity laboratory measurements of organic and mineral substrates from various sites in Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Siberia using a resonant cavity. Based on these data, a simple empirical dielectric model for organic soils was derived and implemented in the SMOS Soil Moisture Level 2 Prototype Processor (SML2PP). Unfortunately, the current SMOS retrieved soil moisture product seems to show unrealistically low values compared to in situ soil moisture data collected from organic surface layers in North America, Europe and the Tibetan Plateau so that the impact of the dielectric model for organic soils cannot really be tested. A simplified SMOS processing scheme yielding higher soil moisture levels has recently been proposed and is presently under investigation. Furthermore, recalibration of the model parameters accounting for vegetation and roughness effects that were thus far only evaluated using the default dielectric model for mineral soils is ongoing for the "organic" L-MEB version. Additionally, in order to decide where a soil moisture retrieval using the "organic" dielectric model should be triggered, information on soil organic matter content in the soil surface layer has to be considered in the retrieval algorithm. For this purpose, SoilGrids (www.soilgrids.org) providing soil organic carbon content (SOCC) in g/kg is under study. A SOCC threshold based on the relation between the SoilGrids' SOCC and the presence of organic soil surface layers (relevant to alter the microwave L-band emissions from the land surface) in the SoilGrids' source soil profile information has to be established. In this communication, we present the current status of the above outlined studies with the objective to advance towards an improved soil moisture retrieval for organic-rich soils from SMOS passive microwave L-band observations.

Improvement in the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of traditional extruded cassava-based snack (modified Ajogun).

PubMed

Obadina, Adewale O; Oyewole, Olusola B; Williams, Oluwasolabomi E

2013-07-01

This study was carried out to investigate and improve the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of the traditional cassava snack (Ajogun). Cassava root (Manihot esculenta Crantz L.) of TME 419 variety was processed into mash (40% moisture content). The cassava mash was mixed into different blends to produce fried traditional "Ajogun", fried and baked extrudates (modified Ajogun) as snacks. These products were analyzed to determine the proximate composition including carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, ash, and moisture contents and functional properties such as bulk density. The results obtained for the moisture, fat, protein, and ash contents showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the control sample and the extrudates. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the carbohydrate and fiber contents between the three samples. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the bulk density of the snacks. Also, sensory evaluation was carried out on the cassava-based snacks using the 9-point hedonic scale to determine the degree of acceptability. Results obtained showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the extrudates and control sample in terms of appearance, taste, flavor, color, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability. The highest acceptability level of the product was at 8.04 for the control sample (traditional Ajogun). This study has shown that "Ajogun", which is a lesser known cassava product, is rich in protein and fat.

Nondestructive In Situ Measurement Method for Kernel Moisture Content in Corn Ear.

PubMed

Zhang, Han-Lin; Ma, Qin; Fan, Li-Feng; Zhao, Peng-Fei; Wang, Jian-Xu; Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Zhu, De-Hai; Huang, Lan; Zhao, Dong-Jie; Wang, Zhong-Yi

2016-12-20

Moisture content is an important factor in corn breeding and cultivation. A corn breed with low moisture at harvest is beneficial for mechanical operations, reduces drying and storage costs after harvesting and, thus, reduces energy consumption. Nondestructive measurement of kernel moisture in an intact corn ear allows us to select corn varieties with seeds that have high dehydration speeds in the mature period. We designed a sensor using a ring electrode pair for nondestructive measurement of the kernel moisture in a corn ear based on a high-frequency detection circuit. Through experiments using the effective scope of the electrodes' electric field, we confirmed that the moisture in the corn cob has little effect on corn kernel moisture measurement. Before the sensor was applied in practice, we investigated temperature and conductivity effects on the output impedance. Results showed that the temperature was linearly related to the output impedance (both real and imaginary parts) of the measurement electrodes and the detection circuit's output voltage. However, the conductivity has a non-monotonic dependence on the output impedance (both real and imaginary parts) of the measurement electrodes and the output voltage of the high-frequency detection circuit. Therefore, we reduced the effect of conductivity on the measurement results through measurement frequency selection. Corn moisture measurement results showed a quadric regression between corn ear moisture and the imaginary part of the output impedance, and there is also a quadric regression between corn kernel moisture and the high-frequency detection circuit output voltage at 100 MHz. In this study, two corn breeds were measured using our sensor and gave R ² values for the quadric regression equation of 0.7853 and 0.8496.

9 CFR 319.760 - Deviled ham, deviled tongue, and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...: Provided, That the total fat content shall not exceed 35 percent of the finished product. The moisture content of deviled ham shall not exceed that of the fresh unprocessed meat. (b) The moisture content of...

9 CFR 319.760 - Deviled ham, deviled tongue, and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...: Provided, That the total fat content shall not exceed 35 percent of the finished product. The moisture content of deviled ham shall not exceed that of the fresh unprocessed meat. (b) The moisture content of...

Enhancement of Moisture Protective Properties and Stability of Pectin through Formation of a Composite Film: Effects of Shellac and Plasticizer.

PubMed

Luangtana-Anan, Manee; Soradech, Sitthiphong; Saengsod, Suthep; Nunthanid, Jurairat; Limmatvapirat, Sontaya

2017-12-01

The aim of this investigation was to develop the high moisture protective ability and stable pectin through the design of composite films based on varying shellac concentrations. A film casting method was applied to prepare a free film. The moisture protective properties and mechanical properties were investigated. The findings was the composite films exhibited the reductions in the hydrophilicity, water vapor permeability, and the moisture content compared with pectin films. The single and composite films were then study for their stability at 40 °C and 75% RH for 90 d. Among the concentrations of shellac, 50% (w/w) could improve stability in terms of moisture protection after 90 d of storage, whereas lower concentrations of shellac (10% to 40%) could not achieve this. However, the higher shellac content also contributed to weaker mechanical properties. The mechanical improvement and stability of composite films with the incorporation of plasticizers were further investigated. Polyethylene glycol 400 and diethyl phthalate at a concentration of 10% were used. The results indicated that both plasticizers could enhance the mechanical characteristics and had a slight effect on moisture protection. The stability of pectin in terms of moisture protective properties could, therefore, be modified through the fabrication of composite films with hydrophobic polymers, that is, shellac and the addition of proper plasticizers to enhance mechanical properties, which could offer wide applications for edible film in food, agro, and pharmaceutical industries. The composite film with 50% shellac could improve moisture protective properties of pectin film. Adding a plasticizer could build up the higher mechanical characteristics of composite film. Stability of pectin could be modified by fabrication of composite films with proper content of shellac and plasticizer. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

On the relationship between land surface infrared emissivity and soil moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu

2018-01-01

The relationship between surface infrared (IR) emissivity and soil moisture content has been investigated based on satellite measurements. Surface soil moisture content can be estimated by IR remote sensing, namely using the surface parameters of IR emissivity, temperature, vegetation coverage, and soil texture. It is possible to separate IR emissivity from other parameters affecting surface soil moisture estimation. The main objective of this paper is to examine the correlation between land surface IR emissivity and soil moisture. To this end, we have developed a simple yet effective scheme to estimate volumetric soil moisture (VSM) using IR land surface emissivity retrieved from satellite IR spectral radiance measurements, assuming those other parameters impacting the radiative transfer (e.g., temperature, vegetation coverage, and surface roughness) are known for an acceptable time and space reference location. This scheme is applied to a decade of global IR emissivity data retrieved from MetOp-A infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer measurements. The VSM estimated from these IR emissivity data (denoted as IR-VSM) is used to demonstrate its measurement-to-measurement variations. Representative 0.25-deg spatially-gridded monthly-mean IR-VSM global datasets are then assembled to compare with those routinely provided from satellite microwave (MW) multisensor measurements (denoted as MW-VSM), demonstrating VSM spatial variations as well as seasonal-cycles and interannual variability. Initial positive agreement is shown to exist between IR- and MW-VSM (i.e., R2 = 0.85). IR land surface emissivity contains surface water content information. So, when IR measurements are used to estimate soil moisture, this correlation produces results that correspond with those customarily achievable from MW measurements. A decade-long monthly-gridded emissivity atlas is used to estimate IR-VSM, to demonstrate its seasonal-cycle and interannual variation, which is spatially coherent and consistent with that from MW measurements, and, moreover, to achieve our objective of investigating the relationship between land surface IR emissivity and soil moisture.

Ground-Based Passive Microwave Remote Sensing Observations of Soil Moisture at S and L Band with Insight into Measurement Accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laymon, Charles A.; Crosson, William L.; Jackson, Thomas J.; Manu, Andrew; Tsegaye, Teferi D.; Soman, V.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Accurate estimates of spatially heterogeneous algorithm variables and parameters are required in determining the spatial distribution of soil moisture using radiometer data from aircraft and satellites. A ground-based experiment in passive microwave remote sensing of soil moisture was conducted in Huntsville, Alabama from July 1-14, 1996 to study retrieval algorithms and their sensitivity to variable and parameter specification. With high temporal frequency observations at S and L band, we were able to observe large scale moisture changes following irrigation and rainfall events, as well as diurnal behavior of surface moisture among three plots, one bare, one covered with short grass and another covered with alfalfa. The L band emitting depth was determined to be on the order of 0-3 or 0-5 cm below 0.30 cubic centimeter/cubic centimeter with an indication of a shallower emitting depth at higher moisture values. Surface moisture behavior was less apparent on the vegetated plots than it was on the bare plot because there was less moisture gradient and because of difficulty in determining vegetation water content and estimating the vegetation b parameter. Discrepancies between remotely sensed and gravimetric, soil moisture estimates on the vegetated plots point to an incomplete understanding of the requirements needed to correct for the effects of vegetation attenuation. Quantifying the uncertainty in moisture estimates is vital if applications are to utilize remotely-sensed soil moisture data. Computations based only on the real part of the complex dielectric constant and/or an alternative dielectric mixing model contribute a relatively insignificant amount of uncertainty to estimates of soil moisture. Rather, the retrieval algorithm is much more sensitive to soil properties, surface roughness and biomass.

Numerical and experimental studies on effects of moisture content on combustion characteristics of simulated municipal solid wastes in a fixed bed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Rui, E-mail: Sunsr@hit.edu.cn; Ismail, Tamer M., E-mail: temoil@aucegypt.edu; Ren, Xiaohan

Highlights: • The effects of moisture content on the burning process of MSW are investigated. • A two-dimensional mathematical model was built to simulate the combustion process. • Temperature distributions, process rates, gas species were measured and simulated. • The The conversion ratio of C/CO and N/NO in MSW are inverse to moisture content. - Abstract: In order to reveal the features of the combustion process in the porous bed of a waste incinerator, a two-dimensional unsteady state model and experimental study were employed to investigate the combustion process in a fixed bed of municipal solid waste (MSW) on themore » combustion process in a fixed bed reactor. Conservation equations of the waste bed were implemented to describe the incineration process. The gas phase turbulence was modeled using the k–ε turbulent model and the particle phase was modeled using the kinetic theory of granular flow. The rate of moisture evaporation, devolatilization rate, and char burnout was calculated according to the waste property characters. The simulation results were then compared with experimental data for different moisture content of MSW, which shows that the incineration process of waste in the fixed bed is reasonably simulated. The simulation results of solid temperature, gas species and process rate in the bed are accordant with experimental data. Due to the high moisture content of fuel, moisture evaporation consumes a vast amount of heat, and the evaporation takes up most of the combustion time (about 2/3 of the whole combustion process). The whole bed combustion process reduces greatly as MSW moisture content increases. The experimental and simulation results provide direction for design and optimization of the fixed bed of MSW.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar

The quality and specific energy consumption (SEC) of the biomass pellets produced depend upon pelleting process conditions. The present study includes understanding the effect of feedstock moisture in the range of 28–38% (wet basis [w.b.]) and preheating in the range of 30–110°C at two die speeds of 40 and 60 Hz on the physical properties and SEC. A flat die pellet mill fitted with a 6 mm die was used in the present study. The physical properties of pellets such as moisture content, unit, bulk and tapped density, durability, and expansion ratio and SEC of the pelleting process are measured.more » The results indicate that the pellets produced have durability values in the range of 87–98%, and unit bulk and tapped density in the range of 670–1100, 375–575, and 420–620 kg/m³. Increasing the feedstock moisture content from 33% to 38% (w.b) decreased the unit, bulk and tapped density by about 30–40%. Increasing feedstock moisture content increased the expansion ratio and decreased the density values. A higher feedstock moisture content of 38% (w.b.) and higher preheating temperature of 110°C resulted in lower density and a higher expansion ratio, which can be attributed to flash off of moisture as the material extrudes out of the die. The SEC was in the range of 75–275 kWh/ton. Higher feedstock moisture content of 38% (w.b.) and a lower die speed of 40 Hz increased the SEC, whereas lower to medium preheating temperature (30–70°C), medium feedstock moisture content of 33% (w.b.), and a higher die speed of 60 Hz minimized the SEC to <100 kWh/ton.« less

Moisture sorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of mexican mennonite-style cheese.

PubMed

Martinez-Monteagudo, Sergio I; Salais-Fierro, Fabiola

2014-10-01

Moisture adsorption isotherms of fresh and ripened Mexican Mennonite-style cheese were investigated using the static gravimetric method at 4, 8, and 12 °C in a water activity range (aw) of 0.08-0.96. These isotherms were modeled using GAB, BET, Oswin and Halsey equations through weighed non-linear regression. All isotherms were sigmoid in shape, showing a type II BET isotherm, and the data were best described by GAB model. GAB model coefficients revealed that water adsorption by cheese matrix is a multilayer process characterized by molecules that are strongly bound in the monolayer and molecules that are slightly structured in a multilayer. Using the GAB model, it was possible to estimate thermodynamic functions (net isosteric heat, differential entropy, integral enthalpy and entropy, and enthalpy-entropy compensation) as function of moisture content. For both samples, the isosteric heat and differential entropy decreased with moisture content in exponential fashion. The integral enthalpy gradually decreased with increasing moisture content after reached a maximum value, while the integral entropy decreased with increasing moisture content after reached a minimum value. A linear compensation was found between integral enthalpy and entropy suggesting enthalpy controlled adsorption. Determination of moisture content and aw relationship yields to important information of controlling the ripening, drying and storage operations as well as understanding of the water state within a cheese matrix.

Dynamic analysis of temporal moisture profiles in heatset printing studied with near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tåg, C.-M.; Toiviainen, M.; Juuti, M.; Gane, P. A. C.

2010-10-01

Dynamic analysis of the water transfer onto coated paper, and its permeation and absorption into the porous structure were studied online in a full-scale heatset web offset printing environment. The moisture content of the paper was investigated at five different positions during the printing process. Changes in the moisture content of the paper were studied as a function of the web temperature, printing speed and silicone application in the folding unit positioned after the hot air drying oven. Additionally, the influence of fountain solution composition on the pick-up by the paper was investigated. The water content of the fountain solution transferred to the paper from the printing units was observed as changes in near-infrared absorbance. A calibration data set enabled the subsequent quantification of the dynamic moisture content of the paper at the studied locations. An increase in the printing speed reduced the water transfer to the paper and an increase in web temperature resulted in a reduction in the moisture content. An increase in the dosage level of the water-silicone mixture was observed as a re-moistening effect of the paper. Differences in the drying strategy resulted in different moisture profiles depending on the type of fountain solution used. As a conclusion, the near-infrared signal provides an effective way to characterize the moisture dynamics online at different press units.

Effect of soil moisture on the sorption of trichloroethene vapor to vadose-zone soil at picatinny arsenal, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, J.A.; Chiou, C.T.; Kammer, J.A.; Kile, D.E.

1990-01-01

This report presents data on the sorption of trichloroethene (TCE) vapor to vadose-zone soil above a contaminated water-table aquifer at Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, NJ. To assess the impact of moisture on TCE sorption, batch experiments on the sorption of TCE vapor by the field soil were carried out as a function of relative humidity. The TCE sorption decreases as soil moisture content increases from zero to saturation soil moisture content (the soil moisture content in equilibrium with 100% relative humidity). The moisture content of soil samples collected from the vadose zone was found to be greater than the saturation soil-moisture content, suggesting that adsorption of TCE by the mineral fraction of the vadose-zone soil should be minimal relative to the partition uptake by soil organic matter. Analyses of soil and soil-gas samples collected from the field indicate that the ratio of the concentration of TCE on the vadose-zone soil to its concentration in the soil gas is 1-3 orders of magnitude greater than the ratio predicted by using an assumption of equilibrium conditions. This apparent disequilibrium presumably results from the slow desorption of TCE from the organic matter of the vadose-zone soil relative to the dissipation of TCE vapor from the soil gas.

Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture: A Comparison of Optical and Thermal Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foroughi, H.; Naseri, A. A.; Boroomandnasab, S.; Sadeghi, M.; Jones, S. B.; Tuller, M.; Babaeian, E.

2017-12-01

Recent technological advances in satellite and airborne remote sensing have provided new means for large-scale soil moisture monitoring. Traditional methods for soil moisture retrieval require thermal and optical RS observations. In this study we compared the traditional trapezoid model parameterized based on the land surface temperature - normalized difference vegetation index (LST-NDVI) space with the recently developed optical trapezoid model OPTRAM parameterized based on the shortwave infrared transformed reflectance (STR)-NDVI space for an extensive sugarcane field located in Southwestern Iran. Twelve Landsat-8 satellite images were acquired during the sugarcane growth season (April to October 2016). Reference in situ soil moisture data were obtained at 22 locations at different depths via core sampling and oven-drying. The obtained results indicate that the thermal/optical and optical prediction methods are comparable, both with volumetric moisture content estimation errors of about 0.04 cm3 cm-3. However, the OPTRAM model is more efficient because it does not require thermal data and can be universally parameterized for a specific location, because unlike the LST-soil moisture relationship, the reflectance-soil moisture relationship does not significantly vary with environmental variables (e.g., air temperature, wind speed, etc.).

In-line moisture monitoring in fluidized bed granulation using a novel multi-resonance microwave sensor.

PubMed

Peters, Johanna; Bartscher, Kathrin; Döscher, Claas; Taute, Wolfgang; Höft, Michael; Knöchel, Reinhard; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2017-08-01

Microwave resonance technology (MRT) is known as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for moisture measurements in fluid-bed granulation. It offers a great potential for wet granulation processes even where the suitability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is limited, e.g. colored granules, large variations in bulk density. However, previous sensor systems operating around a single resonance frequency showed limitations above approx. 7.5% granule moisture. This paper describes the application of a novel sensor working with four resonance frequencies. In-line data of all four resonance frequencies were collected and further processed. Based on calculation of density-independent microwave moisture values multiple linear regression (MLR) models using Karl-Fischer titration (KF) as well as loss on drying (LOD) as reference methods were build. Rapid, reliable in-process moisture control (RMSEP≤0.5%) even at higher moisture contents was achieved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operate a dry rotary dryer, you must demonstrate that your dryer processes furnish with an inlet moisture.... You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer operating temperature... highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the highest recorded 24-hour average...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operate a dry rotary dryer, you must demonstrate that your dryer processes furnish with an inlet moisture.... You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer operating temperature... highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the highest recorded 24-hour average...

Effect of black clay soil moisture on the electrochemical behavior of API X70 pipeline steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendi, R.; Saifi, H.; Belmokre, K.; Ouadah, M.; Smili, B.; Talhi, B.

2018-03-01

The effect of moisture content variation (20–100 wt.%) on the electrochemical behavior of API X70 pipeline steel buried in the soil of Skikda (East of Algeria) was studied using electrochemical techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and weight loss measurement. The electrochemical measurements showed that the corrosion current Icorr is directly proportional to the moisture content up to 50 wt.%, beyond this content, this value becomes almost constant. The result were confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; the capacitance of the double layer formed on the surface is the highest at 50 wt.%. A single time constant was detected by plotting the Bode diagrams. The steel surface degradation has been appreciated using the scanning electron microscopy observations. A few pitting corrosion at 20 wt.% moisture, followed by more degradation at 50 wt.% have been revealed. However, when the moisture amount exceeded 50 wt.%, the surface became entirely covered by a corrosion product. XRD analysis revealed the dominance of FeOOH and Fe3O4 phases on steel surface for a moisture content of 50 wt.%.

Optimization of chip size and moisture content to obtain high, combined sugar recovery after sulfur dioxide-catalyzed steam pretreatment of softwood and enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic component.

PubMed

Olsen, Colin; Arantes, Valdeir; Saddler, Jack

2015-01-01

The influence of chip size and moisture content on the combined sugar recovery after steam pretreatment of lodgepole pine and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic component were investigated using response surface methodology. Chip size had little influence on sugar recovery after both steam pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. In contrast, the moisture of the chips greatly influenced the relative severity of steam pretreatment and, as a result, the combined sugar recovery from the hemicellulosic and cellulosic fractions. Irrespective of chip size and the pretreatment temperature, time, and SO2 loading that were used, the relative severity of pretreatment was highest at a moisture of 30-40w/w%. However, the predictive model indicated that an elevated moisture content of roughly 50w/w% (about the moisture content of a standard softwood mill chip) would result in the highest, combined sugar recovery (80%) over the widest range of steam pretreatment conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new method to determine the water activity and the net isosteric heats of sorption for low moisture foods at elevated temperatures.

PubMed

Tadapaneni, Ravi Kiran; Yang, Ren; Carter, Brady; Tang, Juming

2017-12-01

In recent years, research studies have shown that the thermal resistance of foodborne pathogens in the low moisture foods is greatly influenced by the water activity (a w ) at temperatures relevant to thermal treatments for pathogen control. Yet, there has been a lack of an effective method for accurate measurement of a w at those temperatures. Thus, the main aim of this study was to evaluate a new method for measuring a w of food samples at elevated temperatures. An improved thermal cell with a relative humidity and temperature sensor was used to measure the a w of the three different food samples, namely, organic wheat flour, almond flour, and non-fat milk powder, over the temperature range between 20 and 80°C. For a constant moisture content, the a w data was used to estimate the net isosteric heat of sorption (q st ). The q st values were then used in the Clausius Clapeyron equation (CCE) equation to estimate the moisture sorption isotherm for all test food samples at different temperatures. For all the tested samples of any fixed moisture content, a w value generally increased with the temperature. The energy for sorption decreased with increasing moisture content. With the experimentally determined q st value, CCE describes well about the changes in a w of the food samples between 20 and 80°C. This study presents a method to obtain a w of a food sample for a specific moisture content at different temperatures which could be extended to obtain q st values for different moisture contents and hence, the moisture sorption isotherm of a food sample at different temperatures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrological Storage Length Scales Represented by Remote Sensing Estimates of Soil Moisture and Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbar, Ruzbeh; Short Gianotti, Daniel; McColl, Kaighin A.; Haghighi, Erfan; Salvucci, Guido D.; Entekhabi, Dara

2018-03-01

The soil water content profile is often well correlated with the soil moisture state near the surface. They share mutual information such that analysis of surface-only soil moisture is, at times and in conjunction with precipitation information, reflective of deeper soil fluxes and dynamics. This study examines the characteristic length scale, or effective depth Δz, of a simple active hydrological control volume. The volume is described only by precipitation inputs and soil water dynamics evident in surface-only soil moisture observations. To proceed, first an observation-based technique is presented to estimate the soil moisture loss function based on analysis of soil moisture dry-downs and its successive negative increments. Then, the length scale Δz is obtained via an optimization process wherein the root-mean-squared (RMS) differences between surface soil moisture observations and its predictions based on water balance are minimized. The process is entirely observation-driven. The surface soil moisture estimates are obtained from the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission and precipitation from the gauge-corrected Climate Prediction Center daily global precipitation product. The length scale Δz exhibits a clear east-west gradient across the contiguous United States (CONUS), such that large Δz depths (>200 mm) are estimated in wetter regions with larger mean precipitation. The median Δz across CONUS is 135 mm. The spatial variance of Δz is predominantly explained and influenced by precipitation characteristics. Soil properties, especially texture in the form of sand fraction, as well as the mean soil moisture state have a lesser influence on the length scale.

High moisture corn stover pelleting in a flat die pellet mill fitted with a 6 mm die: physical properties and specific energy consumption

DOE PAGES

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar

2015-06-15

The quality and specific energy consumption (SEC) of the biomass pellets produced depend upon pelleting process conditions. The present study includes understanding the effect of feedstock moisture in the range of 28–38% (wet basis [w.b.]) and preheating in the range of 30–110°C at two die speeds of 40 and 60 Hz on the physical properties and SEC. A flat die pellet mill fitted with a 6 mm die was used in the present study. The physical properties of pellets such as moisture content, unit, bulk and tapped density, durability, and expansion ratio and SEC of the pelleting process are measured.more » The results indicate that the pellets produced have durability values in the range of 87–98%, and unit bulk and tapped density in the range of 670–1100, 375–575, and 420–620 kg/m³. Increasing the feedstock moisture content from 33% to 38% (w.b) decreased the unit, bulk and tapped density by about 30–40%. Increasing feedstock moisture content increased the expansion ratio and decreased the density values. A higher feedstock moisture content of 38% (w.b.) and higher preheating temperature of 110°C resulted in lower density and a higher expansion ratio, which can be attributed to flash off of moisture as the material extrudes out of the die. The SEC was in the range of 75–275 kWh/ton. Higher feedstock moisture content of 38% (w.b.) and a lower die speed of 40 Hz increased the SEC, whereas lower to medium preheating temperature (30–70°C), medium feedstock moisture content of 33% (w.b.), and a higher die speed of 60 Hz minimized the SEC to <100 kWh/ton.« less

Vegetation water content of crops and woodlands for improving soil moisture retrievals from Coriolis WindSat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Estimation of vegetation water content (VWC) by shortwave infrared remote sensing improves soil moisture retrievals. The largest unknown for predicting VWC is stem water content; for woodlands, stem water content is expected to be proportional to stem height. Airborne imagery were acquired and photo...

Vegetation water content of crops and woodlands for improving soil moisture retrievals from Coriolis WindSat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Estimation of vegetation water content (VWC) by shortwave infrared remote sensing improves soil moisture retrievals. The largest unknown for predicting VWC is stem water content, which is assumed to be allometrically related to canopy water content. From forest science, stem volume is linearly relat...

Monitoring and Data Analysis for the Vadose Zone Monitoring System (VZMS), McClellan AFB. Quarterly Status Report (2/20/98 - 5/20/98)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zawislanski, P.T.; Mountford, H.S.Monitoring and Data Analysis; for the Vadose Zone Monitoring System

1998-06-18

This report contains information on field and laboratory work performed between February 20th, 1998 and May 20th, 1998, at site S-7 in IC 34, at McClellan AFB. At this location, a Vadose Zone Monitoring System (VZMS) (LBNL, 1996) is currently being used to collect subsurface data including hydraulic potential, soil gas pressure, moisture content, water chemistry, gas chemistry, and temperature. This report describes: moisture content changes, based on neutron logging; gas-phase VOC concentrations; aqueous-phase VOC concentrations; temperature profiles; and installation of new instrument cluster.

Effect of physico-chemical treatments on ripening behavior and post-harvest quality of Amrapali mango (Mangifera indica L.) during storage.

PubMed

Singh, Pankaj; Singh, Manoj Kumar; Kumar, Vipin; Kumar, Mukesh; Malik, Sunil

2012-03-01

An experiment was done to assess the effect of various physico-chemical treatments on ripening behavior and post harvest quality of mango cv. Amrapali. The experiment was planned under completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The treatment units was five fruits per replication. Total 14 treatments were applied. Out of these, ethrel 750 ppm treated fruits showed better results in respect of specific gravity (0.88), moisture loss (8.45%), decay (2.5%), total soluble solids (TSS, 20.7 degrees brix), sugar content (14.39%) and acidity content (0.32) followed by ethrel 500 ppm; specific gravity (0.90), moisture loss (8.82%), decay (3.5%), TSS (20.7 degrees brix), sugar content (13.99%) and acidity content (0.36%). The pedicellate fruits and ethrel+bavistin (750+1000 ppm) were also found to be significantly superior over control in respect of specific gravity (0.88 and 0.86), moisture loss (9.10 and 9.33%), decay (4.0 and 5.33%), TSS (20.1 and 20.4 degrees brix), sugar content (12.70 and 12.80%) and acidity content (0.42 and 0.38%), respectively. Based on results of this study, it can be concluded that ethrel 750 ppm was found to be the most suitable treatment in improving physico-chemical traits i.e. ripening, storage, quality and shelf-life for commercial purpose in mango.

Assessment of Evapotranspiration and Soil Moisture Content Across Different Scales of Observation.

PubMed

Verstraeten, Willem W; Veroustraete, Frank; Feyen, Jan

2008-01-09

The proper assessment of evapotranspiration and soil moisture content arefundamental in food security research, land management, pollution detection, nutrient flows,(wild-) fire detection, (desert) locust, carbon balance as well as hydrological modelling; etc.This paper takes an extensive, though not exhaustive sample of international scientificliterature to discuss different approaches to estimate land surface and ecosystem relatedevapotranspiration and soil moisture content. This review presents:(i) a summary of the generally accepted cohesion theory of plant water uptake andtransport including a shortlist of meteorological and plant factors influencing planttranspiration;(ii) a summary on evapotranspiration assessment at different scales of observation (sapflow,porometer, lysimeter, field and catchment water balance, Bowen ratio,scintillometer, eddy correlation, Penman-Monteith and related approaches);(iii) a summary on data assimilation schemes conceived to estimate evapotranspirationusing optical and thermal remote sensing; and(iv) for soil moisture content, a summary on soil moisture retrieval techniques atdifferent spatial and temporal scales is presented.Concluding remarks on the best available approaches to assess evapotranspiration and soilmoisture content with and emphasis on remote sensing data assimilation, are provided.

Glass transitions and physical aging of cassava starch - corn oil blends.

PubMed

Pérez, Adriana; Sandoval, Aleida J; Cova, Aura; Müller, Alejandro J

2014-05-25

Glass transition temperatures and physical aging of amorphous cassava starch and their blends with corn oil were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Two enthalpic relaxation endotherms, well separated in temperature values, were exhibited by neat amorphous cassava starch with 10.6% moisture content, evidencing two amorphous regions within the starch with different degrees of mobility. The phase segregation of these two amorphous regions was favored by added corn oil at low moisture contents during storage. The presence of amylose-lipid complexes in this matrix, may also affect the molecular dynamics of these two amorphous regions at low moisture contents. Increasing moisture content, leads to a homogeneous amorphous phase, with an aging process characterized by a single enthalpic relaxation peak. In all cases, after deleting the thermal history of the samples only one glass transition temperature was detected (during DSC second heating runs) indicating that a single homogeneous amorphous phase was attained after erasing the effects of physical aging. Trends of the enthalpic relaxation parameters were also different at the two moisture contents considered in this work. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic susceptibility and magnetic resonance measurements of the moisture content and hydration condition of a magnetic mixture material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsukada, K., E-mail: tsukada@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp; Kusaka, T.; Saari, M. M.

2014-05-07

We developed a magnetic measurement method to measure the moisture content and hydration condition of mortar as a magnetic mixture material. Mortar is a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water, and these materials exhibit different magnetic properties. The magnetization–magnetic field curves of these components and of mortars with different moisture contents were measured, using a specially developed high-temperature-superconductor superconducting quantum interference device. Using the differences in magnetic characteristics, the moisture content of mortar was measured at the ferromagnetic saturation region over 250 mT. A correlation between magnetic susceptibility and moisture content was successfully established. After Portland cement and water aremore » mixed, hydration begins. At the early stage of the hydration/gel, magnetization strength increased over time. To investigate the magnetization change, we measured the distribution between bound and free water in the mortar in the early stage by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI results suggest that the amount of free water in mortar correlates with the change in magnetic susceptibility.« less

46 CFR 148.450 - Cargoes subject to liquefaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... migration and subsequent liquefaction if shipped with moisture content in excess of the transportable moisture limit. (2) Moisture migration is the movement of moisture by settling and consolidation of a...

An evaluation of fluid bed drying of aqueous granulations.

PubMed

Hlinak, A J; Saleki-Gerhardt, A

2000-01-01

The purpose of the work described was twofold: (a) to apply heat and mass balance approaches to evaluate the fluid bed drying cycle of an aqueous granulation, and (b) to determine the effect of the temperature and relative humidity of the drying air on the ability to meet a predetermined moisture content specification. Water content determinations were performed using Karl Fischer titration, and Computrac and Mark 1 moisture analyzers. The water vapor sorption isotherms were measured using a gravimetric moisture sorption apparatus with vacuum-drying capability. Temperature, relative humidity, and air flow were measured during the drying cycle of a production-scale fluid bed dryer. Heat and mass balance equations were used to calculate the evaporation rates. Evaporation rates calculated from heat and mass balance equations agreed well with the experimental data, whereas equilibrium moisture content values provided useful information for determination of the upper limit for inlet air humidity. Increasing the air flow rate and inlet temperature reduced the drying time through the effect on the primary driving force. As expected, additional drying of granules during the equilibration period did not show a significant impact on reducing the final moisture content of granules. Reducing the drying temperature resulted in measurement of higher equilibrium moisture content for the granules, which was in good agreement with the water vapor sorption data. Heat and mass balance equations can be used to successfully model the fluid bed drying cycle of aqueous granulations. The water vapor sorption characteristics of granules dictate the final moisture content at a given temperature and relative humidity.

Further experimentation on bubble generation during transformer overload

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oommen, T.V.

1992-03-01

This report covers additional work done during 1990 and 1991 on gas bubble generation under overload conditions. To improve visual bubble detection, a single disc coil was used. To further improve detection, a corona device was also used which signaled the onset of corona activity in the early stages of bubble formation. A total of fourteen model tests were conducted, half of which used the Inertaire system, and the remaining, a conservator (COPS). Moisture content of paper in the coil varied from 1.0% to 8.0%; gas (nitrogen) content varied from 1.0% to 8.8%. The results confirmed earlier observations that themore » mathematical bubble prediction model was not valid for high gas content model with relatively low moisture levels in the coil. An empirical relationship was formulated to accurately predict bubble evolution temperatures from known moisture and gas content values. For low moisture content models (below 2%), the simple Piper relationship was sufficient to predict bubble evolution temperatures, regardless of gas content. Moisture in the coil appears to be the key factor in bubble generation. Gas blanketed (Inertaire) systems do not appear to be prone to premature bubble generation from overloads as previously thought. The new bubble prediction model reveals that for a coil with 2% moisture, the bubble evolution temperature would be about 140{degrees}C. Since old transformers in service may have as much as 2% moisture in paper, the 140{degrees}C bubble evolution temperature may be taken as the lower limit of bubble evolution temperature under overload conditions for operating transformers. Drier insulation would raise the bubble evolution temperature.« less

Effect of different types of plastic packaging films on the moisture and aflatoxin contents of pistachio nuts during storage.

PubMed

Shakerardekani, Ahmad; Karim, Roselina

2013-04-01

Pistachio nut (Pistacia vera L.) is one of the popular tree nuts in the world. Proper selection of packaging materials is necessary to prevent absorption of moisture and aflatoxin formation which will influence the overall product quality and safety. This research is undertaken to study the effect of different type of flexible packaging films on the moisture and aflatoxin contents of whole pistachio nuts during storage at ambient temperature (22-28 °C) and relative humidity of 85-100%. Five types of plastic films tested were low density polyethylene (LDPE) which serves as the control, food-grade polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon (LDPE/PA), polyamide/polypropylene (PA/PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The moisture content and aflatoxin content of pistachio nuts were measured using oven drying method and HPLC, respectively. Sample were analysed at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months during the storage period. Results showed that there was an increase in moisture content with the increase in storage time of pistachio nuts. The increase in moisture content was associated with the aflatoxin level of pistachio nuts during storage time. All the packaging materials except LDPE delayed the moisture absorption and aflatoxin formation of the product. The most suitable packaging materials for maintaining the quality and safety of pistachio nuts is PET films followed by nylon, PA/PP and PVC. The shelf-life of pistachio can be extended from 2 months (Control) to 5 months when PET is used as the packaging material.

Use of Ultrasonic Technology for Soil Moisture Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, J.; Metzl, R.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Belisle, W.; Coleman, T.

1997-01-01

In an effort to improve existing soil moisture measurement techniques or find new techniques using physics principles, a new technique is presented in this paper using ultrasonic techniques. It has been found that ultrasonic velocity changes as the moisture content changes. Preliminary values of velocities are 676.1 m/s in dry soil and 356.8 m/s in 100% moist soils. Intermediate values can be calibrated to give exact values for the moisture content in an unknown sample.

Finite Element Analysis of Simple Rectangular Microstrip Sensor for Determination Moisture Content of Hevea Rubber Latex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahaya, NZ; Ramli, MR; Razak, NNANA; Abbas, Z.

2018-04-01

The Finite Element Method, FEM has been successfully used to model a simple rectangular microstrip sensor to determine the moisture content of Hevea rubber latex. The FEM simulation of sensor and samples was implemented by using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The simulation includes the calculation of magnitude and phase of reflection coefficient and was compared to analytical method. The results show a good agreement in finding the magnitude and phase of reflection coefficient when compared with analytical results. Field distributions of both the unloaded sensor as well as the sensor loaded with different percentages of moisture content were visualized using FEM in conjunction with COMSOL software. The higher the amount of moisture content in the sample the more the electric loops were observed.

A wireless soil moisture sensor powered by solar energy.

PubMed

Jiang, Mingliang; Lv, Mouchao; Deng, Zhong; Zhai, Guoliang

2017-01-01

In a variety of agricultural activities, such as irrigation scheduling and nutrient management, soil water content is regarded as an essential parameter. Either power supply or long-distance cable is hardly available within field scale. For the necessity of monitoring soil water dynamics at field scale, this study presents a wireless soil moisture sensor based on the impedance transform of the frequency domain. The sensor system is powered by solar energy, and the data can be instantly transmitted by wireless communication. The sensor electrodes are embedded into the bottom of a supporting rod so that the sensor can measure soil water contents at different depths. An optimal design with time executing sequence is considered to reduce the energy consumption. The experimental results showed that the sensor is a promising tool for monitoring moisture in large-scale farmland using solar power and wireless communication.

A radiative transfer model for microwave emissions from bare agricultural soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, W. J.; Paris, J. F.

1975-01-01

A radiative transfer model for microwave emissions from bare, stratified agricultural soils was developed to assist in the analysis of data gathered in the joint soil moisture experiment. The predictions of the model were compared with preliminary X band (2.8 cm) microwave and ground based observations. Measured brightness temperatures at vertical and horizontal polarizations can be used to estimate the moisture content of the top centimeter of soil with + or - 1 percent accuracy. It is also shown that the Stokes parameters can be used to distinguish between moisture and surface roughness effects.

Evaluation of gravimetric ground truth soil moisture data collected for the agricultural soil moisture experiment, 1978 Colby, Kansas, aircraft mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arya, L. M.; Phinney, D. E. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

Soil moisture data acquired to support the development of algorithms for estimating surface soil moisture from remotely sensed backscattering of microwaves from ground surfaces are presented. Aspects of field uniformity and variability of gravimetric soil moisture measurements are discussed. Moisture distribution patterns are illustrated by frequency distributions and contour plots. Standard deviations and coefficients of variation relative to degree of wetness and agronomic features of the fields are examined. Influence of sampling depth on observed moisture content an variability are indicated. For the various sets of measurements, soil moisture values that appear as outliers are flagged. The distribution and legal descriptions of the test fields are included along with examinations of soil types, agronomic features, and sampling plan. Bulk density data for experimental fields are appended, should analyses involving volumetric moisture content be of interest to the users of data in this report.

A Small and Slim Coaxial Probe for Single Rice Grain Moisture Sensing

PubMed Central

You, Kok Yeow; Mun, Hou Kit; You, Li Ling; Salleh, Jamaliah; Abbas, Zulkifly

2013-01-01

A moisture detection of single rice grains using a slim and small open-ended coaxial probe is presented. The coaxial probe is suitable for the nondestructive measurement of moisture values in the rice grains ranging from from 9.5% to 26%. Empirical polynomial models are developed to predict the gravimetric moisture content of rice based on measured reflection coefficients using a vector network analyzer. The relationship between the reflection coefficient and relative permittivity were also created using a regression method and expressed in a polynomial model, whose model coefficients were obtained by fitting the data from Finite Element-based simulation. Besides, the designed single rice grain sample holder and experimental set-up were shown. The measurement of single rice grains in this study is more precise compared to the measurement in conventional bulk rice grains, as the random air gap present in the bulk rice grains is excluded. PMID:23493127

Effects of calcium oxide treatment at varying moisture concentrations on the chemical composition, in situ degradability, in vitro digestibility and gas production kinetics of anaerobically stored corn stover.

PubMed

Shi, H T; Cao, Z J; Wang, Y J; Li, S L; Yang, H J; Bi, Y L; Doane, P H

2016-08-01

The objective of this study was to determine the optimum conditions for calcium oxide (CaO) treatment of anaerobically stored corn stover by in situ and in vitro methods. Four ruminally cannulated, non-lactating, non-pregnant Holstein cows were used to determine the in situ effective degradabilities of dry matter (ISDMD), organic matter (ISOMD), neutral detergent fibre (ISNDFD), in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) and gas production in 72 h (GP72h ) of corn stover. A completely randomized design involving a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement was adopted. Ground corn stover was treated with different levels of CaO (3%, 5% and 7% of dry stover) at varying moisture contents (40%, 50% and 60%) and stored under anaerobic conditions for 15 days before analysis. Compared with untreated corn stover, the CaO-treated stover had increased ash and calcium (Ca) contents but decreased aNDF and OM contents. The moisture content, CaO level and their interaction affected (p < 0.01) the content of aNDF, ash and OM, and the ratio of aNDF/OM. The greatest ISDMD, ISOMD and ISNDFD were observed when stover was treated with 7% CaO and 60% moisture, while no differences (p > 0.01) in these in situ degradability parameters were observed between the stover treated with 5% CaO at 60% moisture content and those treated with 7% CaO at 60% moisture content. Corn stover treated with 5% CaO at 50% moisture had the maximum IVOMD and GP72 h among the treatments, and there was no difference (p > 0.01) between 50% and 60% moisture. Results from this study suggested that 5% CaO applied at 60% moisture could be an effective and economical treatment combination. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

In vivo automated quantification of quality of apples during storage using optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Vishal; Dalal, Devjyoti; Kumar, Anuj; Prakash, Surya; Dalal, Krishna

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo, our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the computational and texture features of OCT images may be a good non-destructive method for the assessment of the quality of apples.

Dielectric properties of soils as a function of moisture content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, J.; Ulaby, F. T.

1974-01-01

Soil dielectric constant measurements are reviewed and the dependence of the dielectric constant on various soil parameters is determined. Moisture content is given special attention because of its practical significance in remote sensing and because it represents the single most influential parameter as far as soil dielectric properties are concerned. Relative complex dielectric constant curves are derived as a function of volumetric soil water content at three frequencies (1.3 GHz, 4.0 GHz, and 10.0 GHz) for each of three soil textures (sand, loam, and clay). These curves, presented in both tabular and graphical form, were chosen as representative of the reported experimental data. Calculations based on these curves showed that the power reflection coefficient and emissivity, unlike skin depth, vary only slightly as a function of frequency and soil texture.

Evaluation of standard methods for collecting and processing fuel moisture samples

Treesearch

Sally M. Haase; José Sánchez; David R. Weise

2016-01-01

A variety of techniques for collecting and processing samples to determine moisture content of wildland fuels in support of fire management activities were evaluated. The effects of using a chainsaw or handsaw to collect samples of largediameter wood, containers for storing and transporting collected samples, and quick-response ovens for estimating moisture content...

CAPACITANCE SENSING OF MOISTURE CONTENT IN BIO-FUEL MATERIALS: A RAPID AND NONDESTRUCTIVE METHOD FOR WOOD CHIPS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Moisture content of wood chips is an important factor to be known in their utilization as biomass material. Several moisture measuring instruments are available in the market, but for most of these instruments, some sort of sample preparation is needed that involves sizing, grinding and weighing. T...

A Rapid Soils Analysis Kit

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

behavior of moisture content-dry density Proctor curves......................................... 16 Figure 8. Moisture- density data scatter for an... density . Built-in higher order regression equations allow the user to visua- lize complete curves for Proctor density , as-built California Bearing Ratio...requirements involving soil are optimum moisture content (OMC) and maximum dry density (MDD) as determined from a laboratory compaction or Proctor test

Moisture distributions in western hemlock lumber from trees harvested near Sitka, Alaska.

Treesearch

David L. Nicholls; Allen M. Brackley; Travis. Allen

2003-01-01

Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) can be characterized by localized regions of high-moisture-content wood, often referred to as wet pockets, and uneven drying conditions may occur when lumber of higher and lower moisture content is mixed together in a dry kiln. The primary objective of this preliminary study was to characterize the frequency and...

Predicting duff and woody fuel consumed by prescribed fire in the Northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

James K. Brown; Michael A. Marsden; Kevin C. Ryan; Elizabeth D. Reinhardt

1985-01-01

Relationships for predicting duff reduction, mineral soil exposure, and consumption of downed woody fuel were determined to assist in planning prescribed fires. Independent variables included lower and entire duff moisture contents, loadings of downed woody fuels, duff depth, National Fire-Danger Rating System 1,000-hour moisture content, and Canadian Duff Moisture...

Calculating moisture content for 1000-hour timelag fuels in western Washington and western Oregon.

Treesearch

Roger D. Ottmar; David V. Sandberg

1985-01-01

A predictive model is presented to calculate moisture content of 1000-hour timelag fuels in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) logging slash in western Washington and western Oregon. The model is a modification of the 1000-hour fuel moisture model of the...

The effect of moisture content on the thermal conductivity of moss and organic soil horizons from black spruce ecosystems in interior alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Donnell, J. A.; Romanovsky, V.E.; Harden, J.W.; McGuire, A.D.

2009-01-01

Organic soil horizons function as important controls on the thermal state of near-surface soil and permafrost in high-latitude ecosystems. The thermal conductivity of organic horizons is typically lower than mineral soils and is closely linked to moisture content, bulk density, and water phase. In this study, we examined the relationship between thermal conductivity and soil moisture for different moss and organic horizon types in black spruce ecosystems of interior Alaska. We sampled organic horizons from feather moss-dominated and Sphagnum-dominated stands and divided horizons into live moss and fibrous and amorphous organic matter. Thermal conductivity measurements were made across a range of moisture contents using the transient line heat source method. Our findings indicate a strong positive and linear relationship between thawed thermal conductivity (Kt) and volumetric water content. We observed similar regression parameters (?? or slope) across moss types and organic horizons types and small differences in ??0 (y intercept) across organic horizon types. Live Sphagnum spp. had a higher range of Kt than did live feather moss because of the field capacity (laboratory based) of live Sphagnum spp. In northern regions, the thermal properties of organic soil horizons play a critical role in mediating the effects of climate warming on permafrost conditions. Findings from this study could improve model parameterization of thermal properties in organic horizons and enhance our understanding of future permafrost and ecosystem dynamics. ?? 2009 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Biomass Logistics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Richard Hess; Kevin L. Kenney; William A. Smith

Equipment manufacturers have made rapid improvements in biomass harvesting and handling equipment. These improvements have increased transportation and handling efficiencies due to higher biomass densities and reduced losses. Improvements in grinder efficiencies and capacity have reduced biomass grinding costs. Biomass collection efficiencies (the ratio of biomass collected to the amount available in the field) as high as 75% for crop residues and greater than 90% for perennial energy crops have also been demonstrated. However, as collection rates increase, the fraction of entrained soil in the biomass increases, and high biomass residue removal rates can violate agronomic sustainability limits. Advancements inmore » quantifying multi-factor sustainability limits to increase removal rate as guided by sustainable residue removal plans, and mitigating soil contamination through targeted removal rates based on soil type and residue type/fraction is allowing the use of new high efficiency harvesting equipment and methods. As another consideration, single pass harvesting and other technologies that improve harvesting costs cause biomass storage moisture management challenges, which challenges are further perturbed by annual variability in biomass moisture content. Monitoring, sampling, simulation, and analysis provide basis for moisture, time, and quality relationships in storage, which has allowed the development of moisture tolerant storage systems and best management processes that combine moisture content and time to accommodate baled storage of wet material based upon “shelf-life.” The key to improving biomass supply logistics costs has been developing the associated agronomic sustainability and biomass quality technologies and processes that allow the implementation of equipment engineering solutions.« less

21 CFR 133.167 - Pasteurized blended cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... or more cheeses containing cream cheese or neufchatel cheese, the moisture content is not more than the arithmetical average of the maximum moisture contents prescribed by the definitions and standards...

[The evaluation of the error of the thermal pulse technique used to measure moisture content of root substrates in space greenhouse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podol'skii, I. G.; Norokh, A. A.; Bingham, G. E.; Brigham, G. E. (Principal Investigator); Campbell, W. F. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

Point thermopulse probes were used to monitor moisture level in the root substrates during cultivation of higher plants in a space greenhouse. Investigated were performance data of the thermopulse moisture probe in integration with the space greenhouse. It was shown that within the substrate moisture range from 20 up to 100% of the full saturation the technique error does not exceed 1.5%. The thermopulse technique bears much promise for metrologic monitoring of the root substrate moisture content in space greenhouses no matter water and air supply technology.

Rapid prediction of single green coffee bean moisture and lipid content by hyperspectral imaging.

PubMed

Caporaso, Nicola; Whitworth, Martin B; Grebby, Stephen; Fisk, Ian D

2018-06-01

Hyperspectral imaging (1000-2500 nm) was used for rapid prediction of moisture and total lipid content in intact green coffee beans on a single bean basis. Arabica and Robusta samples from several growing locations were scanned using a "push-broom" system. Hypercubes were segmented to select single beans, and average spectra were measured for each bean. Partial Least Squares regression was used to build quantitative prediction models on single beans (n = 320-350). The models exhibited good performance and acceptable prediction errors of ∼0.28% for moisture and ∼0.89% for lipids. This study represents the first time that HSI-based quantitative prediction models have been developed for coffee, and specifically green coffee beans. In addition, this is the first attempt to build such models using single intact coffee beans. The composition variability between beans was studied, and fat and moisture distribution were visualized within individual coffee beans. This rapid, non-destructive approach could have important applications for research laboratories, breeding programmes, and for rapid screening for industry.

Effect of Moisture Exchange on Interface Formation in the Repair System Studied by X-ray Absorption

PubMed Central

Lukovic, Mladena; Ye, Guang

2015-01-01

In concrete repair systems, material properties of the repair material and the interface are greatly influenced by the moisture exchange between the repair material and the substrate. If the substrate is dry, it can absorb water from the repair material and reduce its effective water-to-cement ratio (w/c). This further affects the hydration rate of cement based material. In addition to the change in hydration rate, void content at the interface between the two materials is also affected. In this research, the influence of moisture exchange on the void content in the repair system as a function of initial saturation level of the substrate is investigated. Repair systems with varying level of substrate saturation are made. Moisture exchange in these repair systems as a function of time is monitored by the X-ray absorption technique. After a specified curing age (3 d), the internal microstructure of the repair systems was captured by micro-computed X-ray tomography (CT-scanning). From reconstructed images, different phases in the repair system (repair material, substrate, voids) can be distinguished. In order to quantify the void content, voids were thresholded and their percentage was calculated. It was found that significantly more voids form when the substrate is dry prior to application of the repair material. Air, initially filling voids and pores of the dry substrate, is being released due to the moisture exchange. As a result, air voids remain entrapped in the repair material close to the interface. These voids are found to form as a continuation of pre-existing surface voids in the substrate. Knowledge about moisture exchange and its effects provides engineers with the basis for recommendations about substrate preconditioning in practice. PMID:28787801

Optimization of CMCase production from sorghum straw by Aspergillus terreus SUK-1 under solid substrate fermentation using response surface methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tibin, El Mubarak Musa; Al-Shorgani, Najeeb Kaid Naseer; Abuelhassan, Nawal Noureldaim; Hamid, Aidil Abdul; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid; Yusoff, Wan Mohtar Wan

2013-11-01

The cellulase production using sorghum straw as substrate by fungal culture of Aspergillus terreus SUK-1 was investigated in solid substrate fermentation (SSF). The optimum CMCase was achieved by testing most effective fermentation parameters which were: incubation temperature, pH and moisture content using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD). The carboxymethyl cellulase activity (CMCase) was measured as the defining factor. The results were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the regression quadratic model was obtained. The model was found to be significant (p<0.05) and the effect of temperature (25-40°C) and pH (4-7) was found to be not significant on CMCase activity whereas the moisture content was significant in the SSF conditions employed. The high yield of predicted CMCase activity (0.2 U/ml) was obtained under the optimized conditions (temperature 40 □C, pH 5.4 and moisture content of 80%). The model was validated by applying the optimized conditions and it was found that the model was valid.

Investigation of Analytical Techniques for the Rapid Determination of the Moisture Content of NOL 130 Primer Mix and Lead Azide

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

the presence of NOL 130 6 Determination of moisture content of dextrinated lead azide 14 containing known amounts of water, by the Karl Fisher method...maLhiod, extraction mode 8 Determinatiov) of moisture content of special purpose and 16 dextrinated lead atide, containing known amounts of water by the...water in special purpose and dextrinated lead azides were determined by the method described in the experimen- tal section of this report, data shown

On-irrigator pasture soil moisture sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eng-Choon Tan, Adrian; Richards, Sean; Platt, Ian; Woodhead, Ian

2017-02-01

In this paper, we presented the development of a proximal soil moisture sensor that measured the soil moisture content of dairy pasture directly from the boom of an irrigator. The proposed sensor was capable of soil moisture measurements at an accuracy of  ±5% volumetric moisture content, and at meter scale ground area resolutions. The sensor adopted techniques from the ultra-wideband radar to enable measurements of ground reflection at resolutions that are smaller than the antenna beamwidth of the sensor. An experimental prototype was developed for field measurements. Extensive field measurements using the developed prototype were conducted on grass pasture at different ground conditions to validate the accuracy of the sensor in performing soil moisture measurements.

Analytical prediction of moisture absorption/desorption in resin matrix composites exposed to aircraft environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unnam, J.; Tenney, D. R.

1977-01-01

The moisture absorption/desorption behavior of resin matrix composites was mathematically modeled by classical diffusion theory using an effective diffusion coefficient. Good agreement was found between calculated moisture content and published data for T300/5208 graphite fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite. Weather Bureau data for Langley Air Force Base and Norfolk, Va., were used to calculate the amount of moisture a T300/5208 composite panel would contain if exposed outdoors. Results obtained by using average monthly weather data for several high aircraft usage locations around the world suggest that, except for desert areas, geographical locations should have only minimal effect on the moisture absorption level reached in composites. Solar radiation data together with cloud and wind information were included in the analysis to estimate an effective temperature of the composite panel during ground exposure.

Using Actively Heated Fibre Optics (AHFO) to determine soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture content at high spatial and temporal resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciocca, Francesco; Abesser, Corinna; Hannah, David; Blaen, Philip; Chalari, Athena; Mondanos, Michael; Krause, Stefan

2017-04-01

Optical fibre distributed temperature sensing (DTS) is increasingly used in environmental monitoring and for subsurface characterisation, e.g. to obtain precise measurements of soil temperature at high spatio-temporal resolution, over several kilometres of optical fibre cable. When combined with active heating of metal elements embedded in the optical fibre cable (active-DTS), the temperature response of the soil to heating provides valuable information from which other important soil parameters, such as thermal conductivity and soil moisture content, can be inferred. In this presentation, we report the development of an Actively Heated Fibre Optics (AHFO) method for the characterisation of soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture dynamics at high temporal and spatial resolutions at a vegetated hillslope site in central England. The study site is located within a juvenile forest adjacent to the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) experimental site. It is instrumented with three loops of a 500m hybrid-optical cable installed at 10cm, 25cm and 40cm depths. Active DTS surveys were undertaken in June and October 2016, collecting soil temperature data at 0.25m intervals along the cable, prior to, during and after the 900s heating phase. Soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture were determined according to Ciocca et al. 2012, applied to both the cooling and the heating phase. Independent measurements of soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture content were collected using thermal needle probes, calibrated capacitance-based probes and laboratory methods. Results from both the active DTS survey and independent in-situ and laboratory measurements will be presented, including the observed relationship between thermal conductivity and moisture content at the study site and how it compares against theoretical curves used by the AHFO methods. The spatial variability of soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture content, as observed using the different methods, will be shown and an outlook will be provided of how the AHFO method can benefit soil sciences, ground source heat pump applications and groundwater recharge estimations. This research is part of the Distributed intelligent Heat Pulse System (DiHPS) project which is funded by the UK Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC). The project is supported by BIFoR, the European Space Agency (ESA), CarbonZero Ltd, the UK Forestry Commission and the UK Soil Moisture Observation Network (COSMOS-UK). This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence together with an author copyright. This licence does not conflict with the regulations of the Crown Copyright. Ciocca F., Lunati I., van de Giesen N., and Parlange M.B. 2012. Heated optical fiber for distributed soil-moisture measurements: A lysimeter experiment. Vadose Zone J. 11. doi:10.2136/vzj2011.0177

Method to Produce Durable Pellets at Lower Energy Consumption Using High Moisture Corn Stover and a Corn Starch Binder in a Flat Die Pellet Mill

PubMed Central

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C.; Hoover, Amber N.

2016-01-01

A major challenge in the production of pellets is the high cost associated with drying biomass from 30 to 10% (w.b.) moisture content. At Idaho National Laboratory, a high-moisture pelleting process was developed to reduce the drying cost. In this process the biomass pellets are produced at higher feedstock moisture contents than conventional methods, and the high moisture pellets produced are further dried in energy efficient dryers. This process helps to reduce the feedstock moisture content by about 5-10% during pelleting, which is mainly due to frictional heat developed in the die. The objective of this research was to explore how binder addition influences the pellet quality and energy consumption of the high-moisture pelleting process in a flat die pellet mill. In the present study, raw corn stover was pelleted at moistures of 33, 36, and 39% (w.b.) by addition of 0, 2, and 4% pure corn starch. The partially dried pellets produced were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70 °C for 3-4 hr to lower the pellet moisture to less than 9% (w.b.). The high moisture and dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties, such as bulk density and durability. The results indicated that increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved pellet durability and reduced the specific energy consumption by 20-40% compared to pellets with no binder. At higher binder addition (4%), the reduction in feedstock moisture during pelleting was <4%, whereas the reduction was about 7-8% without the binder. With 4% binder and 33% (w.b.) feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed of the dried pellets were >510 kg/m3 and >98%, respectively, and the percent fine particles generated was reduced to <3%. PMID:27340875

Method to Produce Durable Pellets at Lower Energy Consumption Using High Moisture Corn Stover and a Corn Starch Binder in a Flat Die Pellet Mill.

PubMed

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C; Hoover, Amber N

2016-06-15

A major challenge in the production of pellets is the high cost associated with drying biomass from 30 to 10% (w.b.) moisture content. At Idaho National Laboratory, a high-moisture pelleting process was developed to reduce the drying cost. In this process the biomass pellets are produced at higher feedstock moisture contents than conventional methods, and the high moisture pellets produced are further dried in energy efficient dryers. This process helps to reduce the feedstock moisture content by about 5-10% during pelleting, which is mainly due to frictional heat developed in the die. The objective of this research was to explore how binder addition influences the pellet quality and energy consumption of the high-moisture pelleting process in a flat die pellet mill. In the present study, raw corn stover was pelleted at moistures of 33, 36, and 39% (w.b.) by addition of 0, 2, and 4% pure corn starch. The partially dried pellets produced were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70 °C for 3-4 hr to lower the pellet moisture to less than 9% (w.b.). The high moisture and dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties, such as bulk density and durability. The results indicated that increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved pellet durability and reduced the specific energy consumption by 20-40% compared to pellets with no binder. At higher binder addition (4%), the reduction in feedstock moisture during pelleting was <4%, whereas the reduction was about 7-8% without the binder. With 4% binder and 33% (w.b.) feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed of the dried pellets were >510 kg/m(3) and >98%, respectively, and the percent fine particles generated was reduced to <3%.

The effect of moisture content on solid-state anaerobic digestion of dairy manure from a sawdust-bedded pack barn

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effect of moisture content on solid-state anaerobic digestion of dairy manure from a Korean sawdust-bedded pack barn was determined using laboratory-scale digesters operated at three moisture levels (70, 76, and 83% on a wet basis) at 37 C for 85 days. Results showed that digesters containing m...

Drying and control of moisture content and dimensional changes

Treesearch

William T. Simpson

1999-01-01

In the living tree, wood contains large quantities of water. As green wood dries, most of the water is removed. The moisture remaining in the wood tends to come to equilibrium with the relative humidity of the surrounding air. Correct drying, handling, and storage of wood will minimize moisture content changes that might occur after drying when the wood is in service...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart Dddd of... - Continuous Compliance With the Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with an inlet dryer temperature of less than or equal to 600 °F Maintaining the 24-hour block average inlet furnish moisture... temperature of furnish moisture content and inlet dryer temperature. (2) Hardwood veneer dryer Process less...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart Dddd of... - Continuous Compliance With the Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate with an inlet dryer temperature of less than or equal to 600 °F Maintaining the 24-hour block average inlet furnish moisture... temperature of furnish moisture content and inlet dryer temperature. (2) Hardwood veneer dryer Process less...

Controlling moisture content of wood samples using a modified soil-pan decay method

Treesearch

Jerrold E. Winandy; Simon F. Curling; Patricia K. Lebow

2005-01-01

In wood, the threshold level below which decay cannot occur varies with species or type of wood product and other factors such as temperature, humidity, and propensity of exposure or service-use to allow rain-induced wetting and subsequent drying. The ability to control wood moisture content (MC) during laboratory decay testing could allow research on the moisture...

Soil density and moisture content on two unused forest roads during first 30 months after construction

Treesearch

J.D. Helvey; J.N. Kochenderfer; J.N. Kochenderfer

1990-01-01

Reports results of soil density and soil moisture measurements on two roads in the central Appalachians over a 30-month period. Density increased slightly during the measurement period at most locations. Almost all of the density changes occurred during the first few months after construction. Moisture content decreased during the first few months after construction,...

The technique of duff hygrometer calibration

Treesearch

T. Kachin; H. T. Gisborne

1937-01-01

The moisture content of the top layer of coniferous needles and twigs covering the forest floor is one of the factors of forest fire danger which must he determined accurately if fire danger in such timber types is to he measured. As this moisture content cannot he estimated accurately and as a difference of a few per cent of moisture, especially in the lower range,...

Improvement in the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of traditional extruded cassava-based snack (modified Ajogun)

PubMed Central

Obadina, Adewale O; Oyewole, Olusola B; Williams, Oluwasolabomi E

2013-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate and improve the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of the traditional cassava snack (Ajogun). Cassava root (Manihot esculenta Crantz L.) of TME 419 variety was processed into mash (40% moisture content). The cassava mash was mixed into different blends to produce fried traditional “Ajogun”, fried and baked extrudates (modified Ajogun) as snacks. These products were analyzed to determine the proximate composition including carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, ash, and moisture contents and functional properties such as bulk density. The results obtained for the moisture, fat, protein, and ash contents showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the control sample and the extrudates. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the carbohydrate and fiber contents between the three samples. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the bulk density of the snacks. Also, sensory evaluation was carried out on the cassava-based snacks using the 9-point hedonic scale to determine the degree of acceptability. Results obtained showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the extrudates and control sample in terms of appearance, taste, flavor, color, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability. The highest acceptability level of the product was at 8.04 for the control sample (traditional Ajogun). This study has shown that “Ajogun”, which is a lesser known cassava product, is rich in protein and fat. PMID:24804039

Summer moisture contents of understory vegetation in northeastern Minnesota.

Treesearch

Robert M. Loomis; Peter J. Roussopoulos; Richard W. Blank

1979-01-01

Summer moisture contents and factors for converting fresh plant weights to ovendry biomass estimates are presented for some herbs, mosses, and small shrubs found in the upland forest stand of northeastern Minnesota.

Experimental studies on the effect of moisture content and volume resistivity on electrostatic behaviour of pharmaceutical powders.

PubMed

Choi, Kwangseok; Taghavivand, Milad; Zhang, Lifeng

2017-03-15

Pharmaceutical powders are mainly organic materials and are likely to be charged due to repeated inter-particle and particle-wall contacts during industrial processes. This study experimentally investigated the effect of moisture content (ranging from approximately 1.8 to 30wt.%) on tribocharging behaviour of pharmaceutical granules, as well as their apparent volume resistivity. The tribocharging behaviour of pharmaceutical granules was investigated using a rotating device and apparent volume resistivity was measured in a conventional volume resistivity test cell. Additional measurements were performed on individual ingredients, each having the same moisture content as that of the granules, in order to investigate the effect of each single ingredient on the apparent volume resistivity of granules. In this work, the individual ingredients used for granules were: α-Lactose Monohydrate (α-LMH), Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC), Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC), and Croscarmellose Sodium (CCS). The results showed that the specific charge of granules began to increase at the moisture contents below 5wt.%, which can be referred as critical moisture content of granules. The apparent volume resistivity showed the same behaviour, indicating that the specific charge could be due to an increase in apparent volume resistivity of granules at reduced moisture content. Finally, it was shown that the apparent volume resistivity measured for granules was mainly affected by that of the α-LMH, the major component of granules accounting for 40wt.%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visualization and understanding of the granulation liquid mixing and distribution during continuous twin screw granulation using NIR chemical imaging.

PubMed

Vercruysse, Jurgen; Toiviainen, Maunu; Fonteyne, Margot; Helkimo, Niko; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Juuti, Mikko; Delaet, Urbain; Van Assche, Ivo; Remon, Jean Paul; Vervaet, Chris; De Beer, Thomas

2014-04-01

Over the last decade, there has been increased interest in the application of twin screw granulation as a continuous wet granulation technique for pharmaceutical drug formulations. However, the mixing of granulation liquid and powder material during the short residence time inside the screw chamber and the atypical particle size distribution (PSD) of granules produced by twin screw granulation is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aims at visualizing the granulation liquid mixing and distribution during continuous twin screw granulation using NIR chemical imaging. In first instance, the residence time of material inside the barrel was investigated as function of screw speed and moisture content followed by the visualization of the granulation liquid distribution as function of different formulation and process parameters (liquid feed rate, liquid addition method, screw configuration, moisture content and barrel filling degree). The link between moisture uniformity and granule size distributions was also studied. For residence time analysis, increased screw speed and lower moisture content resulted to a shorter mean residence time and narrower residence time distribution. Besides, the distribution of granulation liquid was more homogenous at higher moisture content and with more kneading zones on the granulator screws. After optimization of the screw configuration, a two-level full factorial experimental design was performed to evaluate the influence of moisture content, screw speed and powder feed rate on the mixing efficiency of the powder and liquid phase. From these results, it was concluded that only increasing the moisture content significantly improved the granulation liquid distribution. This study demonstrates that NIR chemical imaging is a fast and adequate measurement tool for allowing process visualization and hence for providing better process understanding of a continuous twin screw granulation system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing a two-step heat treatment for inactivating desiccation-adapted Salmonella spp. in aged chicken litter.

PubMed

Chen, Zhao; Wang, Hongye; Jiang, Xiuping

2015-02-01

The effectiveness of a two-step heat treatment for eliminating desiccation-adapted Salmonella spp. in aged chicken litter was evaluated. The aged chicken litter with 20, 30, 40, and 50% moisture contents was inoculated with a mixture of four Salmonella serotypes for a 24-h adaptation. Afterwards, the inoculated chicken litter was added into the chicken litter with the adjusted moisture content for a 1-h moist-heat treatment at 65 °C and 100% relative humidity inside a water bath, followed by a dry-heat treatment in a convection oven at 85 °C for 1 h to the desired moisture level (<10-12%). After moist-heat treatment, the populations of Salmonella in aged chicken litter at 20 and 30% moisture contents declined from ≈6.70 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g to 3.31 and 3.00 log CFU/g, respectively. After subsequent 1-h dry-heat treatment, the populations further decreased to 2.97 and 2.57 log CFU/g, respectively. Salmonella cells in chicken litter with 40% and 50% moisture contents were only detectable by enrichment after 40 and 20 min of moist-heat treatment, respectively. Moisture contents in all samples were reduced to <10% after a 1-h dry-heat process. Our results demonstrated that the two-step heat treatment was effective in reducing >5.5 logs of desiccation-adapted Salmonella in aged chicken litter with moisture content at or above 40%. Clearly, the findings from this study may provide the chicken litter processing industry with an effective heat treatment method for producing Salmonella-free chicken litter.

Further experimentation on bubble generation during transformer overload. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oommen, T.V.

1992-03-01

This report covers additional work done during 1990 and 1991 on gas bubble generation under overload conditions. To improve visual bubble detection, a single disc coil was used. To further improve detection, a corona device was also used which signaled the onset of corona activity in the early stages of bubble formation. A total of fourteen model tests were conducted, half of which used the Inertaire system, and the remaining, a conservator (COPS). Moisture content of paper in the coil varied from 1.0% to 8.0%; gas (nitrogen) content varied from 1.0% to 8.8%. The results confirmed earlier observations that themore » mathematical bubble prediction model was not valid for high gas content model with relatively low moisture levels in the coil. An empirical relationship was formulated to accurately predict bubble evolution temperatures from known moisture and gas content values. For low moisture content models (below 2%), the simple Piper relationship was sufficient to predict bubble evolution temperatures, regardless of gas content. Moisture in the coil appears to be the key factor in bubble generation. Gas blanketed (Inertaire) systems do not appear to be prone to premature bubble generation from overloads as previously thought. The new bubble prediction model reveals that for a coil with 2% moisture, the bubble evolution temperature would be about 140{degrees}C. Since old transformers in service may have as much as 2% moisture in paper, the 140{degrees}C bubble evolution temperature may be taken as the lower limit of bubble evolution temperature under overload conditions for operating transformers. Drier insulation would raise the bubble evolution temperature.« less

Pore-scale investigation on the response of heterotrophic respiration to moisture conditions in heterogeneous soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Zhifeng; Liu, Chongxuan; Todd-Brown, Katherine E.

The relationship between microbial respiration rate and soil moisture content is an important property for understanding and predicting soil organic carbon degradation, CO 2 production and emission, and their subsequent effects on climate change. This paper reports a pore-scale modeling study to investigate the response of heterotrophic respiration to moisture conditions in soils and to evaluate various factors that affect this response. X-ray computed tomography was used to derive soil pore structures, which were then used for pore-scale model investigation. The pore-scale results were then averaged to calculate the effective respiration rates as a function of water content in soils.more » The calculated effective respiration rate first increases and then decreases with increasing soil water content, showing a maximum respiration rate at water saturation degree of 0.75 that is consistent with field and laboratory observations. The relationship between the respiration rate and moisture content is affected by various factors, including pore-scale organic carbon bioavailability, the rate of oxygen delivery, soil pore structure and physical heterogeneity, soil clay content, and microbial drought resistivity. Simulations also illustrates that a larger fraction of CO 2 produced from microbial respiration can be accumulated inside soil cores under higher saturation conditions, implying that CO 2 flux measured on the top of soil cores may underestimate or overestimate true soil respiration rates under dynamic moisture conditions. Overall, this study provides mechanistic insights into the soil respiration response to the change in moisture conditions, and reveals a complex relationship between heterotrophic microbial respiration rate and moisture content in soils that is affected by various hydrological, geochemical, and biophysical factors.« less

46 CFR 148.450 - Cargoes subject to liquefaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... in this section— (1) Cargo subject to liquefaction means a material that is subject to moisture migration and subsequent liquefaction if shipped with moisture content in excess of the transportable moisture limit. (2) Moisture migration is the movement of moisture by settling and consolidation of a...

46 CFR 148.450 - Cargoes subject to liquefaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... in this section— (1) Cargo subject to liquefaction means a material that is subject to moisture migration and subsequent liquefaction if shipped with moisture content in excess of the transportable moisture limit. (2) Moisture migration is the movement of moisture by settling and consolidation of a...

46 CFR 148.450 - Cargoes subject to liquefaction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... in this section— (1) Cargo subject to liquefaction means a material that is subject to moisture migration and subsequent liquefaction if shipped with moisture content in excess of the transportable moisture limit. (2) Moisture migration is the movement of moisture by settling and consolidation of a...

Evaluation of the cosmic-ray neutron method for measuring integral soil moisture dynamics of a forested head water catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogena, H. R.; Metzen, D.; Baatz, R.; Hendricks Franssen, H.; Huisman, J. A.; Montzka, C.; Vereecken, H.

2011-12-01

Measurements of low-energy secondary neutron intensity above the soil surface by cosmic-ray soil moisture probes (CRP) can be used to estimate soil moisture content. CRPs utilise the fact that high-energy neutrons initiated by cosmic rays are moderated (slowed to lower energies) most effectively by collisions with hydrogen atoms contained in water molecules in the soil. The conversion of neutron intensity to soil moisture content can potentially be complicated because neutrons are also moderated by aboveground water storage (e.g. vegetation water content, canopy storage of interception). Recently, it was demonstrated experimentally that soil moisture content derived from CRP measurements agrees well with average moisture content from gravimetric soil samples taken within the footprint of the cosmic ray probe, which is proposed to be up to several hundred meters in size [1]. However, the exact extension and shape of the CRP integration footprint is still an open question and it is also unclear how CRP measurements are affected by the soil moisture distribution within the footprint both in horizontal and vertical directions. In this paper, we will take advantage of an extensive wireless soil moisture sensor network covering most of the estimated footprint of the CRP. The network consists of 150 nodes and 900 soil moisture sensors which were installed in the small forested Wüstebach catchment (~27 ha) in the framework of the Transregio32 and the Helmholtz initiative TERENO (Terrestrial Environmental Observatories) [2]. This unique soil moisture data set provides a consistent picture of the hydrological status of the catchment in a high spatial and temporal resolution and thus the opportunity to evaluate the CRP measurements in a rigorous way. We will present first results of the comparison with a specific focus on the sensitivity of the CRP measurements to soil moisture variation in both the horizontal and vertical direction. Furthermore, the influence of forest biomass and shallow groundwater table fluctuations on the attenuation of cosmic-ray neutrons will be considered.

Practical Considerations of Moisture in Baled Biomass Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

William A. Smith; Ian J. Bonner; Kevin L. Kenney

2013-01-01

Agricultural residues make up a large portion of the immediately available biomass feedstock for renewable energy markets. Current collection and storage methods rely on existing feed and forage practices designed to preserve nutrients and properties of digestibility. Low-cost collection and storage practices that preserve carbohydrates across a range of inbound moisture contents are needed to assure the economic and technical success of the emerging biomass industry. This study examines the movement of moisture in storage and identifies patterns of migration resulting from several on-farm storage systems and their impacts on moisture measurement and dry matter recovery. Baled corn stover andmore » energy sorghum were stored outdoors in uncovered, tarp-covered, or wrapped stacks and sampled periodically to measure moisture and dry matter losses. Interpolation between discrete sampling locations in the stack improved bulk moisture content estimates and showed clear patterns of accumulation and re-deposition. Atmospheric exposure, orientation, and contact with barriers (i.e., soil, tarp, and wrap surfaces) were found to cause the greatest amount of moisture heterogeneity within stacks. Although the bulk moisture content of many stacks remained in the range suitable for aerobic stability, regions of high moisture were sufficient to support microbial activity, thus support dry matter loss. Stack configuration, orientation, and coverage methods are discussed relative to impact on moisture management and dry matter preservation. Additionally, sample collection and data analysis are discussed relative to assessment at the biorefinery as it pertains to stability in storage, queuing, and moisture carried into processing.« less

A Moisture Function of Soil Heterotrophic Respiration Derived from Pore-scale Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Z.; Todd-Brown, K. E.; Bond-Lamberty, B. P.; Bailey, V.; Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Soil heterotrophic respiration (HR) is an important process controlling carbon (C) flux, but its response to changes in soil water content (θ) is poorly understood. Earth system models (ESMs) use empirical moisture functions developed from specific sites to describe the HR-θ relationship in soils, introducing significant uncertainty. Generalized models derived from mechanisms that control substrate availability and microbial respiration are thus urgently needed. Here we derive, present, and test a novel moisture function fp developed from pore-scale mechanisms. This fp encapsulates primary physicochemical and biological processes controlling HR response to moisture variation in soils. We tested fp against a wide range of published data for different soil types, and found that fp reliably predicted diverse HR- relationships. The mathematical relationship between the parameters in fp and macroscopic soil properties such as porosity and organic C content was also established, enabling to estimate fp using soil properties. Compared with empirical moisture functions used in ESMs, this derived fp could reduce uncertainty in predicting the response of soil organic C stock to climate changes. In addition, this work is one of the first studies to upscale a mechanistic soil HR model based on pore-scale processes, thus linking the pore-scale mechanisms with macroscale observations.

Predicting the drying properties of sludge based on hydrothermal treatment under subcritical conditions.

PubMed

Mäkelä, Mikko; Fraikin, Laurent; Léonard, Angélique; Benavente, Verónica; Fullana, Andrés

2016-03-15

The effects of hydrothermal treatment on the drying properties of sludge were determined. Sludge was hydrothermally treated at 180-260 °C for 0.5-5 h using NaOH and HCl as additives to influence reaction conditions. Untreated sludge and attained hydrochar samples were then dried under identical conditions with a laboratory microdryer and an X-ray microtomograph was used to follow changes in sample dimensions. The effective moisture diffusivities of sludge and hydrochar samples were determined and the effect of process conditions on respective mean diffusivities evaluated using multiple linear regression. Based on the results the drying time of untreated sludge decreased from approximately 80 min to 37-59 min for sludge hydrochar. Drying of untreated sludge was governed by the falling rate period where drying flux decreased continuously as a function of sludge moisture content due to heat and mass transfer limitations and sample shrinkage. Hydrothermal treatment increased the drying flux of sludge hydrochar and decreased the effect of internal heat and mass transfer limitations and sample shrinkage especially at higher treatment temperatures. The determined effective moisture diffusivities of sludge and hydrochar increased as a function of decreasing moisture content and the mean diffusivity of untreated sludge (8.56·10(-9) m(2) s(-1)) and sludge hydrochar (12.7-27.5·10(-9) m(2) s(-1)) were found statistically different. The attained regression model indicated that treatment temperature governed the mean diffusivity of hydrochar, as the effects of NaOH and HCl were statistically insignificant. The attained results enabled prediction of sludge drying properties through mean moisture diffusivity based on hydrothermal treatment conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring duff moisture content in the field using a portable meter sensitive to dielectric permittivity

Treesearch

Peter R. Robichaud; D. S. Gasvoda; Roger D. Hungerford; J. Bilskie; Louise E. Ashmun; J. Reardon

2004-01-01

Duff water content is an important consideration for fire managers when determining favourable timing for prescribed fire ignition. The duff consumption during burning depends largely on the duff water content at the time of ignition. A portable duff moisture meter was developed for real-time water content measurements of nonhomogenous material such as forest duff....

Effects of moisture content on wind erosion thresholds of biochar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, F. C.; Borrego, C.; Keizer, J. J.; Amorim, J. H.; Verheijen, F. G. A.

2015-12-01

Biochar, i.e. pyrolysed biomass, as a soil conditioner is gaining increasing attention in research and industry, with guidelines and certifications being developed for biochar production, storage and handling, as well as for application to soils. Adding water to biochar aims to reduce its susceptibility to become air-borne during and after the application to soils, thereby preventing, amongst others, human health issues from inhalation. The Bagnold model has previously been modified to explain the threshold friction velocity of coal particles at different moisture contents, by adding an adhesive effect. However, it is unknown if this model also works for biochar particles. We measured the threshold friction velocities of a range of biochar particles (woody feedstock) under a range of moisture contents by using a wind tunnel, and tested the performance of the modified Bagnold model. Results showed that the threshold friction velocity can be significantly increased by keeping the gravimetric moisture content at or above 15% to promote adhesive effects between the small particles. For the specific biochar of this study, the modified Bagnold model accurately estimated threshold friction velocities of biochar particles up to moisture contents of 10%.

Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg seed desiccation: influence on vigor and nucleic acids.

PubMed

Dresch, Daiane M; Masetto, Tathiana E; Scalon, Silvana P Q

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of Campomanesia adamantium seeds to desiccation by drying in activated silica gel (fast) and under laboratory conditions (slow). To assess the sensitivity of the seeds to desiccation, we used drying with silica gel and drying under laboratory conditions (25 °C), in order to obtain seeds with moisture content of 45, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5%. The physiological potential of the seeds after desiccation was evaluated by measuring primary root protrusion, percentage of normal seedlings, germination seed index, seedling length, total seedling dry mass, electrical conductivity and DNA and RNA integrities. The C. adamantium seeds were sensitive to desiccation and to a reduction in moisture content to 21.1% or less by desiccation using silica gel, and to 17.2% or less by desiccation under laboratory conditions; impairment of the physiological potential of the seeds was observed at these low moisture content levels. The integrity of the seed genomic DNA was not affected after drying seeds in the two methods. However, drying in silica gel to 4.5% moisture content and drying under laboratory conditions to 5.4% moisture content resulted in the loss of seed RNA integrity.

Quantifying the Impact of Feedstock Quality on the Design of Bioenergy Supply Chain Networks

DOE PAGES

Castillo-Villar, Krystel; Minor-Popocatl, Hertwin; Webb, Erin

2016-03-01

Logging residues, which refer to the unused portions of trees cut during logging, are important sources of biomass for the emerging biofuel industry and are critical feedstocks for the first-type biofuel facilities (e.g., corn-ethanol facilities). Logging residues are under-utilized sources of biomass for energetic purposes. To support the scaling-up of the bioenergy industry, it is essential to design cost-effective biofuel supply chains that not only minimize costs, but also consider the biomass quality characteristics. The biomass quality is heavily dependent upon the moisture and the ash contents. Ignoring the biomass quality characteristics and its intrinsic costs may yield substantial economicmore » losses that will only be discovered after operations at a biorefinery have begun. Here this paper proposes a novel bioenergy supply chain network design model that minimizes operational costs and includes the biomass quality-related costs. The proposed model is unique in the sense that it supports decisions where quality is not unrealistically assumed to be perfect. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is proven by assessing a case study in the state of Tennessee, USA. The results demonstrate that the ash and moisture contents of logging residues affect the performance of the supply chain (in monetary terms). Higher-than-target moisture and ash contents incur in additional quality-related costs. The quality-related costs in the optimal solution (with final ash content of 1% and final moisture of 50%) account for 27% of overall supply chain cost. In conclusion, based on the numeral experimentation, the total supply chain cost increased 7%, on average, for each additional percent in the final ash content.« less

Quantifying the Impact of Feedstock Quality on the Design of Bioenergy Supply Chain Networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castillo-Villar, Krystel; Minor-Popocatl, Hertwin; Webb, Erin

Logging residues, which refer to the unused portions of trees cut during logging, are important sources of biomass for the emerging biofuel industry and are critical feedstocks for the first-type biofuel facilities (e.g., corn-ethanol facilities). Logging residues are under-utilized sources of biomass for energetic purposes. To support the scaling-up of the bioenergy industry, it is essential to design cost-effective biofuel supply chains that not only minimize costs, but also consider the biomass quality characteristics. The biomass quality is heavily dependent upon the moisture and the ash contents. Ignoring the biomass quality characteristics and its intrinsic costs may yield substantial economicmore » losses that will only be discovered after operations at a biorefinery have begun. Here this paper proposes a novel bioenergy supply chain network design model that minimizes operational costs and includes the biomass quality-related costs. The proposed model is unique in the sense that it supports decisions where quality is not unrealistically assumed to be perfect. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is proven by assessing a case study in the state of Tennessee, USA. The results demonstrate that the ash and moisture contents of logging residues affect the performance of the supply chain (in monetary terms). Higher-than-target moisture and ash contents incur in additional quality-related costs. The quality-related costs in the optimal solution (with final ash content of 1% and final moisture of 50%) account for 27% of overall supply chain cost. In conclusion, based on the numeral experimentation, the total supply chain cost increased 7%, on average, for each additional percent in the final ash content.« less

Effects of moisture content on mechanical properties, transparency, and thermal stability of yuba film.

PubMed

Zhang, Siran; Kim, Nayeon; Yokoyama, Wallace; Kim, Yookyung

2018-03-15

Yuba is the skin formed at the surface during the heating of soymilk. The 3rd, 7th, and 11th films were evaluated for properties at different RH. At 39% RH, the 11th film had the lowest moisture, while the 3rd film had the highest moisture. However, at 75% RH, reverse moisture results were obtained. The tensile strengths of the 3rd and 11th films were highest at 15% moisture, whereas the tensile strength of the 7th film was highest at 25% moisture. Elongation of the 3rd (127%) and 11th (85%) films were highest at 25% moisture. The light transmittance of the films was low and opaque at 5% moisture. The films were transparent at 23%-28% moisture, but became opaque as the moisture increased. The films at 39% RH (ΔH, 113-203J/g) had higher thermal stability than those at 87% RH (ΔH, 315-493J/g). Moisture content markedly changed the yuba film properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field Measurements and Numerical Simulations of Temperature and Moisture in Highway Engineering Using a Frequency Domain Reflectometry Sensor.

PubMed

Yao, Yong-Sheng; Zheng, Jian-Long; Chen, Zeng-Shun; Zhang, Jun-Hui; Li, Yong

2016-06-10

This paper presents a systematic pioneering study on the use of agricultural-purpose frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensors to monitor temperature and moisture of a subgrade in highway extension and reconstruction engineering. The principle of agricultural-purpose FDR sensors and the process for embedding this kind of sensors for subgrade engineering purposes are introduced. Based on field measured weather data, a numerical analysis model for temperature and moisture content in the subgrade's soil is built. Comparisons of the temperature and moisture data obtained from numerical simulation and FDR-based measurements are conducted. The results show that: (1) the embedding method and process, data acquisition, and remote transmission presented are reasonable; (2) the temperature and moisture changes are coordinated with the atmospheric environment and they are also in close agreement with numerical calculations; (3) the change laws of both are consistent at positions where the subgrade is compacted uniformly. These results suggest that the data measured by the agricultural-purpose FDR sensors are reliable. The findings of this paper enable a new and effective real-time monitoring method for a subgrade's temperature and moisture changes, and thus broaden the application of agricultural-purpose FDR sensors.

Moisture content during extrusion of oats impacts the initial fermentation metabolites and probiotic bacteria during extended fermentation by human fecal microbiota.

PubMed

Brahma, Sandrayee; Weier, Steven A; Rose, Devin J

2017-07-01

Extrusion exposes flour components to high pressure and shear during processing, which may affect the dietary fiber fermentability by human fecal microbiota. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flour moisture content during extrusion on in vitro fermentation properties of whole grain oats. Extrudates were processed at three moisture levels (15%, 18%, and 21%) at fixed screw speed (300rpm) and temperature (130°C). The extrudates were then subjected to in vitro digestion and fermentation. Extrusion moisture significantly affected water-extractable β-glucan (WE-BG) in the extrudates, with samples processed at 15% moisture (lowest) and 21% moisture (highest) having the highest concentration of WE-BG. After the first 8h of fermentation, more WE-BG remained in fermentation media in samples processed at 15% moisture compared with the other conditions. Also, extrusion moisture significantly affected the production of acetate, butyrate, and total SCFA by the microbiota during the first 8h of fermentation. Microbiota grown on extrudates processed at 18% moisture had the highest production of acetate and total SCFA, whereas bacteria grown on extrudates processed at 15% and 18% moisture had the highest butyrate production. After 24h of fermentation, samples processed at 15% moisture supported lower Bifidobacterium counts than those produced at other conditions, but had among the highest Lactobacillus counts. Thus, moisture content during extrusion significantly affects production of fermentation metabolites by the gut microbiota during the initial stages of fermentation, while also affecting probiotic bacteria counts during extended fermentation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in protein and starch digestibility in sorghum flour during heat-moisture treatments.

PubMed

Vu, Thanh-Hien; Bean, Scott; Hsieh, Chao-Feng; Shi, Yong-Cheng

2017-11-01

Heat-moisture treatment (HMT) has been used to modify properties of sorghum starches. However, information is limited on the effects of HMT on the digestibility of starch and the concurrent changes in protein in sorghum flour. The objectives of this research were to identify heat-moisture conditions to increase the resistant starch (RS) content of sorghum flour and investigate changes in sorghum proteins and starch structure. Sorghum flours with different moisture contents (0, 125, 200, and 300 g kg -1 w.b.) were heated at three temperatures (100, 120 and 140 °C) and times (1, 2 and 4 h). HMT of sorghum flour increased its RS level. The flour treated at 200 g kg -1 moisture and 100 °C for 4 h had a high RS content (221 g kg -1 vs. 56 g kg -1 for the untreated flour). Starch was not gelatinized when sorghum flours heated at moisture content of 200 g kg -1 or below. Sorghum protein digestibility and solubility decreased during HMT. The increase in RS of sorghum flour upon HMT was attributed to enhanced amylose-lipid complexes and heat induced structural changes in its protein fraction. HMT can be used to increase RS content in sorghum flour without gelatinizing its starch, thereby providing sorghum flour with unique food applications. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of size and moisture of rhizome on initial invasiveness ability of giant reed.

PubMed

Santín-Montanyá, M I; Jimenéz, J; Vilán, X M; Ocaña, L

2014-01-01

Studies were conducted under controlled conditions to determine growth and reproductive capabilities of Arundo donax L. (giant reed), a riparian invasive perennial plant that has spread widely. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the influence of rhizome size and moisture content in the early invasiveness ability of giant reed. We tested different sizes of rhizomes: rhizome size of 1 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm and shredded rhizome. (fragments < 1 cm). These rhizomes were observed at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after planting (DAP). To test the effect of moisture content we used fresh rhizome fragments; rhizomes with moderate dehydration (50%); rhizomes with high dehydration (over 70%) with 48 hours of rehydration and rhizomes with high dehydration (70-90%). The rhizomes monitored for moisture content and biomass increase were between 3 and 5 cm, and were observed 60 DAP. The initial size of rhizomes affected the level of sprouting. Rhizomes with low moisture content (due to dehydration) showed high increase in biomass compared with the rhizomes that had not been treated or had been dehydrated and then rehydrated. Our results indicated that size of rhizomes is related to regrowth and low moisture (dehydration) content can be overcome by this species. This could be linked to high rates of colonization and early establishment ability of this species even after mechanical treatment of rhizomes, in riparian environments.

Model-based surface soil moisture (SSM) retrieval algorithm using multi-temporal RISAT-1 C-band SAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Dharmendra K.; Maity, Saroj; Bhattacharya, Bimal; Misra, Arundhati

2016-05-01

Accurate measurement of surface soil moisture of bare and vegetation covered soil over agricultural field and monitoring the changes in surface soil moisture is vital for estimation for managing and mitigating risk to agricultural crop, which requires information and knowledge to assess risk potential and implement risk reduction strategies and deliver essential responses. The empirical and semi-empirical model-based soil moisture inversion approach developed in the past are either sensor or region specific, vegetation type specific or have limited validity range, and have limited scope to explain physical scattering processes. Hence, there is need for more robust, physical polarimetric radar backscatter model-based retrieval methods, which are sensor and location independent and have wide range of validity over soil properties. In the present study, Integral Equation Model (IEM) and Vector Radiative Transfer (VRT) model were used to simulate averaged backscatter coefficients in various soil moisture (dry, moist and wet soil), soil roughness (smooth to very rough) and crop conditions (low to high vegetation water contents) over selected regions of Gujarat state of India and the results were compared with multi-temporal Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT-1) C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data in σ°HH and σ°HV polarizations, in sync with on field measured soil and crop conditions. High correlations were observed between RISAT-1 HH and HV with model simulated σ°HH & σ°HV based on field measured soil with the coefficient of determination R2 varying from 0.84 to 0.77 and RMSE varying from 0.94 dB to 2.1 dB for bare soil. Whereas in case of winter wheat crop, coefficient of determination R2 varying from 0.84 to 0.79 and RMSE varying from 0.87 dB to 1.34 dB, corresponding to with vegetation water content values up to 3.4 kg/m2. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methods were adopted for model-based soil moisture inversion. The training datasets for the NNs were obtained from theoretical forward-scattering models with controlled parameters, thus allowing the control of wide range of soil and crop parameters with which the network was trained. A preliminary performance analysis showed good results with estimation of soil moisture with RMSE better than 6%.

Moisture-strength-constructability guidelines for subgrade foundation soils found in Indiana.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-09-01

Soil moisture is an important indicator of constructability in the field. Construction activities become difficult when the soil moisture content is excessive, especially in fine-grained soils. Change orders caused by excessive soil moisture during c...

Impact of rainfall on the moisture content of large woody fuels

Treesearch

Helen H. Mohr; Thomas A. Waldrop

2013-01-01

This unreplicated case study evaluates the impact of rainfall on large woody fuels over time. We know that one rainfall event may decrease the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, but this study shows no real increase in fuel moisture in 1,000- hour fuels after just one rainfall. Several rain events over time are required for the moisture content of large woody fuels to...

Determining seed moisture in Quercus

Treesearch

F. T. Bonner

1974-01-01

The air-oven method with drying times 7 to 8 hours shorter than those now prescribed in the ISTA rules proved adequate for determining moisture contents in acorns of several North American oaks. Schedules of 8 hours at 105°C for Quercus muehlenbergii and 9 hours at 105°C for Q.shumardii and Q.nigra gave moisture contents within three percentage points of those obtained...

Influence of Moisture Content and Compression Axis on Physico-mechanical Properties of Shorea robusta Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashikumar, C.; Pradhan, R. C.; Mishra, S.

2018-06-01

Shorea robusta (Sal) is mainly harvested and processed for its seed oil, which has diverse application in commercial food and non-food based industries. Before extraction of its oil, seeds undergo into various post-harvest unit operations. Physical and mechanical properties play an important role in the handling and other processing activity. In this study influence of moisture content and compression axis of sal seed on physico-mechanical properties were studied and their application are highlighted. The experiments were conducted at five different moisture levels of 6.38, 10.49, 13.63, 17.64, and 21.95% (d.b) at two different orientations. The first orientation is on major axis (LEN) of the seed, and the other orientation is on intermediate or minor axis (WID), which is right angle to the major axis. It was observed that 68% of sal seeds were of medium size group at initial moisture content of 10.49% (d.b). The mean length and width of sal seed was found to be 26.7 mm and 12.8 mm, respectively. It was found that values of hardness, deformation at hardness, deformation at hardness percentage and energy for rupture were higher in minor axis (WID) as compared to the major axis (LEN). The results provide necessary data that may be useful to engineers, scientists, industries in the design of a suitable post-harvest processing machine.

Influence of Moisture Content and Compression Axis on Physico-mechanical Properties of Shorea robusta Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashikumar, C.; Pradhan, R. C.; Mishra, S.

2018-02-01

Shorea robusta (Sal) is mainly harvested and processed for its seed oil, which has diverse application in commercial food and non-food based industries. Before extraction of its oil, seeds undergo into various post-harvest unit operations. Physical and mechanical properties play an important role in the handling and other processing activity. In this study influence of moisture content and compression axis of sal seed on physico-mechanical properties were studied and their application are highlighted. The experiments were conducted at five different moisture levels of 6.38, 10.49, 13.63, 17.64, and 21.95% (d.b) at two different orientations. The first orientation is on major axis (LEN) of the seed, and the other orientation is on intermediate or minor axis (WID), which is right angle to the major axis. It was observed that 68% of sal seeds were of medium size group at initial moisture content of 10.49% (d.b). The mean length and width of sal seed was found to be 26.7 mm and 12.8 mm, respectively. It was found that values of hardness, deformation at hardness, deformation at hardness percentage and energy for rupture were higher in minor axis (WID) as compared to the major axis (LEN). The results provide necessary data that may be useful to engineers, scientists, industries in the design of a suitable post-harvest processing machine.

Cryopreservation of lipid-rich seeds: effect of moisture content and cooling rate on germination.

PubMed

González-Benito, E M; Pérez-García, F

2001-01-01

The effect of fast and slow cooling on germination of seeds from two Brassicaceae species (Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav., Brassica napus L. var. oleifera (Moench) DC cv. Bingo) and cypselas from three Compositae species (Onopordum nervosum Boiss., Onopordum acanthium L., Helianthus annuus L. cv. Viky) at different moisture contents was studied. Seed lipid content (dry weight basis) ranged from 15% (O. nervosum) to 41% (H. annuus). For each species, seeds with four moisture contents were cryopreserved either by direct immersion in liquid nitrogen or by previous cooling at 10 degrees C/min from room temperature to -50 degrees C. In three species (E. vesicaria, B. napus, and H. annuus) germination of air-dried (6.2-8.9% moisture content) seeds cooled by direct immersion in liquid nitrogen was not significantly different from germination of control seeds (air-dried, non-cooled). In the two Onorpordum species the best response among cooling treatments was observed when air-dried seeds were slowly cooled.

Spatial Estimation of Soil Moisture Using Synthetic Aperture Radar in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meade, N. G.; Hinzman, L. D.; Kane, D. L.

1999-01-01

A spatially distributed Model of Arctic Thermal and Hydrologic processes (MATH) has been developed. One of the attributes of this model is the spatial and temporal prediction of soil moisture in the active layer. The spatially distributed output from this model required verification data obtained through remote sensing to assess performance at the watershed scale independently. Therefore, a neural network was trained to predict soil moisture contents near the ground surface. The input to train the neural network is synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pixel value, and field measurements of soil moisture, and vegetation, which were used as a surrogate for surface roughness. Once the network was trained, soil moisture predictions were made based on SAR pixel value and vegetation. These results were then used for comparison with results from the hydrologic model. The quality of neural network input was less than anticipated. Our digital elevation model (DEM) was not of high enough resolution to allow exact co-registration with soil moisture measurements; therefore, the statistical correlations were not as good as hoped. However, the spatial pattern of the SAR derived soil moisture contents compares favorably with the hydrologic MATH model results. Primary surface parameters that effect SAR include topography, surface roughness, vegetation cover and soil texture. Single parameters that are considered to influence SAR include incident angle of the radar, polarization of the radiation, signal strength and returning signal integration, to name a few. These factors influence the reflectance, but if one adequately quantifies the influences of terrain and roughness, it is considered possible to extract information on soil moisture from SAR imagery analysis and in turn use SAR imagery to validate hydrologic models

Effect of temperature and relative humidity during transportation on green coffee bean moisture content and ochratoxin A production.

PubMed

Palacios-Cabrera, Hector A; Menezes, Hilary C; Iamanaka, Beatriz T; Canepa, Frederico; Teixeira, Aldir A; Carvalhaes, Nelson; Santi, Domenico; Leme, Plinio T Z; Yotsuyanagi, Katumi; Taniwaki, Marta H

2007-01-01

Changes in temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content of green coffee beans were monitored during transportation of coffee from Brazil to Italy. Six containers (three conventional and three prototype) were stowed in three different places (hold, first floor, and deck) on the ship. Each prototype was located next to a conventional container. The moisture content of the coffee in the container located on the first floor was less affected by environmental variations (0.7%) than that in the hold and on the deck. Coffee located in the hold showed the highest variation in moisture content (3%); in addition, the container showed visible condensation. Coffee transported on the deck showed an intermediary variation in moisture (2%), and there was no visible condensation. The variation in coffee moisture content of the prototype containers was similar to that of the conventional ones, especially in the top layers of coffee bags (2 to 3%), while the increase in water activity was 0.70. This suggests that diffusion of moisture occurs very slowly inside the cargo and that there are thus sufficient time and conditions for fungal growth. The regions of the container near the wall and ceiling are susceptible to condensation since they are close to the headspace with its high relative humidity. Ochratoxin A production occurred in coffee located at the top of the container on the deck and in the wet bags from the hold (those found to be wet on opening the containers at the final destination).

Effects of moisture content on coarse woody debris respiration in a tropical rainforest of Brunei Darussalam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roh, Y.; Li, G.; Han, S. H.; Abu Salim, K.; Son, Y.

2017-12-01

Since coarse woody debris (CWD) respiration (Rcwd) has an important role in carbon (C) cycling in forest ecosystems, it is a significant parameter in an investigation of CWD decomposition rate. Rcwd is known as to be influenced not only by environmental factors but also by CWD properties (e.g., moisture content). This study investigated the effects of CWD moisture content on Rcwd in a lowland mixed Dipterocarp tropical rainforest of Brunei Darussalam. CWDs in the forest were selected and categorized into two decay classes (sound and partially decomposed), and three diameter classes (10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, more than 30 cm). Samplings of CWDs were conducted in February and October, 2016. The fresh weight and Rcwd of the samples were measured within 24 h of sampling. Rcwd measurements were conducted using a closed chamber system with a diffusion-type, non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor. In February, the fresh weight and Rcwd of the samples were remeasured, after submerging them in the fresh water for 24, 48, and 72 h. The Rcwd increased significantly with moisture content in February (r2=0.25, p<0.01). During the study period from February to October, 2016, the mean value of Rcwd (±SE) decreased from 18.26 (3.45) to 14.92 (2.67) mg C kg-1 h-1 (p<0.05), although the moisture content did not change significantly (p>0.05). Rcwd was lowest in the largest diameter class (p<0.01), and not significantly different between the decay classes (p>0.05). On the basis of these results, the Rcwd in this site was in the range of Rcwd in previous studies conducted in other tropical rainforests. Rcwd increased with moisture content, however, the contribution of moisture content to changes in Rcwd might not be influential during the eight months study period.*Supported by research grants from the Korea Forest Service (2017044B10-1719-BB01).

Hazardous gases and oxygen depletion in a wet paddy pile: an experimental study in a simulating underground rice mill pit, Thailand.

PubMed

Yenjai, Pornthip; Chaiear, Naesinee; Charerntanyarak, Lertchai; Boonmee, Mallika

2012-01-01

During the rice harvesting season in Thailand, large amounts of fresh paddy are sent to rice mills immediately after harvesting due to a lack of proper farm storage space. At certain levels of moisture content, rice grains may generate hazardous gases, which can replace oxygen (O(2)) in the confined spaces of underground rice mill pits. This phenomenon has been observed in a fatal accident in Thailand. Our study aimed to investigate the type of gases and their air concentrations emitted from the paddy piles at different levels of moisture content and duration of piling time. Four levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were investigated, including dry paddy group (< 14% wet basis (wb)), wet paddy groups (22-24, 25-27 and 28-30%wb). Our measurements were conducted in 16 experimental concrete pits 80 × 80 cm wide by 60 cm high. Gases emitted were measured with an infrared spectrophotometer and a multi-gas detector every 12 h for 5 days throughout the experiment. The results revealed high levels of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (range 5,864-8,419 ppm) in all wet paddy groups, which gradually increased over time. The concentration of carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH(4)), nitromethane (CH(3)NO(2)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) in all wet paddy groups increased with piling time and with moisture content, with ranges of 11-289; 2-8; 36-374; and 4-26 ppm, respectively. The highest levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were in the range 28-30%wb. Nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) concentrations were low in all paddy groups. The percentage of O(2) in the wet paddy groups decreased with piling time and moisture content (from 18.7% to 4.1%). This study suggested that hazardous gases could be emitted in moist paddy piles, and their concentrations could increase with increasing moisture content and piling time period.

Electrical methods of determining soil moisture content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, L. F.; Schultz, F. V.; Zalusky, J. T.

1975-01-01

The electrical permittivity of soils is a useful indicator of soil moisture content. Two methods of determining the permittivity profile in soils are examined. A method due to Becher is found to be inapplicable to this situation. A method of Slichter, however, appears to be feasible. The results of Slichter's method are extended to the proposal of an instrument design that could measure available soil moisture profile (percent available soil moisture as a function of depth) from a surface measurement to an expected resolution of 10 to 20 cm.

Preliminary assestment of lint cotton water content in gin-drying temperature studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prior studies to measure total water (free and bound) in lint cotton by Karl Fischer Titration showed the method is more accurate and precise than moisture content by standard oven drying. The objective of the current study was to compare the moisture and total water contents from five cultivars de...

Evaluation of the effect of synthetic fibers and non-woven geotextile reinforcement on the stability of heavy clay embankments : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-07-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of soil density, moisture content, fiber content, and confining pressure on the shear strength of the clayey-fiber matrix, and of soil moisture content and confining pressure on the interface ...

Defatted wheat germ application: Influence on cookies' properties with regard to its particle size and dough moisture content.

PubMed

Petrović, Jovana; Rakić, Dušan; Fišteš, Aleksandar; Pajin, Biljana; Lončarević, Ivana; Tomović, Vladimir; Zarić, Danica

2017-10-01

The introduction of agro-food industry by-products rich in bioactive compounds represents major challenge in food industry sector. The influence of wheat germ particle size (<150 µm, 150-1000 µm, and 800-2000 µm), wheat germ content (5, 10, and 15%), and dough moisture content (20, 22, and 24%) on chemical, textural, and sensory characteristics of cookies was investigated using the Box-Behnken experimental design. The substitution of wheat flour with wheat germ increased the protein, fat, mineral, and fiber content of the cookies. The particle size of wheat germ affected the textural properties of cookies. As the particle size of wheat germ increased, the hardness of cookies decreased. The color of the cookie was most influenced by the interaction of dough moisture content and wheat germ particle size. Wheat germ level up to 15% had no significant effect on the sensory characteristics of cookies. A suitable combination of defatted wheat germ level, its particle size, and dough moisture content can improve the nutritional value of cookies, without causing a negative effect on the cookies' sensory characteristics.

Instrumentation for sensing moisture content of material using a transient thermal pulse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, L. C. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

Instrumentation is developed for sensing moisture content of material using a transient thermal pulse and is comprised of a sensing probe having a sensing element in the form of a ribbon excited by a constant current pulse to increase the temperature, and therefore the resistance, of the ribbon linearly. Moisture in web material limits the increase of temperature during the pulse in proportion to the moisture content. This increase in temperature produces a proportional increase in resistivity which is measured with a Wheatsone bridge as a change in voltage displayed by a measurement display unit. The probe is glued in a shallow groove of a lucite bar and connected to copper pins embedded in the bar.

Soil moisture sensors for continuous monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amer, Saud A.; Keefer, T. O.; Weltz, M.A.; Goodrich, David C.; Bach, Leslie

1995-01-01

Certain physical and chemical properties of soil vary with soil water content. The relationship between these properties and water content is complex and involves both the pore structure and constituents of the soil solution. One of the most economical techniques to quantify soil water content involves the measurement of electrical resistance of a dielectric medium that is in equilibrium with the soil water content. The objective of this research was to test the reliability and accuracy of fiberglass soil-moisture electrical resistance sensors (ERS) as compared to gravimetric sampling and Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). The response of the ERS was compared to gravimetric measurements at eight locations on the USDA-ABS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed. The comparisons with TDR sensors were made at three additional locations on the same watershed. The high soil rock content (>45 percent) at seven locations resulted in consistent overestimation of soil water content by the ERS method. Where rock content was less than 10 percent, estimation of soil water was within 5 percent of the gravimetric soil water content. New methodology to calibrate the ERS sensors for rocky soils will need to be developed before soil water content values can be determined with these sensors. (KEY TERMS: soil moisture; soil water; infiltration; instrumentation; soil moisture sensors.)

Error in Radar-Derived Soil Moisture due to Roughness Parameterization: An Analysis Based on Synthetical Surface Profiles

PubMed Central

Lievens, Hans; Vernieuwe, Hilde; Álvarez-Mozos, Jesús; De Baets, Bernard; Verhoest, Niko E.C.

2009-01-01

In the past decades, many studies on soil moisture retrieval from SAR demonstrated a poor correlation between the top layer soil moisture content and observed backscatter coefficients, which mainly has been attributed to difficulties involved in the parameterization of surface roughness. The present paper describes a theoretical study, performed on synthetical surface profiles, which investigates how errors on roughness parameters are introduced by standard measurement techniques, and how they will propagate through the commonly used Integral Equation Model (IEM) into a corresponding soil moisture retrieval error for some of the currently most used SAR configurations. Key aspects influencing the error on the roughness parameterization and consequently on soil moisture retrieval are: the length of the surface profile, the number of profile measurements, the horizontal and vertical accuracy of profile measurements and the removal of trends along profiles. Moreover, it is found that soil moisture retrieval with C-band configuration generally is less sensitive to inaccuracies in roughness parameterization than retrieval with L-band configuration. PMID:22399956

Microwave Moisture Sensing of Seedcotton: Part 1: Seedcotton Microwave Material Properties.

PubMed

Pelletier, Mathew G; Wanjura, John D; Holt, Greg A

2016-11-02

Moisture content at harvest is a key parameter that impacts quality and how well the cotton crop can be stored without degrading before processing. It is also a key parameter of interest for harvest time field trials as it can directly influence the quality of the harvested crop as well as skew the results of in-field yield and quality assessments. Microwave sensing of moisture has several unique advantages over lower frequency sensing approaches. The first is that microwaves are insensitive to variations in conductivity, due to presence of salts or minerals. The second advantage is that microwaves can peer deep inside large bulk packaging to assess the internal moisture content without performing a destructive tear down of the package. To help facilitate the development of a microwave moisture sensor for seedcotton; research was performed to determine the basic microwave properties of seedcotton. The research was performed on 110 kg micro-modules, which are of direct interest to research teams for use in ongoing field-based research projects. It should also prove useful for the enhancement of existing and future yield monitor designs. Experimental data was gathered on the basic relations between microwave material properties and seedcotton over the range from 1.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz and is reported on herein. This research is part one of a two-part series that reports on the fundamental microwave properties of seedcotton as moisture and density vary naturally during the course of typical harvesting operations; part two will utilize this data to formulate a prediction algorithm to form the basis for a prototype microwave moisture sensor.

Microwave Moisture Sensing of Seedcotton: Part 1: Seedcotton Microwave Material Properties

PubMed Central

Pelletier, Mathew G.; Wanjura, John D.; Holt, Greg A.

2016-01-01

Moisture content at harvest is a key parameter that impacts quality and how well the cotton crop can be stored without degrading before processing. It is also a key parameter of interest for harvest time field trials as it can directly influence the quality of the harvested crop as well as skew the results of in-field yield and quality assessments. Microwave sensing of moisture has several unique advantages over lower frequency sensing approaches. The first is that microwaves are insensitive to variations in conductivity, due to presence of salts or minerals. The second advantage is that microwaves can peer deep inside large bulk packaging to assess the internal moisture content without performing a destructive tear down of the package. To help facilitate the development of a microwave moisture sensor for seedcotton; research was performed to determine the basic microwave properties of seedcotton. The research was performed on 110 kg micro-modules, which are of direct interest to research teams for use in ongoing field-based research projects. It should also prove useful for the enhancement of existing and future yield monitor designs. Experimental data was gathered on the basic relations between microwave material properties and seedcotton over the range from 1.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz and is reported on herein. This research is part one of a two-part series that reports on the fundamental microwave properties of seedcotton as moisture and density vary naturally during the course of typical harvesting operations; part two will utilize this data to formulate a prediction algorithm to form the basis for a prototype microwave moisture sensor. PMID:27827857

Effects of relaxation of gluten network on rehydration kinetics of pasta.

PubMed

Ogawa, Takenobu; Hasegawa, Ayako; Adachi, Shuji

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the relaxation of the gluten network on pasta rehydration kinetics. The moisture content of pasta, under conditions where the effects of the diffusion of water on the moisture content were negligible, was estimated by extrapolating the average moisture content of pasta of various diameters to 0 mm. The moisture content of imaginary, infinitely thin pasta did not reach equilibrium even after 1 h of rehydration. The rehydration of pasta made of only gluten was also measured. The rate constants estimated by the Long and Richman equation for both the pasta indicated that the rehydration kinetics of infinitely thin pasta were similar to those of gluten pasta. These results suggest that the swelling of starch by fast gelatinization was restricted by the honeycomb structural network of gluten and the relaxation of the gluten network controlled pasta rehydration kinetics.

Impact of moisture content in AAC on its heat insulation properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubene, S.; Vilnitis, M.

2017-10-01

One of the most popular trends in construction industry is sustainable construction. Therefore, application of construction materials with high insulation characteristics has significantly increased during the past decade. Requirements for application of construction materials with high insulation parameters are required not only by means of energy saving and idea of sustainable construction but also by legislative requirements. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is a load bearing construction material, which has high heat insulation parameters. However, if the AAC masonry construction has high moisture content the heat insulation properties of the material decrease significantly. This fact lead to the necessity for the on-site control of moisture content in AAC in order to avoid inconsistency between the designed and actual thermal resistivity values of external delimiting constructions. Research of the impact of moisture content in AAC on its heat insulation properties has been presented in this paper.

The SWEX at the area of Eastern Poland: Comparison of soil moisture obtained from ground measurements and SMOS satellite data*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usowicz, J. B.; Marczewski, W.; Usowicz, B.; Lukowski, M. I.; Lipiec, J.; Slominski, J.

2012-04-01

Soil moisture, together with soil and vegetation characteristics, plays an important role in exchange of water and energy between the land surface and the atmospheric boundary layer. Accurate knowledge of current and future spatial and temporal variation in soil moisture is not well known, nor easy to measure or predict. Knowledge of soil moisture in surface and root zone soil moisture is critical for achieving sustainable land and water management. The importance of SM is so high that this ECV is recommended by GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) to any attempts of evaluating of effects the climate change, and therefore it is one of the goals for observing the Earth by the ESA SMOS Mission (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity), globally. SMOS provides its observations by means of the interferometric radiometry method (1.4 GHz) from the orbit. In parallel, ten ground based stations are kept by IA PAN, in area of the Eastern Wall in Poland, in order to validate SMOS data and for other ground based agrophysical purposes. Soil moisture measurements obtained from ground and satellite measurements from SMOS were compared using Bland-Altman method of agreement, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and total deviation index (TDI). Observed similar changes in soil moisture, but the values obtained from satellite measurements were lower. Minor differences between the compared data are at higher moisture contents of soil and they grow with decreasing soil moisture. Soil moisture trends are maintained in the individual stations. Such distributions of soil moisture were mainly related to soil type. * The work was financially supported in part by the ESA Programme for European Cooperating States (PECS), No.98084 "SWEX-R, Soil Water and Energy Exchange/Research", AO3275.

An examination of the sensitivity of numerically simulated wildfires to low-level atmospheric stability and moisture, and the consequences for the Haines Index

Treesearch

Mary Ann Jenkins

2002-01-01

The Haines Index, an operational fire-weather index introduced in 1988 and based on the observed stability and moisture content of the near-surface atmosphere, has been a useful indicator of the potential for high-risk fires in low wind conditions and flat terrain. The Haines Index is of limited use, however, as a predictor of actual fire behavior. To develop a fire-...

A model of the CO2 exchanges between biosphere and atmosphere in the tundra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labgaa, Rachid R.; Gautier, Catherine

1992-01-01

A physical model of the soil thermal regime in a permafrost terrain has been developed and validated with soil temperature measurements at Barrow, Alaska. The model calculates daily soil temperatures as a function of depth and average moisture contents of the organic and mineral layers using a set of five climatic variables, i.e., air temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, wind speed, and relative humidity. The model is not only designed to study the impact of climate change on the soil temperature and moisture regime, but also to provide the input to a decomposition and net primary production model. In this context, it is well known that CO2 exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere are driven by soil temperature through decomposition of soil organic matter and root respiration. However, in tundra ecosystems, net CO2 exchange is extremely sensitive to soil moisture content; therefore it is necessary to predict variations in soil moisture in order to assess the impact of climate change on carbon fluxes. To this end, the present model includes the representation of the soil moisture response to changes in climatic conditions. The results presented in the foregoing demonstrate that large errors in soil temperature and permafrost depth estimates arise from neglecting the dependence of the soil thermal regime on soil moisture contents. Permafrost terrain is an example of a situation where soil moisture and temperature are particularly interrelated: drainage conditions improve when the depth of the permafrost increases; a decrease in soil moisture content leads to a decrease in the latent heat required for the phase transition so that the heat penetrates faster and deeper, and the maximum depth of thaw increases; and as excepted, soil thermal coefficients increase with moisture.

IMPROVING BIOMASS LOGISTICS COST WITHIN AGRONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY CONSTRAINTS AND BIOMASS QUALITY TARGETS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Richard Hess; Kevin L. Kenney; Christopher T. Wright

Equipment manufacturers have made rapid improvements in biomass harvesting and handling equipment. These improvements have increased transportation and handling efficiencies due to higher biomass densities and reduced losses. Improvements in grinder efficiencies and capacity have reduced biomass grinding costs. Biomass collection efficiencies (the ratio of biomass collected to the amount available in the field) as high as 75% for crop residues and greater than 90% for perennial energy crops have also been demonstrated. However, as collection rates increase, the fraction of entrained soil in the biomass increases, and high biomass residue removal rates can violate agronomic sustainability limits. Advancements inmore » quantifying multi-factor sustainability limits to increase removal rate as guided by sustainable residue removal plans, and mitigating soil contamination through targeted removal rates based on soil type and residue type/fraction is allowing the use of new high efficiency harvesting equipment and methods. As another consideration, single pass harvesting and other technologies that improve harvesting costs cause biomass storage moisture management challenges, which challenges are further perturbed by annual variability in biomass moisture content. Monitoring, sampling, simulation, and analysis provide basis for moisture, time, and quality relationships in storage, which has allowed the development of moisture tolerant storage systems and best management processes that combine moisture content and time to accommodate baled storage of wet material based upon “shelf-life.” The key to improving biomass supply logistics costs has been developing the associated agronomic sustainability and biomass quality technologies and processes that allow the implementation of equipment engineering solutions.« less

Real-time soil sensing based on fiber optics and spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Minzan

2005-08-01

Using NIR spectroscopic techniques, correlation analysis and regression analysis for soil parameter estimation was conducted with raw soil samples collected in a cornfield and a forage field. Soil parameters analyzed were soil moisture, soil organic matter, nitrate nitrogen, soil electrical conductivity and pH. Results showed that all soil parameters could be evaluated by NIR spectral reflectance. For soil moisture, a linear regression model was available at low moisture contents below 30 % db, while an exponential model can be used in a wide range of moisture content up to 100 % db. Nitrate nitrogen estimation required a multi-spectral exponential model and electrical conductivity could be evaluated by a single spectral regression. According to the result above mentioned, a real time soil sensor system based on fiber optics and spectroscopy was developed. The sensor system was composed of a soil subsoiler with four optical fiber probes, a spectrometer, and a control unit. Two optical fiber probes were used for illumination and the other two optical fiber probes for collecting soil reflectance from visible to NIR wavebands at depths around 30 cm. The spectrometer was used to obtain the spectra of reflected lights. The control unit consisted of a data logging device, a personal computer, and a pulse generator. The experiment showed that clear photo-spectral reflectance was obtained from the underground soil. The soil reflectance was equal to that obtained by the desktop spectrophotometer in laboratory tests. Using the spectral reflectance, the soil parameters, such as soil moisture, pH, EC and SOM, were evaluated.

Microstrip Ring Resonator for Soil Moisture Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarabandi, Kamal; Li, Eric S.

1993-01-01

Accurate determination of spatial soil moisture distribution and monitoring its temporal variation have a significant impact on the outcomes of hydrologic, ecologic, and climatic models. Development of a successful remote sensing instrument for soil moisture relies on the accurate knowledge of the soil dielectric constant (epsilon(sub soil)) to its moisture content. Two existing methods for measurement of dielectric constant of soil at low and high frequencies are, respectively, the time domain reflectometry and the reflection coefficient measurement using an open-ended coaxial probe. The major shortcoming of these methods is the lack of accurate determination of the imaginary part of epsilon(sub soil). In this paper a microstrip ring resonator is proposed for the accurate measurement of soil dielectric constant. In this technique the microstrip ring resonator is placed in contact with soil medium and the real and imaginary parts of epsilon(sub soil) are determined from the changes in the resonant frequency and the quality factor of the resonator respectively. The solution of the electromagnetic problem is obtained using a hybrid approach based on the method of moments solution of the quasi-static formulation in conjunction with experimental data obtained from reference dielectric samples. Also a simple inversion algorithm for epsilon(sub soil) = epsilon'(sub r) + j(epsilon"(sub r)) based on regression analysis is obtained. It is shown that the wide dynamic range of the measured quantities provides excellent accuracy in the dielectric constant measurement. A prototype microstrip ring resonator at L-band is designed and measurements of soil with different moisture contents are presented and compared with other approaches.

Application of NIR reflectance spectroscopy on rapid determination of moisture content of wood pellets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

NIR spectroscopy was used to measure the moisture concentration of wood pellets. Pellets were conditioned to various moisture levels between 0.63and 14.16percent (wet basis) and the moisture concentration was verified using a standard oven method. Samples from the various moisture levels were separa...

Effect of the variation in the ambient moisture on the compaction behavior of powder undergoing roller-compaction and on the characteristics of tablets produced from the post-milled granules.

PubMed

Gupta, Abhay; Peck, Garnet E; Miller, Ronald W; Morris, Kenneth R

2005-10-01

Effect of variation in the ambient moisture levels on the compaction behavior of a 10% acetaminophen (APAP) powder blend in microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder was studied by comparing the physical and mechanical properties of ribbons prepared by roller compaction with those of simulated ribbons, i.e., tablets prepared under uni-axial compression. Relative density, moisture content, tensile strength, and Young's modulus were used as key compact properties for comparison. Moisture was found to facilitate the particle rearrangement of both, the APAP and the MCC particles, as well as the deformation of the MCC particles. The tensile strength of the simulated ribbons also showed an increase with increasing moisture content. An interesting observation was that the tensile strength of the roller compacted samples first increased and then decreased with increasing moisture content. Variation in the ambient moisture during roller compaction was also found to influence the characteristics of tablets produced from the granules obtained post-milling the ribbons. A method to study this influence is also reported. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Near-infrared reflectance models for the rapid prediction of quality of brewing raw materials.

PubMed

Marte, Luisa; Belloni, Paolo; Genorini, Emiliano; Sileoni, Valeria; Perretti, Giuseppe; Montanari, Luigi; Marconi, Ombretta

2009-01-28

Calibration models for quickly and reliably predicting moisture content and total nitrogen, both "as is" and "dry matter" on malt, as well as moisture content and total lipids, both "as is" and "dry matter", on maize by means of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were developed. The FT-NIR spectra recorded on the finely ground cereals were correlated to the analytical data by means of the multivariate PLS algorithm. In particular, these models were developed on the raw materials, which are used by the main Italian brewing industries. Validation was carried out both by means of cross-validation and test set validation. Regression coefficients (R(2)) were higher than 97 for both malt and maize moisture content and higher than 85 and 88 for malt total nitrogen and maize total lipids, respectively. The RMSE values (both RMSECV and RMSEP) were lower than 0.1% m/m for both malt and maize moisture contents, whereas they ranged from 0.024 to 0.042% m/m for malt total nitrogen and from 0.042 to 0.055% m/m for maize total lipids. Repeatability was tested by taking into account more than one sample for each calibration and compared, when possible, to those of the standard methods. Repeatability (r(95)) ranged from 0.060 to 0.158% m/m and from 0.020 to 0.055% m/m for malt moisture and total nitrogen contents, respectively, and from 0.094 to 0.160% m/m and from 0.076 to 0.208% m/m for maize moisture and total lipids contents, respectively.

Selection of indigenous indicator micro-organisms for validating desiccation-adapted Salmonella reduction in physically heat-treated poultry litter.

PubMed

Chen, Z; Jiang, X

2017-06-01

The thermal resistance of desiccation-adapted Salmonella Senftenberg 775/W was compared with those of indigenous enterococci and total aerobic bacteria in poultry litter. Aged broiler litter and composted turkey litter with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents were inoculated with desiccation-adapted Salm. Senftenberg 775/W, and then heat-treated at 75 and 85°C. Compared to total aerobic bacteria, there were better correlations between mean log reductions of desiccation-adapted Salm. Senftenberg 775/W and indigenous enterococci in broiler litter samples with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents at 75°C (R 2  > 0·91), and 20, 30 and 40% moisture contents at 85°C (R 2  > 0·87). The mean log reductions of Salm. Senftenberg 775/W were better correlated with those of indigenous enterococci in turkey litter samples with 20, 30, 40 and 50% moisture contents at 75°C (R 2  > 0·88), and 20 and 30% moisture contents at 85°C (R 2  = 0·83) than those of total aerobic bacteria, which had a better correlation in turkey litter sample with 40% (R 2  = 0·98) moisture content at 85°C. Indigenous enterococci may be used to validate the thermal processing of poultry litter, as it predicts the survival behaviour of Salmonella under some treatment conditions. This study provides some scientific data for poultry litter processors when validating the effectiveness of thermal processing. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Characterisation of chemical composition and energy content of green waste and municipal solid waste from Greater Brisbane, Australia.

PubMed

Hla, San Shwe; Roberts, Daniel

2015-07-01

The development and deployment of thermochemical waste-to-energy systems requires an understanding of the fundamental characteristics of waste streams. Despite Australia's growing interest in gasification of waste streams, no data are available on their thermochemical properties. This work presents, for the first time, a characterisation of green waste and municipal solid waste in terms of chemistry and energy content. The study took place in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland. The municipal solid waste was hand-sorted and classified into ten groups, including non-combustibles. The chemical properties of the combustible portion of municipal solid waste were measured directly and compared with calculations made based on their weight ratios in the overall municipal solid waste. The results obtained from both methods were in good agreement. The moisture content of green waste ranged from 29% to 46%. This variability - and the tendency for soil material to contaminate the samples - was the main contributor to the variation of samples' energy content, which ranged between 7.8 and 10.7MJ/kg. The total moisture content of food wastes and garden wastes was as high as 70% and 60%, respectively, while the total moisture content of non-packaging plastics was as low as 2.2%. The overall energy content (lower heating value on a wet basis, LHVwb) of the municipal solid waste was 7.9MJ/kg, which is well above the World Bank-recommended value for utilisation in thermochemical conversion processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial variation and driving factors of soil moisture at multi-scales: a case study in Loess Plateau of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, W.; Zhang, X.; Liu, Y.; Fang, X.

2017-12-01

Currently, the ecological restoration of the Loess Plateau has led to significant achievements such as increases in vegetation coverage, decreases in soil erosion, and enhancement of ecosystem services. Soil moisture shortages, however, commonly occur as a result of limited rainfall and strong evaporation in this semiarid region of China. Since soil moisture is critical in regulating plant growth in these semiarid regions, it is crucial to identify the spatial variation and factors affecting soil moisture at multi-scales in the Loess Plateau of China. In the last several years, extensive studies on soil moisture have been carried out by our research group at the plot, small watershed, watershed, and regional scale in the Loess Plateau, providing some information for vegetation restoration in the region. The main research results are as follows: (1) the highest soil moisture content was in the 0-0.1 m layer with a large coefficient of variation; (2) in the 0-0.1m layer, soil moisture content was negatively correlated with relative elevation, slope and vegetation cover, the correlations among slope, aspect and soil moisture increased with depth increased; (3) as for the deep soil moisture content, the higher spatial variation of deep SMC occurred at 1.2-1.4 m and 4.8-5.0m; (4) the deep soil moisture content in native grassland and farmland were significant higher than that of introduced vegetation; (5) at regional scale, the soil water content under different precipitation zones increased following the increase of precipitation, while, the influencing factors of deep SMC at watershed scale varied with land management types; (6) in the areas with multi-year precipitation of 370 - 440mm, natural grass is more suitable for restoration, and this should be treated as the key areas in vegetation restoration; (7) appropriate planting density and species selection should be taken into account for introduced vegetation management; (8) it is imperative to take the local reality into account and to balance the economic and ecological benefits so that the ratio of artificial vegetation and natural restoration can be optimized to realize sustainability of vegetation restoration

Specific gravity, moisture content, and density relationship for wood

Treesearch

W. T. Simpson

1993-01-01

This report reviews the basis for determining values for the density of wood as it depends on moisture content and specific gravity. The data are presented in several ways to meet the needs of a variety of users.

Water Sorption Isotherm of Pea Starch Edible Films and Prediction Models.

PubMed

Saberi, Bahareh; Vuong, Quan V; Chockchaisawasdee, Suwimol; Golding, John B; Scarlett, Christopher J; Stathopoulos, Costas E

2015-12-24

The moisture sorption isotherm of pea starch films prepared with various glycerol contents as plasticizer was investigated at different storage relative humidities (11%-96% RH) and at 5 ± 1, 15 ± 1, 25 ± 1 and 40 ± 1 °C by using gravimetric method. The results showed that the equilibrium moisture content of all films increased substantially above a w = 0.6. Films plasticized with glycerol, under all temperatures and RH conditions (11%-96%), adsorbed more moisture resulting in higher equilibrium moisture contents. Reduction of the temperature enhanced the equilibrium moisture content and monolayer water of the films. The obtained experimental data were fitted to different models including two-parameter equations (Oswin, Henderson, Brunauer-Emmitt-Teller (BET), Flory-Huggins, and Iglesias-Chirife), three-parameter equations Guggenhiem-Anderson-deBoer (GAB), Ferro-Fontan, and Lewicki) and a four-parameter equation (Peleg). The three-parameter Lewicki model was found to be the best-fitted model for representing the experimental data within the studied temperatures and whole range of relative humidities (11%-98%). Addition of glycerol increased the net isosteric heat of moisture sorption of pea starch film. The results provide important information with estimating of stability and functional characteristics of the films in various environments.

Water Sorption Isotherm of Pea Starch Edible Films and Prediction Models

PubMed Central

Saberi, Bahareh; Vuong, Quan V.; Chockchaisawasdee, Suwimol; Golding, John B.; Scarlett, Christopher J.; Stathopoulos, Costas E.

2015-01-01

The moisture sorption isotherm of pea starch films prepared with various glycerol contents as plasticizer was investigated at different storage relative humidities (11%–96% RH) and at 5 ± 1, 15 ± 1, 25 ± 1 and 40 ± 1 °C by using gravimetric method. The results showed that the equilibrium moisture content of all films increased substantially above aw = 0.6. Films plasticized with glycerol, under all temperatures and RH conditions (11%–96%), adsorbed more moisture resulting in higher equilibrium moisture contents. Reduction of the temperature enhanced the equilibrium moisture content and monolayer water of the films. The obtained experimental data were fitted to different models including two-parameter equations (Oswin, Henderson, Brunauer–Emmitt–Teller (BET), Flory–Huggins, and Iglesias–Chirife), three-parameter equations Guggenhiem–Anderson–deBoer (GAB), Ferro–Fontan, and Lewicki) and a four-parameter equation (Peleg). The three-parameter Lewicki model was found to be the best-fitted model for representing the experimental data within the studied temperatures and whole range of relative humidities (11%–98%). Addition of glycerol increased the net isosteric heat of moisture sorption of pea starch film. The results provide important information with estimating of stability and functional characteristics of the films in various environments. PMID:28231096

LTPP Computed Parameter: Moisture Content

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

A study was conducted to compute in situ soil parameters based on time domain reflectometry (TDR) traces obtained from Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) test sections instrumented for the seasonal monitoring program (SMP). Ten TDR sensors were in...

Asphalt pavement performance-based specifications : research brief.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

The fundamental objective of asphalt mix design is to select an aggregate skeleton and asphalt binder content that balances constructability and performance. High performance mixtures that protect against rutting, cracking and moisture damage are dif...

Seasonal Changes in Soil Moisture Content in Northern Chile and Southern California Inferred from SAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, C. P.; Lohman, R. B.

2015-12-01

InSAR-based studies of the seismic cycle have focused primarily on the interferometric phase observations, which place constraints on the amount of uplift or subsidence of the ground surface. Recently, coseismic InSAR coherence has also been used to rapidly identify urban damage, surface ruptures, cracking, and soil liquefaction. Here we demonstrate that time-variable correlation and amplitude data contain additional information about surficial processes and material properties that may affect ground deformation and seismic hazard. In the use of correlation for hazard response, distinguishing the coseismic signal from other changes in surface properties associated with variations in soil moisture content, vegetation and snow cover, and wind is critical. Building SAR-based catalogues of ground properties will therefore improve the reliability of rapid response and aid in the designing of future SAR missions to better map surface ruptures, off-fault deformation, and coseismic damage. In this project, we characterize the seasonal variations in the soil moisture content in the Northern Chilean Coastal Cordillera and Southern California. The extreme climate of the Atacama Desert characterized by hyperaridity and coastal fog during the non-summer months creates an ideal landscape for exploring surface properties. We produce interferograms using L-band ALOS data (λ = 23.6 cm) that span 46 days to three years and have perpendicular baselines less than 1500 m. We observe a strong seasonal dependence on correlation that extends to the maximum elevation of the fog penetration. Interferograms with only austral summer acquisitions are more correlated than interferograms with one or both acquisitions in the autumn, winter or spring, even when the summer interferograms span multiple years. We propose that the seasonal dependence is due to small changes in the radar path length caused by variable soil moisture content in the very shallow subsurface. We further consider local variations in correlation surrounding aeolian dunes, quebradas or ravines, cities, and salars. We extend our work to include the Owens Valley and Death Valley in California.

Spatial variability and its main controlling factors of the permafrost soil-moisture on the northern-slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, W.; Sheng, Y.

2017-12-01

The soil moisture movement is an important carrier of material cycle and energy flow among the various geo-spheres in the cold regions. It is very critical to protect the alpine ecology and hydrologic cycle in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Especially, it becomes one of the key problems to reveal the spatial-temporal variability of soil moisture movement and its main influence factors in earth system science. Thus, this research takes the north slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study. The present study firstly investigates the change of permafrost moisture in different slope positions and depths. Based on this investigation, this article attempts to investigate the spatial variability of permafrost moisture and identifies the key influence factors in different terrain conditions. The method of classification and regression tree (CART) is adopted to identify the main controlling factors influencing the soil moisture movement. And the relationships between soil moisture and environmental factors are revealed by the use of the method of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The results show that: 1) the change of the soil moisture on the permafrost slope is divided into 4 stages, including the freezing stability phase, the rapid thawing phase, the thawing stability phase and the fast freezing phase; 2) this greatly enhances the horizontal flow in the freezing period due to the terrain slope and the freezing-thawing process. Vertical migration is the mainly form of the soil moisture movement. It leads to that the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is higher than that in the down-slope. On the contrary, the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is lower than that in the down-slope during the melting period; 3) the main environmental factors which affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture are elevation, soil texture, soil temperature and vegetation coverage. But there are differences in the impact factors of the soil moisture in different freezing-thawing stages; 4) the main factors that affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture at the shallow depth of 0-20cm are slope, elevation and vegetation coverage. And the main factors influencing the soil moisture at the middle and lower depth are complex.

7 CFR 868.258 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Governing Application of Standards § 868.258 Moisture. Water content in brown rice for processing as... purpose of this paragraph, “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other...

Effects of drought season length on live moisture content dynamic in Mediterranean shrubs: 8 years of data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellizzaro, Grazia; Ventura, Andrea; Bortolu, Sara; Duce, Pierpaolo

2017-04-01

Mediterranean shrubs are an important component of Mediterranean vegetation communities. In this kind of vegetation, live fuel is a relevant component of the available fuel which catches fire and, consequently, its water content plays an important role in determining fire occurrence and spread. In live plant, water content patterns are related to both environmental conditions (e.g. meteorological variables, soil water availability) and ecophysiological characteristics of the plant species. According to projections on future climate, an increase in risk of summer droughts is likely to take place in Southern Europe. More prolonged drought seasons induced by climatic changes are likely to influence general flammability characteristics of fuel. In addition, variations in precipitation and mean temperature could directly affect fuel water status and length of critical periods of high ignition danger for Mediterranean ecosystems. The aims of this work were to analyse the influence of both weather seasonality and inter-annual weather variability on live fuel moisture content within and among some common Mediterranean species, and to investigate the effects of prolonged drought season on live moisture content dynamic. The study was carried out in North Sardinia (Italy). Measurements of LFMC seasonal pattern of two really common and flammable Mediterranean shrub species (Cistus monspeliensis and Rosmarinus officinalis) were performed periodically for 8 years. Meteorological variables were also recorded. Relationships between live fuel moisture content and environmental conditions (i.e. rainfall, air temperature and soil moisture) were investigated and effects of different lengths of drought season on LFMC pattern were analysed. Results showed that distribution and amount of rainfall affected seasonal variation of live fuel moisture content. In particular more prolonged drought seasons caused a longer period in which LFMC was below 95 -100% that is commonly considered as critical threshold for fire ignition and spread. This impact was particular evident at the begin of the autumn whereas a limited water availability in spring seemed to have less strongly influenced moisture content in the Mediterranean shrubs that we studied.

27 CFR 24.202 - Dried fruit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the fresh fruit may be added. If it is desired not to restore the moisture content of the dried fruit to that of the fresh fruit, or if the moisture content is not known, sufficient water may be added to... deficient in sugar, sufficient pure dry sugar may be added to increase the total solids content to 25...

27 CFR 24.202 - Dried fruit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... the fresh fruit may be added. If it is desired not to restore the moisture content of the dried fruit to that of the fresh fruit, or if the moisture content is not known, sufficient water may be added to... deficient in sugar, sufficient pure dry sugar may be added to increase the total solids content to 25...

27 CFR 24.202 - Dried fruit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the fresh fruit may be added. If it is desired not to restore the moisture content of the dried fruit to that of the fresh fruit, or if the moisture content is not known, sufficient water may be added to... deficient in sugar, sufficient pure dry sugar may be added to increase the total solids content to 25...

27 CFR 24.202 - Dried fruit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the fresh fruit may be added. If it is desired not to restore the moisture content of the dried fruit to that of the fresh fruit, or if the moisture content is not known, sufficient water may be added to... deficient in sugar, sufficient pure dry sugar may be added to increase the total solids content to 25...

Soft computing modelling of moisture sorption isotherms of milk-foxtail millet powder and determination of thermodynamic properties.

PubMed

Simha, H V Vikram; Pushpadass, Heartwin A; Franklin, Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald; Kumar, P Arun; Manimala, K

2016-06-01

Moisture sorption isotherms of spray-dried milk-foxtail millet powder were determined at 10, 25 and 40 °C. Sorption data was fitted using classical and soft-computing approaches. The isotherms were of type II, and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was temperature dependent. The BET monolayer moisture content decreased from 3.30 to 2.67 % as temperature increased from 10 to 40 °C. Amongst the classical models, Ferro-Fontan gave the best fit of EMC-aw data. However, the Sugeno-type adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with generalized bell-shaped membership function performed better than artificial neural network and classical models with RMSE as low as 0.0099. The isosteric heat of sorption decreased from 150.32 kJ mol(-1) at 1 % moisture content to 44.11 kJ mol(-1) at 15 % moisture. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was validated, and the isokinetic and harmonic mean temperatures were determined as 333.1 and 297.5 K, respectively.

[Effects of Soil Moisture on Phytoremediation of As-Containinated Soils Using As-Hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L].

PubMed

Liu, Qiu-xin; Yan, Xiu-lan; Liao, Xiao-yong; Lin, Long-yong; Yang, Jing

2015-08-01

A pot experiment was carried out to study the effects of soil moisture on the growth and arsenic uptake of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. The results showed that the remediation efficiency of As was the highest when the soil moisture was between 35%-45%. P. vittata grew best under 45% water content, and its aboveground and underground plant dry weights were 2.95 g x plant(-1) and 11.95 g x plant(-1), respectively; the arsenic concentration in aboveground and roots was the highest under 35% water content, and 40% content was the best for accumulation of arsenic in P. vittata. Moreover, controlling the soil moisture to 35%-45% enhanced the conversion of As(V) to As(III) in aboveground plant, and promoted arsenic detoxification in P. vittata. These above results showed that soil moisture played an important role in the absorption and transport of arsenic by P. vittata. The results of this study can provide important guidance for the large-scale planting of P. vittata and the moisture management measures in engineering application.

Study on micro-water measurement method based on SF6 insulation equipment in high altitude area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Han; Liu, Yajin; Yan, Jun; Liu, Zhijian; Yan, Yongfei

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important indicator of the insulation and arc extinguishing performance of SF6 insulated electrical equipment. The research shows that moisture measurements are strongly influenced by altitude pressures and the different order of pressure correction and temperature correction calculation, different calculation results will result. Therefore, in this paper, we studies the pressure and temperature environment based on moisture test of SF6 gas insulated equipment in power industry. Firstly, the PVT characteristics of pure SF6 gas and water vapor were analyzed and put forward the necessity of pressure correction, then combined the Pitzer-Veli equation of SF6 gas and Water Pitzer-Veli equation to fit PVT equation of state of SF6-H20 that suitable for electric power industry and deduced the Correction Formula of Moisture Measurement in SF6 Gas. Finally, through experiments, completion of the calibration formula optimization and verification SF6 electrical equipment on, proof of the applicability and effectiveness of the correction formula.

Investigating the Moisture Content of Polyamide 6 by Raman-Microscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lechner, Tobias; Noack, Kristina; Thöne, Manuel; Amend, Philipp; Schmidt, Michael; Will, Stefan

Thermal malleability of thermoplastics results in a high product diversity in various industry sectors. However, industrial applications require a constant and high component quality. Hence, material processing such as laser welding has to consider that, e.g., the moisture content of thermoplastics influences the mechanical properties such as the tensile strength. Moreover, water evaporates during laser welding and can form pores and defects. Thus, there is a large need for non-invasive material inspection before processing. To that end, we developed a methodology based on Raman-microscopy and multivariate data analysis (MVD) to determine the moisture content of polyamide (MCP). Further, the impact of the MCP on the mechanical properties was verified. For samples with a defined variation of the MCP, xyz-Raman-scans were carried out and analysed using MVD. For reference purposes, the samples were weighted and tensile tests were performed. An evaluation by means of partial least squares regression analysis (PLSR) resulted in a prediction of the MCP with a correlation coefficient >98%. Consequently, Raman-microscopy shows large potential for developing new techniques for inspection and quality control of plastics before processing. Dedicated to Professor Alfred Leipertz on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

The moisture response of soil heterotrophic respiration: Interaction with soil properties.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil moisture-respiration functions are used to simulate the various mechanisms determining the relations between soil moisture content and carbon mineralization. Soil models used in the simulation of global carbon fluxes often apply simplified functions assumed to represent an average moisture-resp...

A Redesigned DFA Moisture Meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The DFA moisture meter has been internationally recognized as the standard for determining moisture content of dried fruit in general and is AOAC Official Method 972.2 for measuring moisture in prunes and raisins since 1972. The device has remained virtually unchanged since its inception, with its o...

Cotton moisture – its importance, measurements and impacts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cotton moisture impacts cotton from field to fabric. The proper control, and measurement to allow for control, of cotton moisture is essential to maintaining and preserving fiber quality. Cotton color, length and strength; as well as other properties, are all impacted by cotton moisture content. ...

Third generation snacks manufactured from orange by-products: physicochemical and nutritional characterization.

PubMed

Tovar-Jiménez, Xochitl; Caro-Corrales, José; Gómez-Aldapa, Carlos A; Zazueta-Morales, José; Limón-Valenzuela, Víctor; Castro-Rosas, Javier; Hernández-Ávila, Juan; Aguilar-Palazuelos, Ernesto

2015-10-01

A mixture of orange vesicle flour, commercial nixtamalized corn flour and potato starch was extruded using a Brabender Laboratory single screw extruder (2:1 L/D). The resulting pellets were expanded by microwaves. Expansion index, bulk density, penetration force, carotenoid content, and dietary fiber were measured for this third-generation snack and optimum production conditions were estimated. Response surface methodology was applied using a central composite rotatable experimental design to evaluate the effect of moisture content and extrusion temperature. Temperature mainly affected the expansion index, bulk density and penetration force, while carotenoids content was affected by moisture content. Surface overlap was used to identify optimum processing conditions: temperature: 128-130 °C; moisture content: 22-24 %. Insoluble dietary fiber decreased and soluble dietary fiber increased after extrusion.

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL...

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL...

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL...

7 CFR 51.2548 - Average moisture content determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Average moisture content determination. 51.2548 Section 51.2548 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE...

7 CFR 51.2548 - Average moisture content determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Average moisture content determination. 51.2548 Section 51.2548 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE...

7 CFR 51.2548 - Average moisture content determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Average moisture content determination. 51.2548 Section 51.2548 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE...

7 CFR 51.2548 - Average moisture content determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Average moisture content determination. 51.2548 Section 51.2548 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE...

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL...

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Dddd of... - Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Process furnish with a 24-hour block average inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent... 24-hour block average inlet moisture content of the veneer is less than or equal to 25 percent (by...

Wood and bark percentages and moisture contents of Minnesota pulpwood species.

Treesearch

Richard M. Marden; David C. Lothner; Edwin Kallio

1975-01-01

To help increase the use of bark for fuel or products, information is presented on the relative proportions of bark and wood by volume and weight, and also moisture contents (ovendry basis) for five northern Minnesota pulpwood species.

Solid-shape energy fuels from recyclable municipal solid waste and plastics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gug, Jeongin

Diversion of waste streams, such as plastics, wood and paper, from municipal landfills and extraction of useful materials from landfills is an area of increasing interest across the country, especially in densely populated areas. One promising technology for recycling MSW (municipal solid waste) is to burn the high energy content components in standard coal boilers. This research seeks to reform wastes into briquette that are compatible with typical coal combustion processes. In order to comply with the standards of coal-fired power plants, the feedstock must be mechanically robust, moisture resistance, and retain high fuel value. Household waste with high paper and fibers content was used as the base material for this study. It was combined with recyclable plastics such as PE, PP, PET and PS for enhanced binding and energy efficiency. Fuel pellets were processed using a compression molding technique. The resulting moisture absorption, proximate analysis from burning, and mechanical properties were investigated after sample production and then compared with reference data for commercial coals and biomass briquettes. The effects of moisture content, compression pressure and processing temperature were studied to identify the optimal processing conditions with water uptake tests for the durability of samples under humid conditions and burning tests to examine the composition of samples. Lastly, mechanical testing revealed the structural stability of solid fuels. The properties of fuel briquettes produced from waste and recycled plastics improved with higher processing temperature but without charring the material. Optimization of moisture content and removal of air bubbles increased the density, stability and mechanical strength. The sample composition was found to be more similar to biomass fuels than coals because the majority of the starting material was paper-based solid waste. According to the proximate analysis results, the waste fuels can be expected to have low temperature ignition, less char formation and reduced CO2 emission with the high heating energy value similar to coal. It is concluded that solid fuels from paper based waste and plastics can be a good energy resource as an alternative and sustainable fuel, which may help to alleviate the environmental problems related to landfill space at the same time.

Effect of aeration rate, moisture content and composting period on availability of copper and lead during pig manure composting.

PubMed

Shen, Yujun; Zhao, Lixin; Meng, Haibo; Hou, Yueqing; Zhou, Haibin; Wang, Fei; Cheng, Hongsheng; Liu, Hongbin

2016-06-01

Pollution by heavy metals, such as copper and lead, has become a limiting factor for the land application of faecal manures, such as pig manure. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of composting process parameters, including aeration rate, moisture content and composting period, on the distribution of heavy metal species during composting, and to select an optimal parameter for copper and lead inactivation. Results showed that the distribution ratios of exchangeable fractions of copper and lead had a bigger decrease under conditions of aeration rate, 0.1 m(3) min(-1) m(-3), an initial moisture content of 65% and composting period of 50 days. Suboptimal composting process conditions could lead to increased availability of heavy metals. Statistical analysis indicated that the aeration rate was the main factor affecting copper and lead inactivation, while the effects of moisture content and composting period were not significant. The rates of reduction of copper-exchangeable fractions and lead-exchangeable fractions were positively correlated with increased pH. The optimal parameters for reducing heavy metal bioavailability during pig manure composting were aeration rate, 0.1 m(3) min(-1) m(-3), initial moisture content, 65%, and composting period, 20 days. © The Author(s) 2016.