The Program Pays On Dry Tons -
You Have to Measure Moisture in Every Load
Dear Reader,
The program is paying your biomass suppliers a large matching payment based on dry tonnage purchased.
The formula specified for dry weight tonnage is total tonnage times (1-%moisture/100)
The record keeping starts with you.
It's your responsibility to calculate the dry weight tonnage and provide:
"A signed scale ticket clearly indicating the actual total tonnage delivered and the dry weight tonnage equivalent. This must be written on the scale ticket."
A moisture determination for every delivery
What Kind of Biomass Material are you getting?
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Round Wood
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Mixed Biomass
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Processed Biomass
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There Is No Single Answer To The Measurement of Biomass Moisture
Moisture determination of Biomass loads that consist of Processed Biomass material is straight forward. This is material that has been chipped or shredded or consists of small particles such as sawdust.
One of the oldest and most versatile techniques for determining moisture in a commodity is to weigh a sample, dry it out, weigh it again. You then use the difference in weight to calculate the moisture percent. This is called Loss on Drying (LOD).
A second method is based on the use of a Moisture Probe.
We recommend one of two instruments for Processed Biomass Material. The CSC Digital moisture Balance (DMB) for LOD processing or the G9 Moisture Probe.
With the CSC Digital Moisture Balance (DMB), the moisture determination is accomplished automatically. You simply load a sample, press a button, walk away and the DMB stops when the test is done. Test result show on a digital display and can be printed or communicated to a computer.
When you use the G9 Moisture Probe, you simply push the probe into the load and in seconds the moisture is displayed on the hand held meter. Readings can be taken at different places in the load and averaged. The G-9 is unique in that it can measure moisture levels in excess of 40%.
Either the DMB or the G-9 can be effectively used to determine moisture in Processed Biomass.
Determining Moisture In A Mixed Biomass Load Or In A Round Wood Load Presents A Serious Challenge.
There is an instrument that can measure moisture in solid wood called the DC-2000 Wood Moisture Meter.
There are two 1/2 inch pins that are driven into the wood. The moisture of the wood between the two pins is shown on the digital readout in percent (%) moisture.
On loads with fairly uniform round wood, testing a few samples should give a reasonable estimate of the moisture in the entire load.
However in loads of mixed round wood, branches, pallet material and the like the problem becomes more challenging. To get any reasonable estimate, tests need to be made on each type of material and averaged for that material. These results can be used with approximations of the proportions of each material in the load to arrive an over all moisture calculation.
Short of grinding or chipping the material, or using experience based negotiated judgments, sampling with a DC-2000 Wood Moisture Meter is method to get a test based moisture estimate of these mixed biomass loads.
Please let us know what else you need to know about how to address measuring BCAP dry weight tonnage.
You can reach us at 800-621-4778 , Fax: 703-280-5142, or email: bcap@cscscientific.com