Products Test & Measurement
Valmet analyzer for wood chip and bark moisture measurement

Feb. 21, 2017 – The Valmet Chip ‘n’ Bark moisture analyzer (Valmet CBA) promises to offer pulp mills a new tool to advance productivity and efficiency.

According to the company, the tool replaces “time-consuming” oven-dry lab measurements by using microwave technology to continuously measure chip, bark, forest residue biomass or recycled wood moisture. A sample flow is taken from the conveyer chute, pushed through the unobstructed measurement chamber and then returned to the chute. Continuously measuring wood chip moisture provides the means to control cooking liquor to chip mass ratio for improved digester operation, says Valmet, adding that when applied to monitor biomass moisture, better boiler efficiency is enabled by the continuous indication of heating value to optimize fuel feeding control and supplementary fuel use. A combination of microwave resonance, Q-value and sample temperature is used to measure moisture content from 0 to 70 per cent and optional heated screw tubes are available where the possibility of ice or frozen material exists. With Industrial Internet functionality, measurement data, alarms and diagnostics are all remotely accessible.