A method of determining the mass flow of a flow of grains

• Main Authors: OLE GUNNESKOV, KNUD FABRIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.12.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; FISHING; FORESTRY; HARVESTING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME; MOWING; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRAPPING

PCT No. PCT/DK96/00226 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 13, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 13, 1998 PCT Filed May 29, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/38714 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 5, 1996A method of determining the mass flow speed of a granular material through a channel by means of electromagnetic waves, preferably in the microwave area. According to the invention, either the attenuation or the phase-shift is measured or both the attenuation and the phase-shift and optionally also the reflection. Based on the knowledge of both the reflection and the absorption it is possible to determine the type of grains being involved because the proportion of these magnitudes is characteristic of the various types. When measuring especially oil-containing grains which are able to have an effect on the dielectricity constant, it is advantageous to measure the phase of the transmitted signal because the phase-shift is substantially proportional to the flow of such grains.