METHOD FOR ACCURATELY MEASURING REAL-TIME DEW-POINT VALUE AND TOTAL MOISTURE CONTENT OF A MATERIAL

• US 20160245765A1
• Filed: 02/21/2016
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Machinesense LLC
• Original Assignee: Prophecy Sensorlytics Llc
• Inventors: Pal, Biplab
• Granted Patent: US 10,613,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/065 of powder or pellets
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 9/16 Auxiliary treatment of granules
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 2200/08 Granular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/06 the gas or vapour flowing through the materials or objects to be dried F26B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/063 for drying granular material in bulk, e.g. grain bins or silos with false floor shallow layer rotary sweep drying bins F26B9/10; perforated wall silos with drying air channels in the stack F26B9/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/66 by investigating dew-point

Abstract

A system and method for accurately measuring the real-time valid dew-point value of a material and determining the total moisture content of the material within the valid dew-point value by using an algorithm during the material drying process. The algorithm estimates the valid dew-point value of the material and the total moisture content of the material by analyzing the sensor data received on a server. The algorithm determines a valid dew-point value by estimating an inflection point for the material, and the total moisture content of the material is determined within the valid dew-point value.

Claims

1. A method for accurately measuring the real-time valid dew-point value of a material within which the total moisture content of said material is determined, wherein said method comprises:

acquiring data from temperature and dew-point sensors positioned at dryer outlets;

receiving the sensed data at a server after transmitting the acquired data by using programmable logic controller (PLC), relay, or wireless sensor networks;

estimating initial moisture content of said material before the drying process begins;

estimating moisture content of said material at any instant during the drying process;

measuring a valid dew-point by determining an inflection point for said material; and

determining the total moisture content of said material after determining said inflection point.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method estimates the initial moisture content of said material by passing the acquired data through a set of equations implemented in said server.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method estimates the moisture content of said material at any instant during the drying process by passing the acquired data through another set of equations implemented in said server.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system estimates the initial moisture content of said material by passing the acquired data through a set of equations implemented in said server.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system estimates the moisture content of said material at any instant during the drying process by passing the acquired data through another set of equations implemented in said server.

4. A system for accurately measuring the real-time valid dew-point value of a material for which the total moisture content of said material is determined, wherein said system comprises of an analyzer module and said system is configured to:

acquire data at a server from temperature and sensors positioned at dryer outlets;

receive the sensed data at said server after transmitting the acquired data by using programmable logic controller (PLC), relay, or wireless sensor networks;

estimate initial moisture content of said material on said server by using an algorithm before the drying process begins;

estimate moisture content of said material at any instant during the drying process by using said algorithm;

measure a valid dew-point by determining inflection point for said material by using said algorithm; and

determine the total moisture content of said material after determining said inflection point by using said algorithm.