A Small-Scale Prototype Peat Harvester, using NIR Moisture Content Sensing. Part 1: Sensor Development, Calibration and Utilization

✍ Scribed by M.J. O'Mahony; S.M. Ward; J. Lynch

• Book ID: 102573259
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 252 KB
• Volume: 70
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8634
• DOI: 10.1006/jaer.1998.0270

✦ Synopsis

A moisture content sensor based on the near-infrared (NIR) reflectance technique for moisture determination has been developed as part of the control system of a small-scale prototype peat harvester for selectively harvesting the surface dry layer which forms when a thin layer of peat is milled and spread to dry. The robust NIR reflectance sensor uses the ratio of an absorption wavelength of 1928 nm and a reference wavelength of 1800 nm to estimate the moisture content of milled peat. This sensor was capable of measuring peat moisture content with an accuracy of ca. $3)5% for low-and medium-density peats and ca. $7)5% for high-density peats. This paper describes the development, calibration and utilization of the NIR moisture content sensor. The second part of this paper (Part 2) describes harvester development and evaluation.