Non-destructive electrical measurement of moisture content in single kernels of corn

✍ Scribed by Chari V.K. Kandala; Stuart O. Nelson; Kurt C. Lawrence

• Book ID: 104140259
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 800 KB
• Volume: 44
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8634
• DOI: 10.1016/s0021-8634(89)80076-9

✦ Synopsis

From measurements of capacitance, dissipation factor and phase angle on a small parallel-plate capacitor holding single kernels of corn (maize), Zea rnays L., a non-destructive method was developed for estimating the moisture content of the kernel. The measurements were made with an impedance analyser at 1.0 and 4.5 MHz on single kernels with moisture contents ranging between 9.5% and 26%, wet basis, and their air-oven moisture values were obtained by a standard oven drying method. An empirical equation was developed that predicted the moisture contents of single kernels from several different corn lots within + 1% of the air-oven values for 91% of the kernels in this moisture range.