A method for measuring the moisture content of flowing, fine-grained, inorganic material with a high tendency to agglomerate

摘要

In pelleting moist ore flour, for example, accurate measurement of moisture content of the sticky mass of material is necessary. This is effected by moving samples from the stream of material, piling them into a conical pile on a rotating table about 1 meter in diameter to form a pile having an inscribed spherical volume of about 30 cm radius, inserting a neutron-gamma ray-measuring probe into the center of the pile, making the measurement, removing the probe, and sweeping the pile from the table to enable repetition of said steps. Material adhering to the probe may be displaced therefrom as it is withdrawn from the pile. Suitable apparatus for so doing is also disclosed.