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BR-102024018353-A2 - APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE MOISTURE CONTENT AND CALORIFIC VALUE OF ORGANIC MATERIALS, BIOMASS AND BULK MATERIALS AND METHOD OF OPERATION

BR102024018353A2BR 102024018353 A2BR102024018353 A2BR 102024018353A2BR-102024018353-A2

Abstract

This innovation belongs to the technical field of inspection equipment and, in particular, to equipment for the rapid inspection of the moisture content of biomass and bulk organic materials during the purchasing process, which can be from various organic sources. More specifically, it is a device for the rapid inspection of the moisture content and useful calorific value of bulk organic materials, such as wood chips, rice husks, peanut shells, and other granulated organic materials commonly used in combustion for energy generation. The device consists of a container with a transducer, a support attached to the protective tube; a numeric keypad integrated into the display and a processing unit with a specific method.

Inventors

  • PAULO CEZAR MARTINI
  • CELSO MARTINI
  • ANTONIO SERGIO BERALDO

Assignees

  • MARRARI AUTOMACAO INDUSTRIAL LTDA

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20240905

Claims (14)

  1. 1) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials characterized by the apparatus (AU) comprising a container (1) consisting of at least one handle portion (20), support (21) for integrating the numeric keypad (5), LCD display (6) and processing unit (Cp); inside the container (1) is located a transducer (2) coupled to the protective tube (4); said tube (4) being fixed together with the central connector (22) of the support (3); the support (3) also comprising a joint (23) to be fixed by means of screws to the inner walls of the container (1); the processing unit (Cp) comprising a microcontroller (8) with firmware, EEPROM memory (9), GPS module (10), timer (11), battery (14), battery charger (15), voltage regulator (16), communication module (7) and sound alarm (13); because the contained moisture and useful calorific value are measured by a method of operation in which the processing unit (Cp) receives the information sent by the transducer (2) in bits and, through a microcontroller (8), converts the bits into moisture and calorific value information.
  2. 2) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that the interior of the keyboard (5) and display (6) comprises a processing unit (Cp) that receives the information sent by the transducer (2) and, through a microcontroller (8), transforms the information into parameters of moisture and useful calorific value.
  3. 3) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 1, characterized by display (6) being a human-machine interface.
  4. 4) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication between the communication module (7) and the microcontroller (8) allows connection to an external computer (PC).
  5. 5) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 4, characterized by the communication module (7) being a USB interface device.
  6. 6) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound alarm (13) is a device integrated into the central processor (CP) that informs of faults, low battery or measurement data collection (ok/error).
  7. 7) Apparatus for measuring the moisture content and calorific value of bulk organic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that recipes can be edited by means of the keyboard (5) and graphic display (6).
  8. 8) Operating method for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, characterized by comprising the following steps: a) Initialization of the system for recipe selection and sample preparation; b) Transducer reading (2); c) Recipe query; d) Calculation; e) Displays values; f) Collects and records data.
  9. 9) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized by step a) System initialization being the turning on of the device (AU) and the controller (8) initializing all peripherals, retrieving all recipes and user settings from the EEPROM (9); selecting the recipe on the keyboard (5) and filling the container (1) with a determined mass of the material.
  10. 10) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized by step b) the transducer (2) detects the disturbance in the electric field and assumes values from 0 to 232 in bits and sends them to the microcontroller (8).
  11. 11) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized by step c) the microcontroller (8) reads the time that the resulting signal (PC1 OUT) remains at a high logic level within a 200 ms window.
  12. 12) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized by step d) the microcontroller (8) converts the bit data to obtain the moisture and calorific value through the recipe; the value read in bits by the transducer (2) is entered into a linear equation calculation.
  13. 13) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized in that e) the microcontroller (8) sends the moisture and calorific values to the LCD graphic display (6).
  14. 14) Method of operation for measuring the moisture content of bulk organic materials, according to claim 8, characterized in that the processing unit (Cp) will memorize the moisture and calorific values together with the data acquired by the time clock (11) and GPS data (10); subsequently the value is recorded (e’) and configured in the EEPROM memory (9).

Description

Field of invention [001] The present innovation belongs to the technical field of inspection equipment and, in particular, to equipment for the rapid inspection of the moisture content of biomass and bulk organic materials during the purchasing process, which may be from various organic sources. More specifically, it is a device for the rapid inspection of the moisture content and useful calorific value of bulk organic materials, such as wood chips, rice husks, peanut shells and other granulated organic materials commonly used in combustion for energy generation. Fundamentals of innovation [002] In the process of using biomass and bulk organic materials for energy generation, the impact of moisture on energy efficiency, gas emissions, and boiler lifespan is critical, not only for the environment but also for the safety of operators and the company. The ideal moisture content is that which best meets the technical specifications provided by the manufacturer, and may vary depending on the type of boiler, type of biomass, or even how it will be burned inside the boiler. Under these conditions, it is possible to protect the safety of the operation and the boiler, reduce the emission of harmful gases, and optimize the use of biomass more efficiently, reducing purchase costs. [003] The importance of measuring the moisture content of biomass cannot be underestimated. Biomass and organic bulk materials with excessive moisture can generate more greenhouse gases and impair boiler efficiency, producing pressures and temperatures unsuitable for safe operation. In addition, excessively dry biomass can present safety and optimization risks, as it burns at very high temperatures, generating high pressures and even creating a risk of boiler explosion. [004] Furthermore, accurate measurement of the moisture content of biomass and organic bulk materials is crucial for maximizing energy efficiency in power generation. With ideal moisture content for the boiler, it has higher output, less pollution and lower operating costs. [005] The moisture content of a product can be defined as the ratio between the weight of the water present and the weight of the wet product. There are several methods for determining moisture content, which can be classified as destructive and non-destructive, and further classified as direct and indirect. [006] Destructive methods destroy biomass and organic bulk materials or modify their structure during the measurement process, while non-destructive methods preserve their integrity. The best-known destructive methods are: oven (gravimetric), laboratory, and burning. Among the non-destructive methods, we can mention the electrical, acoustic, and infrared reflectance methods. [007] In the direct subclassification, moisture is usually calculated by the difference in weight of the samples at the beginning and end of the process. That is, the amount of water removed from the product is measured directly. [008] Until then, analyses of biomass moisture content were performed by drying a sample until it reached a constant weight and then applying equation 1 to the information obtained: [009] Where: Ubu: Moisture content on a wet basis (%). [010] In indirect methods, moisture is estimated based on the measurement of other properties and is determined mathematically or empirically. For this, the most commonly used properties are the electrical resistance and capacitance of the products. [011] Water content meters with capacitive sensors currently on the market operate at radio frequencies and measure the capacitance of static samples in known mass or volume. Their calibration is based on a certain functional relationship, which is rarely provided by manufacturers, between the water content measured by the standard oven method and a specific electrical response of the sensor. [012] Most water content meters that rely on the capacitance method indirectly utilize the relationship between the amount of water present and its relative electrical permittivity. This variation with the water content of the sample allowed the development of electrical meters based on the capacitance method. [013] To ensure accurate measurement of moisture content, it is essential to use suitable and calibrated equipment. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this invention is to provide an apparatus that uses the non-destructive in-direct electrical method to determine the percentage of moisture and calorific value from a sample. [014] The invention has advantages such as instantaneous results; large sample volume; high representativeness of samples; possibility of a large number of samples; automatic recording of results, locally and remotely. Description of the drawings Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the device (AU) comprising a container (1) with a transducer (2), a support (3) coupled to the protective tube (4); a numeric keypad (5) integrated into the LCD display (6). Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the device (AU) compr