Measuring moisture in pasta production - Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co.KG

Online moisture measurement on pasta

Depending on the recipe, water, flour and/or eggs are mixed in a buffer silo and then kneaded in a dough mixer to the required consistency. To determine the exact amount of water needed for the dough, it is necessary to determine the initial moisture of the flour in the buffer silo. Similarly, the final moisture content of the finished dough plays a major role for optimal processing. The LB 571 microwave resonator can precisely and reliably detect the water content both at the outlet of the buffer silo and in the finished dough. Knowing moisture at these points allows for improved process control for increased pasta quality and raw material usage. The LB 571 is already successfully in use at Nestlé India, contact us and see for yourself! We are happy to offer free product suitability tests at your site.

Technical features

High measurement reliability <0.2 wt.%. solids content (standard deviation)
Moisture measuring range 0 - 30 wt.-%
Easy installation on hoppers, conveyor belts and screws, silos, etc.
Heated ceramic plate for signal stability
Robust sensor

Customer benefits

Determination of moisture on the buffer silo and finished dough
Automation of the dough production process
Increase in productivity
Avoidance of raw material waste
Quick return on investment

Measuring principle

The MicroPolar measuring system uses the special dielectric property of water. The measuring system generates microwaves that interact with the water molecules. This interaction causes an attenuation of the microwave energy, which can be detected as attenuation. Since the change in attenuation is directly proportional to the water content, the concentration of the medium can be determined with high accuracy. Berthold's superior multi-frequency technology provides very stable and reliable measurements that are unaffected by interfering reflections or resonances. The microwave power of an LB 571 resonator is so low < 10 mW that the material to be measured is neither heated nor changed in any way.