How do you measure the moisture content in paper / wood pulp?
Paper is not just used for writing materials. It is used for paper towels, disposable kitchen items (such as plates, bowls and cups) and also for cardboard boxes and tubes. Because of the wide variety of potential items that can be made from paper, paper producers need to have an efficient system to keep the cycle going.
Just as hay and grain producers or building inspectors need to be constantly aware of the moisture content of the materials they use, so do paper producers. The importance of knowing how much water is in the product and what happens to it when it's finished through the use of a moisture meter at each point throughout the production process cannot be overstated - as you might guess.
Some paper moisture meters use contact pins and resistance characteristics to measure the moisture content of the pulp. These meters are very useful for manually inspecting paper products. However, there are other types of electrodes that can be used to measure the moisture content of paper.
Instead of using pins to test the moisture content of the pulp on the stock in the papermaking process, some paper moisture meters use special electrodes with rolling contact tips (e.g., Delmhorst's 12-E electrodes). These special contact heads allow the meter to read the moisture content of the pulp on the line without stopping production.
If there is too much moisture in the pulp as it passes through a given process, the paper may fall apart.
The importance of measuring %MC in paper extends to the fact that moisture affects the efficacy of the equipment involved in the papermaking process.
Measuring moisture in pulp and paper
Since moisture in paper can be the make-or-break factor in the final quality of a product, it is valuable to use technology to ensure proper moisture content.Delmhorst has two paper moisture meters: the RDM-3P and the P-2000.
These moisture meters provide direct access to a wide range of materials suitable for paperboard, corrugated paper and paper tubes, and feature three different scales for more unique moisture measurements.
