Evaluation of a proprietary instrument for the on-line determination of bagasse moisture

The measurement of the moisture of bagasse is important because it reflects the performance of milling units and has implications with regard to boiler operation. The opportunity to evaluate a proprietary instrument with the potential to measure bagasse moistures on a conveyor belt was thus taken keenly. Trials were conducted at different sites within Racecourse Mill during the 1987 and 1988 crushing seasons. This paper details only the 1988 season trial. The results obtained from this trial are compared briefly with those from the 1987 trial.