Microwave Moisture Sensor System for Wood Drying

摘要

This goal of this project is to develop a prototype microwave based moisture sensor system to be used in arnhardwood dry kiln. Moisture sensors will be battery powered and will communicate with the host kilnrncontrol system via spread spectrum wireless communications. We have developed 2 separate designs ofrnlaunchers working at 4.5 GHz to 6 GHz that give a linear response to moisture content (MC) over a rangernof 90% MC to 6% MC. These launchers allow us to make a swept frequency transmission measurementrnthrough a small area of a board. We have developed electronic circuit boards that provide the microwavernexcitation and read and store the microwave signal returned through the wood. We are currently testing thern"second generation" prototype electronics to go into the kiln mated with these launchers to produce arnprototype MC measurement system design to be tested in kilns.