Water content, moisture content

The water content or moisture content of a solid is the quantity of moisture in relation to its overall mass (gross mass, including water). The EN 14961-1 norm (Solid biofuels - Fuels specifications and classes) published in October 2010 specifies that the water content of solid biofuels is to be measured on a wet sample, according to the oven dry method:
- % moisture on wet basis = (wet sample mass - dry sample mass ) /Wet sample mass * 100
- The measured sample is weighed before and after the water content has been eliminated.

We usually say:
- Wet water content or moisture content on wet basis : this refers to the relationship between the mass of water contained in the solid biofuel and the total mass of the solid biofuel
- Dry water content or moisture content on dry basis : this refers to the relationship between the mass of water contained in the solid biofuel and the dry mass of the solid biofuel.

Comparison of moisture content (on wet basis) as received and dry basis

Moisture content, wet basis (M), w-%	Moisture content, dry basis (U), w-%	Moisture content, dry basis (U), w-%	Moisture content, wet basis (M), w-%
12	13.64	12	10.71
13	14.94	13	11.50
14	16.28	14	12.28
15	17.65	15	13.04
16	19.05	16	13.79
17	20.48	17	14.53
18	21.95	18	15.25
19	23.46	19	15.97
20	25.00	20	16.67
21	26.58	21	17.36
22	28.21	22	18.03
23	29.87	23	18.70
24	31.58	24	19.35
25	33.33	25	20.00
26	35.14	26	20.63
27	36.99	27	21.26
28	38.89	28	21.88
29	40.85	29	22.48
30	42.86	30	23.08
31	44.93	31	23.66
32	47.06	32	24.24
33	49.25	33	24.81
34	51.52	34	25.37
35	53.85	35	25.93
36	51.52	36	26.47
37	53.85	37	27.01
		38	27.54
		39	28.06
		40	28.57
		41	29.08
		42	29.58
		43	30.07
		44	30.56
		45	31.03
		46	31.51
		47	31.97
		48	32.43
		49	32.89
		50	33.33
		51	33.77
		52	34.21
		53	34.64
		54	35.06

The relation between moisture on dry basis, or wet basis, expressed as a percentage by mass shall be calculated according to EN 14774-1 (Solid biofuels - Determination of moisture content- Oven dry method).

Products

Humitest for biomass

This moisture meter for biomass allows to measure water content of solid biomasses: wood chips, barks, plant pellets, wood shavings, sawdust, miscanthus...

Humitest for round timber

The moisture meter allows to measure wood water content, even freshly cut logs.

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Solid bio fuels

The European Technical Committee CEN/TC 335 has classified and characterised solid bio fuels and has grouped them into: briquettes, pellets, powder, sawdust, wood particle, crushed wood fuel, billet, whole wood, bales of straw, logs, bark, chopped straw, seeds or germs, pods and fruit kernels, fibrous mats...