SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MEASUREMENT OF SELECT COMPONENTS OF A MATERIAL

摘要

The invention relates to a sensor and method for measuring one or more select components (e.g., moisture) of a material by emitting radiation at the material and detecting the amount of radiation emerging from the material at separate locations from the radiation source after the radiation has multiple interactions with the material. In one embodiment, the invention provides a sensor for measuring select components of a material such as a sheet, including: (1) a radiation source for emitting radiation at a sheet; (2) a plurality of detecting means, wherein at least one detecting means is offset from the source, for detecting radiation after interaction with the sheet; (3) means for directing the radiation so that the radiation makes multiple interactions with the sheet when moving from the source to the detecting means; and (4) means for computing the absorption power of the sheet from the detected radiation. The select components can be water, cellulose and synthetic fibre; the sheet can be paper.