In-line moisture control in Alfalfa bales
The moisture content is a crucial quality parameter for most dehydrated forage products. Learn how Alfalfa Monegros detects wet spots in their bales and increases their product quality.
Moisture content - the most crucial quality parameter
The moisture content is an essential quality parameter for most dehydrated forage products and yet quite challenging to control – both during the drying process and in the finished products.
Alfalfa Monegros SL is one of the leading and progressive forage dehydration plants in Spain that focuses on the quality of its products. The plant in Huesca runs the whole year, producing baled and pelleted forage products, mainly for export markets.
DSE4101 for stationary press
In 2015, the company invested in DSE4101 in-line Moisture Meter for their stationary bale press to address the moisture issue in the bale production.
The DSE engineers calibrated the Moisture Meter according to the customer's specifications, while local technicians made the on-site installation.
Mr Luis Manuel Bescos General Manager - Alfalfa Monegros SL says:
“The Moisture Meter from DSE benefits our production in several ways. First, our operators can monitor the average moisture content in every single bale in real time. We can sort apart the wet bales immediately after production and avoid storing them. It is important for the bales exported in containers, as ventilation can cause mold. The wet bales can then return to the dryer, so we eliminate waste.”
“We have connected the Moisture Meter to a monitor inside the operating room, where we monitor the measurements. Any sudden changes in the measurements help us identify the wet spots in the bales. When we experience repeatedly high moisture measurements in bales, we can use that information to adjust our dryer and control our production process more efficiently."
"The in-line moisture meter is a practical and effective way to get an overview of the production and product quality, compared to the hand-held probe or the oven. We would have to poke the bale an endless number of times using the probe to analyze the same amount of material as we do with the DSE Moisture Meter. The system runs very stable and provides important data that we store for documentation. At any time, we can provide our customers with exact information about the product quality and ensure traceability."
DSE4101 features
- High accuracy +/- 1% relative moisture
- Non-contact microwave technology
- Fully automated in-line application
- Representative sample quantities
- Hay, straw, energy grasses, cotton
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