Moisture Measurement

Moisture measurement encompasses a range of methods. Measuring moisture or a moisture probe is the process of moisture analysis. This is done to solids, liquids and gasses alike to determine the content of moisture in each. The test is accurate where both high level and trace amounts of moisture are present.

 

There are many applications where it is important to be able to accurately measure tiny quantities of moisture. Commercial food production is one of them for example. In solids minute amounts of moisture are measured for plastics, heat treatment processes and in pharmaceuticals too. Moisture measurements for gasses and liquids is done with hydrocarbon processing, dry air, bulk pure gasses, semiconductor gases, and insulating gases.

 

Unique situations are presented when measuring the moisture content of natural gas. This is due to the fact that the gas can contain a number of different types of pollutants together. Natural gas contains large amounts of solid and liquid pollutants. Not only does it contain pollutants but corrosives of varying concentrations are present in Natural gas as well.

 

To calculate and measure moisture content, readings are done as PPM or parts per million. Some applications measure the moisture in pounds of water PMSCF or per million standard cubic feet. As for water in gas, the amount of humidity is the measure of “vapor-phase” water. Often the liquid naturally found in Natural gas is filtered out in a process referred to as “drying” the gas. For the sake of measuring the moisture content of gas, liquids are filtered out prior to analysis to defend the gas analyzer from being damaged.

 

The instruments used to measure moisture content make it much easier to field test samples rather than sending the samples to labs where time constraints would prohibit effective methods of testing and resolving moisture content problems.