Determining Moisture Content of Hay and Forages using Multiple Frequency Parallel Plate Capacitors
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Since 1905, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, now the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE), has been a leader in providing engineering solutions to agricultural problems in the United States and the world. The department’s original mission was to mechanize agriculture. That mission has evolved to encompass a global view of the entire food production system–the wise management of natural resources in the production, processing, storage, handling, and use of food fiber and other biological products.
History
In 1905 Agricultural Engineering was recognized as a subdivision of the Department of Agronomy, and in 1907 it was recognized as a unique department. It was renamed the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in 1990. The department merged with the Department of Industrial Education and Technology in 2004.
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1905–present
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- Department of Agricultural Engineering (1907–1990)
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Engineering (parent college)
- Department of Industrial Education and Technology, (merged, 2004)
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Abstract
This study was conducted to explore the use of dielectric impedance measurements at multiple frequencies, to predict the moisture content of hay and forages of unknown density, material volume, and material composition on a static test stand.
The impedance measurements were found to be relatively successful in predicting the moisture content of legumes (alfalfa, clover) and to a lesser extent grasses (brome, orchard) and one grass/legume mixture (brome/clover). The measurements were less successful in the prediction of moisture content of a second grass/legume mixture (brome/alfalfa). The coefficient of determination (R 2 ) between the predicted and actual moisture contents were 0.95, 0.91 for alfalfa and clover respectively; 0.74, 0.78 for brome and orchard grass; and 0.94, 0.65 for alfalfa/brome and clover/brome mixtures. The frequencies used in the prediction equations were in the 900 kHz to 13 MHz range with the exception of 5 Hz frequency used in the clover prediction equation. The moisture content prediction capability was not affect by the density or the amount of material in the sensor. However the sensor required separate calibration for each crop.