ekS - Instytut Agrofizyki im. Bohdana DobrzaÅskiego PAN w Lublinie ...
ekS - Instytut Agrofizyki im. Bohdana DobrzaÅskiego PAN w Lublinie ...
ekS - Instytut Agrofizyki im. Bohdana DobrzaÅskiego PAN w Lublinie ...
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PREFACE<br />
The <strong>im</strong>portance of water for human needs, material technologies and for the<br />
ecosystem is well known. Water is present in most areas of nature and technology<br />
and influences a variety of product properties, industrial systems and natural<br />
processes. However water is useful only, if it is present in the appropriate<br />
quantity, at the right place and t<strong>im</strong>e.<br />
The material water content is an <strong>im</strong>portant quality criterion in many industrial<br />
processes, and has great influence on the production process. Soil water content<br />
determination is an <strong>im</strong>portant issue in tillage, irrigation, application of fertilizers<br />
and harvesting. Water content of agricultural goods is essential concerning<br />
harvest, trading, transportation and storage. The determination of water content of<br />
many raw materials, foods and agricultural products will help to <strong>im</strong>prove the<br />
quality and reduce losses during manufacturing and storage. Adequate and<br />
accurate techniques and methods for water content determination are rare<br />
although they are commonly needed and required by ISO standards. Water<br />
content controlled manufacturing processes will help save energy for example in<br />
drying, and will thus reduce pollution of the environment and <strong>im</strong>prove quality of<br />
life.<br />
Trading of most natural goods is based on weight, which is mainly influenced<br />
by water content. Adequate water content measurement methods will help to fix<br />
the true value of the product to reflect this in its price. Natural hazards such as<br />
landslides, avalanches, mud streams and flooding depend on water content<br />
significantly, especially in mountainous regions or close to rivers.<br />
The interaction of water with porous substances like soil needs<br />
interdisciplinary approach. It is necessary to know details about the presence of<br />
water in the various substances and its interactions with the material matrix.<br />
Physicists, hydrologists, soil scientists, agronomists, material scientists, civil and<br />
electronic engineers and food chemists are representative selections of the<br />
professionals that are confronted with water related problems day by day.<br />
Electronic in-line determinations in production processes or fast continuous<br />
monitoring methods based on radio- or microwave frequency techniques are<br />
especially underdeveloped. Increased application and accuracy of such methods is<br />
of great <strong>im</strong>portance.<br />
The present reference method, the oven-drying is destructive, t<strong>im</strong>e and energy<br />
consuming technique that is unsuitable for continuous monitoring. This method<br />
also does not reflect all the water present in the material (bound water). It is also<br />
desirable to replace certain water content measurement methods such as obsolete