Q: As a concrete manufacturer, what do you need to achieve?

A: Consistently accurate concrete production

This is the prime objective of all concrete manufacturers, yet is the hardest to achieve. Despite major advances in batching and mixing equipment, computerised process control systems and increasing accuracy in weighing techniques, final mixes still vary.

The culprit is moisture. Sand can vary in moisture content between 2 - 12% (even more in some parts of the world!). This means there can be a possible variation of 10% in sand moisture content (and consequently material content) from one batch to another, although the measured batch weights may be identical.

Q: How can the moisture problem be solved?

A: Measure the moisture content of the materials involved

This sounds simple, but all of the on-line systems that have been developed including resistive, capacitance, infra-red and nuclear techniques, are not consistently accurate...

The resistive technique is prone to error because 'water' does not act as a consistent conductor of electricity - pure water is a very poor conductor whereas salt water is a very efficient conductor. Dissolved salts (present to a variable extent in all aggregates) therefore have a great influence on the measurement.

Capacitive techniques are an improvement, but at the relatively low operating frequencies used are still prone to errors due to dissolved salts.

Reflective techniques such as infra-red, whilst having a high basic accuracy also have a low penetration depth and therefore will not give a representative value of moisture within bulk materials.

Besides presenting a safety hazard, nuclear systems must often be mounted in such a way that they do not produce a reading for the same batch of material being weighed. With the large batch-to-batch changes in moisture which have been observed this leads to significant errors.

Q: How can Hydronix help?

A: Hydronix has the solution!

Hydronix has developed a unique microwave moisture measurement technology. Hydronix microwave moisture measurement is the most accurate and cost-effective method available for measuring the moisture content of both aggregates and fresh concrete.

With over 10,000 sensors operating in over 40 countries, Hydronix has established a track record for reliability and excellent performance that is second to none - the technology is proven, rugged and safe (the microwave power output levels from our sensors are less than 10mW).

The full potential of using microwave techniques in moisture measurement has yet to be exploited. Hydronix works closely with universities and other research institutions in a continuing development programme to ensure the company maintains its leadership in the field of moisture measurement.

OUR MISSION

"To strive for excellence in the design and manufacture of our products, and the service that we provide to our customers. To this end Hydronix is dedicated to continued research into innovative and improved techniques of moisture measurement, together with the development of its products for new and existing applications."