Dave:
I can't tell from my mail whether my last note reached you-- about using either
neutron
backscatter or electrical resistance to measure salt moisture. Since then I
realized that
the "dielectric test" you referred to is probably similar to another technology
that was
being used in the 80's to find moisture in roofs. It was advertised as a
"capacitance
device". (Like the neutron backscatter device), it looked like an upright
vacuum cleaner.
I never talked with anyone who could explain the technical workings, but I know
that the
response was proportional to the amount of water present. I assumed that the
device
produced an electrical potential, and in someway "read" the residual charge
that it
produced in the subject. (These fell out of favor-- can't remember why-- before
I found
out much about them. I have no idea whether they are still available. Priced
a bit less
than the neutron backscatter device, if I remember correctly.)
What about spatial variation in moisture on the salt? If we knew how the
moisture varies
from place-to-place on the course, could we take advantage of it? This could be
explored
very easily (need an airplane, pilot, and $400/day equipment rental fee)-- by
overflying
the salt after a hot day, and mapping the heat variation with a thermal imager.
Wetter
salt has a higher heat capacity, and will show-up after sundown as "hotter"
spots in the
thermal images, since it holds the sun's heat longer than the drier salt.
Incidently, the agricultural moisture meters mentioned by "Kvach" seem to be a
manifestation of the electrical conductivity meter (ohmmeter) that a couple of
us have
suggested. It would sure be handy to have one already configured for measuring
moisture.
I have been trying to find such a thing without success (probably because I
know almost
nothing about agriculture). Can someone tell me where to get one? (I made one
out of a
cheap ohmmeter, but have not been very satisfied with it.)
Russ Mack
Dave Dahlgren wrote:
> I would think there ought to be a way to measure moisture content
> electronically. Similar to a dielectric test i would think. How do they do it
> with wood i don't think they weight them and burn them do they?? Plus i don't
> want to do an excavating job to get the measurement or take hours to do it.
> I would use it to compare to either wheel slip or accelerometer readings. See
>if
> there is a correlation to it all. or to see if it really changes very much at
> all during the day. If it does not change then the experiment proved that
> whatever it is that changes the times in the am for many cars is not the salt.
> personally I think there s a lot to it but it will remain to be seen.
> I know I have heard a lot about good and bad salt conditions, i would just
>like
> to quantify them and relate those conditions to the performance of a car or
> motorcycle. What may be good for one type car may be bad for another.
>
> Dave Dahlgren
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