Moisture Analysers

What is a moisture analyser?

Moisture analysers are specialist laboratory instruments for determining moisture content in solid or semi-solid materials. They are used to rapidly heat small food samples with built-in halogen lamps which can then be weighed precisely (usually in grams) using a loss-on-drying technique.

In this technique, a sample of material is weighed, heated in an oven for an appropriate period, cooled in the dry atmosphere of a desiccator, and then re-weighed. If the volatile content of the solid is primarily water, the LOD technique gives a good measure of moisture content.

Moisture analysers are sometimes referred to as 'moisture balances' or 'moisture meters'.

The manual laboratory method is relatively slow, so automated moisture analysers have been developed that can reduce the time necessary for a test from a couple hours to just a few minutes. These analysers incorporate an electronic balance with a sample tray and surrounding heating element. Under microprocessor control the sample can be heated rapidly and a result computed prior to the completion of the process, based on the moisture loss rate, known as a drying curve.

We supply a range of A&D Moisture Balances and the Adam PMB Moisture Analyser. They all contain halogen lamps - Get In Touch if you need replacement lamps.

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