Moisture Monitor Provides Instant Readings to Confirm Drying Efficacy

Plastic processors concerned about quality problems due to incompletely dried polymer material can now get real-time confirmation that the dryer has done its job. The new Conair Moisture Minder sensor detects residual moisture levels as low as 10 ppm in a broad range of polymers at throughput rates of 20 to 5000 lb/hr. Installed at the outlet of a drying hopper, it suits new installations or can be retrofit to existing systems.

The real-time monitor measures material moisture continually and set points can be configured so that an alert is issued when the specified moisture level drifts outside prescribed limits. All readings are stored for historical trending so that managers can recognize when conditions begin to shift in the wrong direction and make dryer-control changes to avoid compromising the entire volume of material inside the drying hopper. These historical records can also be used for process validation, confirming that parts were manufactured under acceptable conditions.

For added peace-of-mind, the Moisture Minder system can be used in conjunction with the one-of-a-kind Conair Drying Monitor, which provides the earliest possible indication that drying conditions are not right. Placed vertically in the drying hopper, the Drying Monitor probe measures temperature at multiple levels in the bed of material being dried, detecting anomalies that could result in higher-than-acceptable moisture levels in the resin as it leaves the hopper hours later.

The Moisture Minder is available in two models: the M5 unit detects moisture levels in the range between 10 and 1000 ppm, while the M10 tracks moisture in a 300- to 3000-ppm band. Both sensors are 100% electric, with no moving parts to maintain or change. Operation is passive, so there is no impact on production rates. A yearly calibration and cleaning are the only regular maintenance chores.

A color touch screen control enables set-up and monitoring of up to eight drying hoppers. Users can also communicate with the Moisture Minder or pull data into a plant-supervisory system Using ModBus TCP/IP communications or, optionally, with OPCUA protocol.