Moisture metrology development

Project Description

Objectives of the EURAMET Project 1400 are:

• To further the general aims of the EMRP JRPs SIB64 METefnet - Metrology for moisture in materials, beyond the conclusion of the JRP. This concerns both water content, specifically, and moisture content including water plus other liquid or volatile components.
• To pursue further progress on selected objectives towards metrology infrastructure for the moisture field, such as measurement intercomparisons, potential BIPM CMCs, ILAC accreditations, and dissemination of measurement traceability.
• To pursue cross-disciplinary cooperation bringing together expertise in physical and chemical metrology relevent to the moisture field.
• To share information to foster engagement and capacity-building of those European NMIs that are at an early stage of involvement in moisture metrology.
• To seek further routes of impact for moisture metrology research, such as through EU programme H2020 and other collaborative projects, seeking to achieve benefits in areas such as industry, energy, advanced materials, and others.
   

This project is collaboratively coordinated by Stephanie Bell, NPL (United Kingdom) and Michela Sega, INRIM (Italy).

Progress Report 2023-04-13

Participating partners have continued to collaborate in the field of moisture metrology since the last report (2021), including through:

• EMPIR 19ENG09 BIOFMET New metrological methods for biofuel materials analysis - Project is well advanced and includes new transfer and calibration standards, and reference materials, for moisture (water) in solid biofuels.
• EURAMET Project 1560 (linked with EMPIR 19ENG09) Interlaboratory comparison of moisture measurements with biomass samples - interlaboratory comparison project in progress to provide traceable measurements of moisture measurements using reference methods, as well as comparing these traceable results with measurements using transfer standards that are currently developed.
• EMPIR 21GRD08 SoMMet Metrology for multi-scale monitoring of soil moisture which began in 2022.
• DTI has gained DANAK accreditation for calibration of wood moisture meters, traceable to the water content measurement standard developed in the frame of the project EMRP SIB64 METefnet– Metrology for moisture in materials.
• Ideas for 2023 European Metrology Partnership PRTs have been discussed, in areas of moisture in plant-origin materials, and moisture in electronics.
• Partners have further disseminated the knowledge and implemented some activities in moisture metrology at national level.

Progress Report 2021-01-04

Participating partners have continued to collaborate in the field of moisture metrology since the last report (2018), including through:

• EMPIR 14IND11 HIT­ Metrology for humidity at high temperatures and transient conditions - project now concluded, included development of standards for water activity and sorption isotherms
• EMPIR 19ENG09 BIOFMET­­­­ New metrological methods for biofuel materials analysis, Project started 2020 and includes Number: 19ENG09 new transfer and calibration standards, and reference materials, for moisture (water) in solid biofuels.
• Early discussion of a possible future proposal addressing moisture metrology, for the forthcoming Green Deal Call.

Progress Report 2018-03-16

Actions since April 2017 are as follows:

A PRT was submitted to the 2017 EMPIR Industry call, titled "Metrology for industrial non-contact and non-destructive moisture measurement" (MIND-M). This was intended to extend the outputs of EMRP SIB64 METefnet towards industrial applications, to cover non-contact and non-destructive moisture measurements, moisture measurement methods and sensors for thin film measurements, surface moisture and moisture profile.  The PRT was proposed by VTT MIKES and co-authored by almost all partners in this EURAMET Project. Unfortunately this was not selected to progress to stage 2.

A number of papers on subjects relating to moisture/water content of materials, stemming from EMRP SIB64 METefnet, were finalised and published by P1400 partners, in International Journal of Thermophysics, TEMPMEKO 2016 Special Issue.

Several partners have secured continuation projects on moisture topics in the past year within national funding. This incudes DTI with an agreed project on moisture in woodchips with industry, and CETIAT with an agreed project on moisture measurement and calibration linked to drying.

Progress Report 2017-04-12

Actions during the past year included:

Completion of EMRP SIB64 METefnet by those P1400 partners involved.  The JRP resuted in multiple developments in primary standards, calibrations, CRMs, instruments, and studies of sampling for measurements of moisture/water content. The JRP culminated in a stakeholder workshop hosted by DTI. Final reporting is in progress, led by MIKES.
A number of P1400 partners contributed presentations to TEMPMEKO 2016 on subjects related to moisture/water content of materials.

In conjunction with the meteorology events MMC and TECO, Madrid, September 2016 a workshop on soil moisture measurement was convened by NPL and attended by a number of the P1400 partners.

A PRT was prepared for the 2017 EMPIR IND call “Metrology for industrial non-contact and non-destructive moisture measurement”.