Photo credit: MoistTech Corp.
MoistTech Corp. will showcase its IR3000 Series Moisture Sensors at the International Biomass Conference & Expo, Booth #504, March 31–April 2, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. The Near Infrared (NIR) technology of the IR3000 delivers precise, real-time moisture analysis for a wide range of biomass materials, including wood pellets, wood chips, agricultural residues, energy crops, and biofuel byproducts. In biomass production and fuel preparation, the IR3000 plays a critical role in optimizing drying and conditioning processes, enabling continuous moisture measurement that improves fuel quality, increases throughput, and reduces energy consumption.
MoistTech’s state-of-the-art near-infrared technology achieves unparalleled accuracy, delivering true, repeatable results year after year with little or no maintenance. Pre-calibrated in the factory with customer samples, the IR3000 is guaranteed never to drift over time or require recalibration, unlike alternative technologies that demand monthly or yearly calibrations, driving up costs and causing production downtime. Each IR3000 sensor can store calibrations for up to 50 different biomass products or product variations, making it ideal for facilities handling multiple feedstocks or changing seasonal materials.
The accuracy of the IR3000 is unaffected by most material variations such as height, color, and particle size, as well as by ambient temperature and lighting conditions, in contrast to many competing technologies. To ensure the most accurate moisture reading, MoistTech software automatically compensates for small gaps, inert material, foreign objects, and conveyor surfaces. The IR3000 utilizes rugged cast aluminum enclosures to disperse heat effectively and ensure more stable, accurate readings than sensors using polished steel housings that retain and generate heat.
The IR3000 generates a rapid return on investment by improving biomass fuel consistency, reducing waste, and optimizing dryer and system performance. In biomass and bioenergy applications, tight moisture control is essential to maximize combustion efficiency, reduce emissions, and protect downstream equipment from plugging, fouling, or incomplete combustion. By maintaining ideal moisture levels, producers can achieve more uniform BTU content, improved pellet durability, and safer long-term storage conditions.
Real-time, continuous moisture measurement enables operators to make immediate, data-driven adjustments to temperature, feed rate, and dryer settings. With NIR analysis, manual sampling and lab testing steps, such as collecting, drying, and weighing samples, are significantly reduced or eliminated. Instead, live moisture data is fed directly to plant control systems for automated process control, allowing biomass facilities to increase productivity while maintaining strict quality targets.
The IR3000 sensor is a complete solution that is easy to install and integrate into existing biomass production lines, conveyors, hoppers, and storage systems, without requiring the purchase of additional hardware or software. Its non-contact design minimizes contamination and wear, enabling continuous operation without interfering with material flow or production throughput.