Research on non-destructive measuring moisture content for packaged tea based on the LC resonant sensor

Abstract

This paper presents the design of a wireless, passive LC resonant sensor based on classic circuit theory, and its application for quick, non-destructive measuring moisture content of packaged tea. The proposed LC resonant sensor is an inductive-capacitive resonant circuit, which is made of a single planar capacitor and spiral inductor printed on a humidity-sensitive insulating medium substrate. To measure moisture content of packaged tea, the LC resonant sensor is embedded inside the tea package. As the variation of the humidity inside the tea package, the humidity-sensitive insulating medium substrate absorbs water vapor, changing the planar capacitor's capacitance and the sensor's resonant frequency, which is remotely detected through a coil connected to the instrument for measuring moisture content outside the tea package. Therefore, the moisture content of packaged tea can be indirectly determined by measuring the change in sensor's resonant frequency. The experiment results show that the proposed method is reasonable, and is comprised with the GB method, no significant deviation is found between the measuring results. The difficult technological problem in how to quick, accurate and non-destructive measuring moisture content of packaged tea is solved.