Measurement of the Specific Mass and the Humidity Ratio of Cigarettes

A cylindrical cavity in TM010 mode is used to measure simultaneously the specific mass and the humidity ratio of cigarettes on a production line. The internal Q-factor and the resonance frequency are related to the complex permittivity of tobacco. Simple relations are proposed between the complex permittivity and the specific mass and the humidity ratio. The cavity is included into a set-up on which the principal voltages are measured in order to calculate the specific mass and the humidity ratio.