Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the geometric diameter of volumetric shrinkage in Jatropha seeds subjected to drying under six air conditions and to fit different mathematical models to the experimental values. Seeds with an approximate initial moisture content of 0.61 kgw kgdm -1 (kilogram of water per kilogram of dry matter) were dried in a convection oven at temperatures of 36, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 105°C until they reached a moisture content of 0.11 ± 0.006 kgw kgdm -1 . The experimental data were fitted to five mathematical models used to represent volumetric shrinkage in agricultural products. The models were analyzed using the coefficient of determination, chi-square, mean relative error, mean estimated error, and residual distribution. Geometric diameter data were subjected to regression analysis by adopting a 1% level of significance. It was concluded that moisture content and drying temperature influence volumetric shrinkage in Jatropha seeds, a phenomenon satisfactorily described by the Polynomial equation, where the geometric diameter linearly decreased with a reduction of the moisture content, regardless of the drying conditions.
Highlights
With the current oil crisis, research on alternative fuels has intensified, and biodiesel appears to be one possible immediate solution that is capable of being produced using vegetable oils and animal fats (GOLDFARB et al, 2010)
Given the prominence of Jatropha cultivation as an oilseed and the lack of theoretical information about the behavior of the seeds of this crop during the drying process, the goal of this study was to fit different mathematical models to experimental volumetric shrinkage data, identify the best model to represent the phenomenon, and determine the geometric diameter in Jatropha seeds submitted to drying under six air conditions
Jatropha seeds with a moisture content of 0.61 kgw kgdm-1 were used
Summary
With the current oil crisis, research on alternative fuels has intensified, and biodiesel appears to be one possible immediate solution that is capable of being produced using vegetable oils and animal fats (GOLDFARB et al, 2010). Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is among those plants with potential for biodiesel production. In addition to its capacity for producing oil with all of the qualities necessary for biodiesel. The geographical distribution of Jatropha is widespread due to its hardiness, resistance to long droughts, pests, and disease, and its adaptability to a wide range of climate conditions (SANTOS et al, 2009). Jatropha is a plant that has the ability to adapt to diverse conditions, cultivation practices are essential for healthy plant development and, to achieve higher productivity
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