Engineering properties of neem (Azadirachta indica) fruit and seed for the development of depulper and decorticator

Abstract

Studies had been carried out to study the engineering properties of neem fruits and seeds collected from the southern region of India at different moisture content which would be useful in studying drying characteristics, designing equipment, and developing neem fruit depulper. Engineering properties varied when moisture content varied, so for different moisture content of neem seeds study had been carried out. The moisture content, one thousand mass, mean linear axial dimensions (length, breadth and thickness), arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, equivalent mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, volume, aspect ratio, frontal surface area, cross sectional area, shape index, bulk density, true density, porosity, angle of repose, coefficient of friction, compressive strength, terminal velocity and color value of the samples (fresh neem fruit, dry neem fruit, fresh neem seed at 30% MC, dried neem seed at 20% MC and dried seed at 10% MC) ranged between 10 to 38 %, 276.7 to 1200 g, (12.1 to 18.10, 8.452 to 12.63 and 8.15 to 12.18) mm, 9.57 to 14.30 mm, 9.41 to 14.07 mm, 28.876 to 52.77mm, 65.83 to 78.08 %, 278.10 to 621.92 mm2, 2617.874 to 8750.48 mm3, 55.29 to 70.60 %, 80.28 to 179.54 mm2, 71.87 to 160.68 mm2, 83.94 to 187.53 mm2, 157.639 to 726.36 kgm-3 , 730.14 to 929.33 kgm-3 , 21.84 to 78.40%, 30.29 to 42.80◦, 0.21 to 0.86, 39.24 to 412.02 N, 108.25 to 223.16 m/s and 3.0 to 84.1 respectively. The engineering properties of neem fruits and seeds increased with an increase in moisture content. While porosity, coefficient of friction, and compressive strength decreased.