Modeling rice and corn hydration kinetic by Nicolin–Jorge model

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AbstractThis article presents the application of Nicolin–Jorge model in describing the hydration kinetics of rice and corn grains. The model was validated by hydration data of both grains for different hydration temperatures. The results show a satisfactory adequacy of the model to the data, even applying the data to the cylindrical and planar geometries, since the original model was proposed to describe the soybean hydration kinetics, considered spherical. Even as the parameters fitted for both cases have behaved differently depending on the temperature, the model predicted properly the reach of equilibrium moisture for very long hydration times.Practical applicationsThe approach presented in this article is useful in describing the moisture absorption kinetics by rice and corn grains. The model applied fits satisfactorily the experimental data and is applicable when the hypothesis of constant mass transfer coefficient in moisture absorption is not enough to correctly describe the behavior of the kinetic curve of moisture as a function of time for such grains. The proposed approach is applicable to any project that requires prior knowledge of the moisture profile of the grains. The advantage of the model used is the simplicity of the analytical solution obtained and that the model possesses physical grounds, although the grains are considered to be a lumped parameter system, which is an adequate consideration for practical applications.