MOISTURE DEPENDENCE OF SOME AERODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF BENISEED

Abstract

Some aerodynamic properties of two varieties of beniseed (Yandev 55 and E8) were determined at moisture content levels of 5.3, 10.6, 16.1 22.4, 28.3 per cent (wet basis). The determined properties were particle diameter, frontal area, terminal velocity and drag coefficients. A - 2 x 5 factorial experi- ment in Completely Randomized Design with a total of 30 observations was used for each of the pa- rameters. The particle diameter and frontal area increased from 1.52 to 1.78mm and 1.77 to 2.49 mm2 for Yandev 55; 1.74 to 2.18 mm and 2.38 to 3.73 mm2 for E8 respectively as the moisture content increased from 5.3 to 28.3%. The respective terminal velocities decreased from 3.05 to 2.74m/s and 2.80 to 2.48m/s for Yandev 55 and E8 within the studied moisture content levels. Increasing the mois- ture content from 5.3 to 16.10% increased the drag coefficient from 2.67 to 2.70 and 2.74 to 2.78 for the two accessions respectively. A further increase to 22.4% decreased the respective values to 2.64 and 2.61. The effect of moisture content on beniseed was highly significant on the terminal velocity.