Moisture Content Range Research Articles

Measurement and optimization of estimation method for moisture diffusivity of porous building materials with different salt content

Sintered bricks, common porous building materials in architectural heritage, necessitates an accurate understanding of moisture diffusivity for effective moisture transfer analysis. Using the “ruler method” proposed by Evangelides et al., based on pure water capillary absorption experiments, we determined the moisture diffusivity ( Dl) of Chinese sintered blue brick containing sodium chloride (NaCl) crystals. Before the experiments, the samples were immersed in 0%, 1%, 5%, and 10% NaCl solutions and dried to contain salt crystals. Subsequently, based on the Dl values measured by the ruler method, a heat and moisture coupled transfer model was developed to discuss the applicability of the moisture diffusivity obtained from the ruler method by reproducing the pure water capillary absorption process of sintered bricks with different salt contents. Experimental results showed that the capillary absorption coefficient ( Acap) and capillary moisture content ( wcap) of sintered bricks both decreased with increasing NaCl content, with maximum reductions of 18% and 8.6%, respectively. The Dl increased with elevated salt content in lower moisture content range but decreased in higher moisture content range. The simulation results indicated that the choice of boundary moisture content played an important role in the determination of moisture diffusivity in porous building materials and using saturated moisture content ( θsat) over capillary moisture content ( θcap) can give more suitable moisture diffusivity and the moisture content above θcap cannot be ignored in the ruler method. This research not only extends the ruler method’s applicability for sintered bricks but also provides support data for moisture simulations and conservation initiatives related to sintered brick architectural heritage.

Characterization of Mulberry Biochar: Implications for Sustainable Agriculture

Mulberry, a crop generating substantial residues, presents an opportunity for sustainable biochar production. This study examined the physicochemical properties of biochar made from mulberry residues at different temperatures (250, 300, 350, and 400 °C) during the pyrolysis process. Systematic analysis was done on important physicochemical characteristics-bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, volatile matter, ash content, and water holding capacity. Every parameter that was examined showed a strong relationship with the pyrolysis temperature. Range of moisture content was found to be from 2.28% to 7.73%, volatile matter from 32.33% to 67.24%, ash content from 2.26% to 9.46%, fixed carbon from 24.77% to 55.93% and water-holding capacity was 68.55% to 92.46%. The 400 °C pyrolysis temperature produced the highest pH and EC values (8.38 and 0.38 dS/m, respectively) and also recorded the highest bulk density (0.67 mg m−3). The resulting biochar’s physicochemical properties proved to be well-suited for improving soil quality and supporting sustainable agricultural practices. However, further studies are necessary to improve the techniques used in the manufacture of biochar and to understand its long-term effects. Additionally, efforts should be made to raise awareness among farmers through various extension activities, such as workshops, training programs, and field demonstrations, to encourage its widespread use in agricultural practices.

Thermophysical Coefficients of Mustard Seeds Grain-Air Mixture under High-Temperature Conditions

The paper highlights that modeling the drying process of mustard seed samples using thermogravimetric moisture measurement enables the identification of the most effective design options for drying chambers. In this process, mustard seeds form a grain-air mixture with specific thermophysical properties. (Research purpose) To measure the key thermophysical coefficients of the mustard grain-air mixture at different moisture content levels and high temperatures. (Materials and methods) Mustard seed samples with moisture content ranging from 3.24 to 15.07 percent were used. The cylindrical layer method enables uniform heat distribution by positioning the heater at the center of the material layer. Experimental setups were designed to measure the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity coefficients of the mustard seeds, while the volumetric and specific heat capacity coefficients were calculated. (Results and discussion) Graphs illustrating the dependence of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, volumetric and specific heat capacity, as well as the bulk density of the mustard seed grain-air mixture on moisture content were constructed. Approximating functions for these dependencies were identified within the studied range. (Conclusions') In the moisture content ranged from 3.24 to 15.07 percent, the thermal conductivity coefficient of the mustard seed grain-air mixture increases from 0.156 to 0.176 kW/(m·K); the thermal diffusivity coefficient rises from 6.29·10-8 to 7.70·10-8 m2/s; while the volumetric heat capacity of the mixture decreases from 2490.8 to 2286.9 kJ/(m3·K). It was found that the bulk density initially increases within the same moisture content range, reaching a maximum at around 7.5 percent, and then decreases. Conversely, the specific heat capacity decreases to a minimum point at approximately 9 percent moisture content, and then begins to rise.

Evaluations on the physical, chemical and nutritional analyses of coconut haustorium

Coconut haustorium is a part of the embryo embedded in the endosperm nearer to the coconut germination pores. This young sponge part will grow to form a cotyledon structure known as a haustorium. The coconut haustorium will grow and finally fill the entire coconut water cavity within 20-24 weeks after germination. A matured coconut haustorium contains a high moisture content range between 79.99-86.40% and it is rich in various nutrients and minerals. The aims of the study were to investigate the nutritional and physical properties of the local coconut haustorium. The carbohydrate, crude fat, crude protein and ash contents were recorded at 9.34-15.58%, 0.62-2.15%, 1.34-1.84% and 1.61-2.30% respectively. Coconut haustorium also has the potential to be developed as a health supplement product. In relation to that, a physical-chemical and nutritional quality study of coconut haustorium was carried out to develop MARDI coconut haustorium products. Coconut haustorium is high in lysine and other essential amino acids. Thus, fresh haustorium can be used as a high-value-added superfood ingredient for health and wellness supplements and focusing on increasing food intake (appetite), especially as a children's supplement.

Fuel properties evaluation and inherent correlation analysis of oxidatively torrefied corn stalk

Fuel properties evaluation and inherent correlation analysis of the biochar are important in assessing the variation of fuel performance. This study investigates fuel performance changes under different oxidative torrefaction conditions of corn stalks. The obtained results imply that such a method is conducive to enhancing fuel properties, with the values of energy-mass co-benefit index (EMCI), upgrading energy index (UEI), Hardgrove grindability index (HGI), and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) range at 4–9, 500–3500, 60–120, and 9.5–12. This indicates that oxidative torrefaction is efficient for fuel performance improvement. For elemental transformation and carbonization degree, the oxidatively torrefied biochar possesses a higher proportion of elemental carbon content and better graphitization degree (GD), thus contributing to a more stable structure. Good linear relationships are exhibited from the analysis of comprehensive pyrolysis index (CPI) versus elemental carbon proportion (ECP), comprehensive combustion index (CCI) versus ECP, CPI versus GD, and CCI versus GD, with correlation coefficients of 0.9741, 0.9524, 0.9689, and 0.9166, respectively. This suggests that the carbonization extent is highly related to biochar pyrolysis and combustion characteristics. Overall, the obtained results are conducive to enhancing inherent correlation cognition of fuel property indicators. In doing so, the fuel property can be better adjusted for performance enhancement, thus facilitating efficient biochar production with better industrial application potential.

Dielectric Heating Protocol of Three Low Moisture Flours as Affected by Moisture, Temperature and Mass at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz

ABSTRACT Present studies investigate the dielectric properties (dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor) of three low moisture flours (barley, chickpea and wheat) in the moisture content range 2%–10% (w. b.) and temperatures 10°C–60°C at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz. Measurements were taken using cavity perturbation method in conjunctions with Vector Network Analyzer. Results show that dielectric constant and loss factor increased with temperature as well as moisture content both at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz but decreased with increase in frequency. Change in mass of all flours during heating does not affect dielectric properties at both frequencies. A second order regression equation is generated to predict dielectric properties at both frequencies for entire temperature and moisture. Penetration depths of all flours decreased with increase in moisture content and temperature at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz. These studies provide valuable insights to heating protocol of flours in view of recent flours-related disease outbreaks.

Preliminary Insights on Moisture Content Measurement in Square Timbers Using GPR Signals and 1D-CNN Models

Accurately measuring the moisture content (MC) of square timber is crucial for ensuring the quality and performance of wood products in wood processing. Traditional MC detection methods have certain limitations. Therefore, this study developed a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) model based on the first 8 nanoseconds of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) signals to predict the MC of square timber. The study found that the mixed-species model exhibited effective predictive performance (R2 = 0.9864, RMSE = 0.0393) across the tree species red spruce, Dahurian larch, European white birch, and Manchurian ash (MC range 0%–133.1%), while single-species models showed even higher accuracy (R2 ≥ 0.9876, RMSE ≤ 0.0358). Additionally, the 1D-CNN model outperformed other algorithms in automatically capturing complex patterns in GPR full-waveform amplitude data. Moreover, the algorithms based on full-waveform amplitude data demonstrated significant advantages in detecting wood MC compared to those based on a traditional time–frequency feature parameter. These results indicate that the 1D-CNN model can be used to optimize the drying process and detect the MC of load-bearing timber in construction and bridge engineering. Future work will focus on expanding the dataset, further optimizing the algorithm, and validating the models in industrial applications to enhance their reliability and applicability.

Study of microwave hardwood board modification and drying: experiments and technical-economic assessment

The very low permeability of many hardwood species causes problems during lumber drying. These include very long drying times, drying defects, large material losses after drying, high energy consumption, and expensive drying processes. Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is a species which very difficult to dry. Microwave (MW) wood modification and MW drying can provide an increase in wood permeability and solve some hardwood drying problems. Two 60 kW MW conveyor plants at frequencies 2.45 and 0.922 GHz were used for experiments. The study of MW Jarrah (29x87mm) board drying after pre-drying MW modification showed that it is possible to dry boards in the moisture content range from 70 to 10% during 147-159 hours (6 -7 days) using the cycle method of MW power application. Such intensive MW drying does not bring perceptible damage to the wood and provides low variability of moisture content in the board cross sections. The shorter drying times reduce associated capital, space, energy and labor costs whilst the reduction in drying defects can increase yields. A short time of MW drying provides an opportunity to develop conveyor systems for hardwood sawn timber drying. Economic assessment of MW Jarrah board drying showed that a specific drying cost ranges from US$ 50 to $277/m3 at electricity prices from US$0.08 to $0.32/kWh. The electricity costs form the largest share in total specific drying costs - 44 to 82%. Jarrah boards are expensive product and MW drying costs can be acceptable for industry taking into consideration savings provided by fast drying and wood loss reduction.

Controlled shape morphing of potatoes and carrots during drying using a novel stamping approach

This study investigates groove-based controlled shape morphing in potatoes and carrots during drying. Stamps were manufactured and used to create groove depths (2 mm and 4 mm) onto the surface of the samples, which were then dried at various temperatures (45 °C, 55 °C, and 65 °C). Bending transformation, drying profiles, shrinkage, porosity, and surface morphology were measured as indicators of shape morphing. Potatoes exhibited a positive correlation between morphing transformation with increasing temperatures, reaching maximum angles of 244° (2 mm) and 263° (4 mm). Similarly, carrots showed similar observations with maximum bending angles of 145.1° (2 mm) and 153° (4 mm). The morphing in these samples was observed within the moisture content range of 1–0.5 kg water per kg solids and was concomitant with a substantial shrinkage of 80–84% in both samples. Grooving significantly affects the morphing, creating high-stress points and increasing the moisture transfer rate during drying. This study lays foundational knowledge for the controlled shape morphing of foods using drying technology.

Understanding of Water Transport through Membrane Electrode Assembly in PEFC

In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), water generation, electroosmosis drag, and back diffusion change the humidity, which affects transport properties such as proton conductivity, effective oxygen diffusion coefficient, and permeance of the feed gas through a membrane. Since the sorption and desorption of water in the electrolyte membrane is slower than other processes such as the oxygen reduction reaction, the proton transport, and the oxygen diffusion, dynamic water behavior should be considered to estimate the cell performance precisely. In this study, the water permeation flux through a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was measured, and the effective water diffusion coefficients in a membrane and catalyst layer (CL) were formulated as a function of temperature and the moisture content respectively. Dynamic moisture content change in MEA was simulated with the measured effective diffusion coefficients. The experimental results showed that desorption was slower than sorption in the identical moisture content range particularly at the beginning, and this tendency was successfully reproduced using the moisture content distribution obtained by numerical simulation.

Employing a multi-resonance microwave sensor for in-line moisture monitoring of fluidized bed agglomeration

Amorphous substances are relatively common in food industry and their characteristics depend highly on the moisture content. Process parameters are adjusted based on online measurements to control the product quality of the agglomerates. This leads to two major challenges: precise moisture content measurements of amorphous particles at (i) different temperatures and for (ii) a wide moisture content range.In this study two workflows (inline fluidized bed and conditioned fixed bed) calibration of microwave sensors are compared and it is shown that for fluidized beds inline calibration is necessary to achieve accurate moisture measurements. The application of the novel microwave sensor MW 4200 working at resonance frequencies of 2.3 and 5.6 GHz is described. The temperature influence on the measurement is investigated with measurements of a fixed particle bed. Rapid, reliable in-process moisture control at a wide range of moisture contents and temperatures for agglomeration in fluidized beds, with a mean relative accuracy of 82 %, is achieved. This technology improves productivity and precision in industrial operations, minimizes waste and optimizes energy usage.

Optimal condition design of cannabis drying for vacuum heat pump dryer using computational fluid dynamic method interaction with heat transfer

Utilizing low temperatures and short drying cycles, the vacuum heat pump dryer (VHPD) is ideal for cannabis drying due to the plant's sensitivity to heat and light. To achieve uniform drying and maintain cannabis quality, it is essential to design the dryer with an efficient temperature distribution throughout the drying chamber. CFD models are developed in this study to simulate various scenarios within the VHPD system. The optimization of pressure and temperature is carried out using a systematic approach with the Latin Hypercube Sampling experimental design. This method generates twenty pairs of values for the pressure and temperature variables, confined to ranges of 20–40 kPa and 30–45 °C, respectively. To confirm the simulation results, an experimental study is performed using a VHPD designed from insights gained through a detailed CFD analysis. The conditions of 20.2 kPa at 31.6 °C are considered optimal due to their more uniform temperature distribution and lower static enthalpy relative to other conditions. The temperature in the upper chamber is maintained slightly lower, within the range of 30.5–31.5 °C. Furthermore, the airflow distribution demonstrates uniform movement within the central region of the chamber, with velocities ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 m/s. The simulated temperature results demonstrated a strong correlation with a temperature difference in the range of 0–0.05 °C, evidenced by an RMSE of 0.0191. The VHPD successfully dries 18 kg of fresh cannabis in 180 min, reaching the desired moisture content range of 10–14 % on a dry basis.

Comparison analysis of moisture-dependent orthotropic elasticity between earlywood and latewood in Chinese fir using digital image correlation

Given its orthotropic and hygroscopic nature, Chinese fir exhibits varying mechanical behaviors in earlywood and latewood due to its naturally inhomogeneous structure when exposed to changes in loading direction and given moisture content (MC) range from 7.9 % to 16.1 %. In this study, we combined micro-tensile testing and the digital image correlation (DIC) technique to derive the moisture -dependent orthotropic elastic constants, i.e., Young’s modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio (ν) and shear modulus (G) for both earlywood and latewood in Chinese fir. The findings revealed that when loading in the parallel direction, the restraining effect caused by latewood on earlywood resulted in a difference compared with loading in series. Interestingly, the loading direction impacted the restraining effect more significantly than MC. Additionally, both Young’s modulus and shear modulus exhibited decreases with increasing MC within above range for both earlywood and latewood. Notably, the Young’s modulus of earlywood showed a higher sensitivity to MC variations compared to latewood. However, Poisson’s ratio did not consistently correlate with MC within above range in all orthotropic directions. A three-dimensional coordinate system visualization of the compliance parameters highlighted the differing sensitivities of earlywood and latewood to moisture. The independent moisture-dependent elastic components of earlywood and latewood derived in this study extended the moisture-dependent mechanical model of wood, offering theoretical guidance for the practical application of Chinese fir and other wood species.

Effect of Local Fermentation on Sensory, Nutritional and Microbiological Quality of “Bobolo” (<i>Manihot esculenta Crantz</i>)

Bobolo is a thick fermented, popular traditional food, derived from cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta Crantz</i>) in Cameroon. The physical, sensory, chemical and microbiological characteristics of Bobolo were analyzed, in order to identify the suitable cassava varieties and the local fermentation method with the best nutritional and industrial properties. The range of L* (lightness / darkness), a* (redness / greenness), b* (yellowness / blueness) were 75.00±0.65-80.07±0.60, 3.7±0.57-4.90±0.60, 11.9±08-17.2±0.75 respectively. Sensorial characteristics (color, pasting, and global quality) evaluation reveal that Bobolo made with aerobic fermentation with ferment had the best characteristics and independent of varieties. The campo varieties presented superior characteristics compared to the other varieties. Bobolo of different varieties and the same processed cassava products had an average range of moisture content (40.85±0.91 – 44.36±0.33%), carbohydrates (38.72±0.66 – 40.91±1.12%), protein (1.18±0.04 – 1.44±0.01%), total fat (4.02±0.05 – 4.38±0.14%), crude fiber (1.71±0.05 – 2.77±0.15%), ash (0.28±0.05 – 0.36±0.02%) and cyanure (4.28±0.22 – 6.49±0.12mg/kg) and where they varied significantly between products and variety. The mineral analysis result in the Bobolo samples ranged 0.04±0.00 - 0.07±0.00 mg/100 g Ca, 0.07±0.00 – 0.10±0.00 mg/100 g Mg, 0.74±0.05 – 0.88±0.04 mg/100 g K, 7.82±0.87 – 11.96±1.00 mg/100 g Na, 5.7±0.14 – 8.7±0.14 ug/g Zn and 15.37±0.18- 21.15±0.77 ug/g Mn respectively. The Bobolo produced contained more mesophilic total flora and molds and yeasts and was absent from <i>Eschericha coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium </i>spp.<i> Bacillus cereus </i>and<i> Salmonella </i>spp. Therefore, the types and varieties of cassava fermentations influence the quality of Bobolo.

Physical characteristics of quercetin pulmospheres using combination of alginate-carrageenan: Effect of polymer concentration.

Indonesia is the second country with the highest number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the world and the first in Southeast Asia, according to WHO Global Report 2020. Quercetin has been tried as an alternative therapy and was found effective. This study aims to optimize quercetin pulmospheres using combination polymers and study its characteristics as an inhalation delivery system. Combination polymers provide the advantages of safe, mucoadhesive, and compact pulmospheres. Pulmospheres were made as formula F1, F2, and F3 (polymer ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3), respectively. Pulmospheres were made with quercetin 0.2%, alginate-carrageenan (total concentration of 1.8%), and CaCl2 0.5 M. Characterization of particle size, morphology, moisture content (MC), yield, drug loading, and entrapment efficiency (EE) were conducted. The yield range was from 83.89 to 86.30% ± 4.59%. MC range was from 4.23 to 5.12% ± 0.05%. Particle size was <3 µm (between 2.19 and 2.76 ± 0.149 µm), spherical shape and smooth surface. EE range was 60.69% ± 4.45% to 77.86% ± 1.74% and the drug loading range was 1.66-2.09% ± 0.15%. F2 formula with a polymer ratio of 1:2 was the best quercetin pulmospheres. Potential pulmospheres will then be recommended for in vitro release and in vivo study.

Effects of the ice formation and its content on viscoelastic characteristics of wood exposure to low temperatures ranging from −125°C to 25°C

ABSTRACT The influence of ice formation and its content on the viscoelastic characteristics of wood were investigated in the temperature range between −125°C and 25°C. The stiffness and damping properties of the longitudinal (L), radial (R) and tangential (T) specimens were determined for different moisture content (MC) levels at or above the fiber saturation point (FSP) ranging from 25% to 300%. Results showed that the E′ value was correlated negatively with temperature for all specimens. Accompanied by the frozen free water inside the wood, the order of magnitude in E′ for specimens in the different anatomical directions trend toward an accord. The increment in E′ (ΔE′) of specimens was correlated positively with the ice content, and ΔE′ in the L direction was lower than those in the R and T directions at each MC level. The γ-relaxation ranged from −112.9°C to −94.8°C was observed for all orthotropic directions at 10 Hz, which was assigned to the reorientation of methylol groups and adsorbed water molecules in the wood cell walls. At each MC level, a lower peak temperature of γ-relaxation was observed in the L specimens compared to the transverse specimens. Notably, the γ-relaxation peak temperature in the E″ and tanδ spectrum showed obvious frequency-dependence, and the apparent activation energy (ΔH) of γ-relaxation over the measured MC range was about 38.08∼69.57 KJ/mol. The ΔH value was close for specimens in orthotropic grain orientations, indicating that this γ-relaxation phenomenon was not affected by its orthotropic structure and also related closely with the formation of ice in the wood cell lumens.

Adaptation of breakthrough models in a continuous-flow fixed bed column: Describing and predicting 1.1.1.2-Tetrafluoroethane breakthrough curves under high moisture content

Gas mask and filter adsorber designs are mainly determined by the accurate breakthrough time calculated by fitting descriptive models to breakthrough curves in military chemistry. Currently, in most practical environments, the highly toxic fluoride gas/vapor breakthrough curves with roll-up and/or stepwise breakthrough structures in the C/C0<1.0 range usually occur, which is induced by the existence of pre-adsorbed water vapor. Common and easily modified descriptive breakthrough models have a significant shortcoming in that they are not able to simultaneously fit the above complex breakthrough curves and explain gas desorption, enhanced adsorption again, and stepwise adsorption in the competitive adsorption process. This study adapts three modified descriptive models by introducing a dimensionless breakthrough coefficient to fit roll-up and stepwise 1.1.1.2-Tetrafluoroethane (R134a) breakthrough curves under humid conditions. Results reveal that correlation coefficients between the model and R134a breakthrough data are higher than 0.98, demonstrating that the novel adaptation successfully accounted for R134a desorption, enhanced R134a adsorption again, and R134a stepwise adsorption without significantly increasing the complexity of implementing the models. Further, through relationship curves between fitting parameters and moisture contents, R134a breakthrough curves on activated carbons under a wider moisture content range were successfully predicted. It will greatly reduce the cost of toxic experimentation and improve experimental safety factors.

Selection of a stress‐based soil compaction test to determine potential impact of machine wheel loads

AbstractThe use of heavy machinery is increasing in agricultural industries, and in particular cotton farming systems in Australia, which induces an increased risk of soil compaction and yield reduction. Hence, there is a need for a technical solution to use available tools to measure projected soil compaction due to farm machinery traffic. The aim of this work was to compare the effects of static and dynamic loads on soil compaction. In this study, three Vertisols (soils commonly used for cotton production in Australia) were selected to examine soil compaction under a range of static and dynamic loads, respectively, using uniaxial compression equipment and a modified Proctor test. In general, soils behaved similarly under static and dynamic loads with no significant difference between bulk density values for all moisture contents with a high index of agreement (d = 0.96, RMSE = 0.056). The results further indicate better agreement between soil compaction produced under static and dynamic loads. Uniaxial compression test (static loads) produced greater compaction compared with the modified Proctor test (dynamic loads), in particular at moisture contents less than the plastic limit condition. The variation in soil compaction for static and dynamic loads was often evident for loads ≥600 kPa, with the greatest soil compaction induced under loads ≥1200 kPa. The findings of this study confirm the suitability of a modified Proctor method to assess soil compaction as an alternative tool under a range of moisture contents and machinery loads for Vertisols.

Wood sandwich softening behavior via coupling of moisture and heat

The controllability of the position and thickness of the compressed layer in the sandwich compression wood is primarily based on the yield stress distribution during a hydrothermal treatment. In this study, the variation law of the yield stress of poplar wood was analyzed in the moisture content (MC) range of absolute dryness to saturation and the temperature range of 30–210℃. A prediction model of wood yield stress response to MC and temperature was developed and the formation of sandwich compression was analyzed. The yield stress of the wood was influenced by the thermal effect and plasticizing effect. In the process of increasing temperature and MC, the yield stress decreased gradually. And the yield stress change rate was 0.29–0.46 MPa in the MC range of 5–10%. The prediction model of wood yield stress was developed by a multiple linear regression analysis. This example demonstrated that coupling distributions of MC and temperature were formed upon heating at 180℃, which led to a gradient distribution of the glass transition temperature and yield stress inside the wood. This phenomenon resulted in the sandwich softening behavior under the coupling of moisture and heat, which was the key formation mechanism of sandwich compressed wood.

A Study on Moisture Dependent Properties of Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) Grains

A vital component in the design of threshers, dehuskers, shellers, and winnowers is the combination of geometrical, frictional, gravimetric, and aerodynamic characteristics. Consequently, to assess these qualities of barnyard millet grain, experiments were conducted. samples within a suitable moisture content range of 6.21 to 22.57% (db). were used in the experiments. Based on the moisture content appropriate for the majority of post-harvest operations, a range of 6 to 24% was selected. The geometrical mean diameter, equivalent mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, and square mean diameter increased from 2.05 to 2.24 mm, 2.63 to 2.87 mm, 2.18 to 2.38 mm, and 3.67 to 4.00 mm, respectively, with an increase in moisture content. Similarly, the coefficient of static friction with mild steel, GI sheets, plywood, and glass increased linearly from 0.369 to 0.533, 0.342 to 0.492, 0.288 to 0.301, and 0.314 to 0.363, respectively. Comparing the other three surfaces, it was found that mild steel had the highest coefficient of static friction while plywood had the lowest. Porosity, bulk density, and true density decreased from 0.572 to 0.429, 682.92 to 563.72 kg m-3, and 1318.95 to 1196.81 kg m-3 within the moisture content range, while angle of repose, aspect ratio, sphericity, surface area, volume, 1000 grain weight, coefficient of internal friction, and terminal velocity increased from 23.62° to 40.82°, 65.53 to 66.77, 0.6492 to 0.6569, 13.20 to 15.76 mm2, 4.35 to 6.22 mm3, 3.97 to 5.07 g, 0.556 to 0.863, and 4.42 to 5.23 ms-1.