Wide Range Of Moisture Contents Research Articles

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.

Rapid acquisition method of discrete element parameters of granular manure and validation

It is not easy to obtain the numerical simulation model of organic fertilizer quickly and accurately due to the wide range of moisture content of machine-applied bulk manure. This paper proposes a method of obtaining discrete element simulation parameters by measuring bulk manure's moisture content according to the two edge contours of the stacking angle and the image processing method to reduce the measurement error. With Hertz-Mindlin with JKR as the model, the Plackett-Burman test is used to screen the DEM parameters that significantly impact the simulation test's stacking angle. The Climbing and Box-Behnken tests establish a prediction model for the stacking angle of moisture content and DEM parameters. The funnel and probe methods are used to verify the stacking angle of manure. The comparison results showed that the average relative error is less than 4.30%. The mechanical properties' comparison test shows that the Displacement-Load change trend is consistent, and the average relative load error is 12.1%. The validation results of the manure box indicate that the average torque error is 11.73%. The above results show that the prediction model established is stable and reliable. By measuring the moisture content, the DEM parameters of granular manure can be quickly obtained, improving fertilization machinery's design and optimization efficiency.

The development of data-intensive techno-economic models for the comparison of renewable natural gas production from six different biomass feedstocks for the decarbonization of energy demand sectors

Renewable natural gas (RNG) from biomass can be used as an alternative to natural gas. However, there is limited understanding of the economic viability of RNG production from a wide range of feedstocks. In this study, a comprehensive comparative techno-economic assessment of RNG production via gasification from six biomass feedstocks with a wide range of moisture contents and characteristics was conducted. The feedstocks studied are corn stover (CS), wheat straw (WS), whole forest (WF), forest residues (FR), cow manure (CM), and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). The RNG production plants were simulated and the simulation results were used to develop techno-economic models for each feedstock to estimate the production cost of RNG. The pathways were compared in terms of RNG yield, RNG production quantity, electricity generation, as well as RNG production costs and cost components. Sensitivity analyses were conducted on a wide range of factors and effect of including cardon credit on the production cost were studied. RNG production costs from the gasification of the OFMSW and CS were lower than those of other feedstocks at 6.28 $/GJ and 6.32 $/GJ, respectively. If the avoided cost (as a source of revenue) of landfilling of the OFMSW or carbon credit (minimum 90 $/t CO2) is considered, the RNG production cost can be competitive with natural gas price (1.4 $/GJ). The information developed in study is critical for decision makers in policy formulation and investment decisions.

Characterization of the mechanical properties of high-moisture meat analogues using low-intensity ultrasound: Linking mechanical properties to textural and nutritional quality attributes

Plant-based meat analogues offer possible alternatives to meat consumption. However, many challenges remain to produce a palatable meat analogue as well as to understand the roles of different processing steps and ingredients on both the texture and nutritional properties of the final product. The goal of this paper is to help with addressing these challenges by using a low-intensity ultrasonic transmission technique, both online and 24 h after production, to investigate high-moisture meat analogues made from a blend of soy and wheat proteins. To understand the ultrasonic data in the context of traditional characterization methods, physical properties (meat analogue thickness, density, peak cutting force) and protein nutritional quality attributes of the meat analogues were also characterized separately. The ultrasonic velocity was found to decrease with the feed moisture content and to be strongly correlated (r = 0.97) with peak cutting force. This strong correlation extends over a wide range of moisture contents from 58% to 70%, with the velocity decreasing from about 1730 m/s to 1660 m/s over this range. The protein quality was high for all moistures, with the highest amino acid score and in vitro protein digestibility being observed for the highest moisture content treatment. The accuracy of the ultrasonic measurements was enhanced by the development of an innovative non-contact method, suitable for materials exhibiting low ultrasonic attenuation, to measure the meat analogue thickness ultrasonically and in a sanitary fashion – an advance that is potentially useful for online monitoring of production problems (e.g., extruder barrel-fill and cooling-die temperature issues). This study demonstrates, for the first time, the feasibility of using ultrasonic transmission techniques to measure both velocity and sample thickness simultaneously and provide information in real time during production that is well correlated with some textural and nutritional attributes of meat analogues.

Portable X-ray fluorescence for autonomous in-situ characterization of chloride in oil and gas waste

Soil salinization resulting from anthropogenic activities affects soil health and productivity. Methods that can provide rapid, inexpensive, and accurate salinity characterization over vast areas of soil and waste materials will help in managing their impacts. The objective of this work was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) Cl− measurements of highly saline waste material (WMs) from oil and gas production sites. We compared pXRF Cl− measurements of three unconsolidated WMs to a standard laboratory method for determining soil salinity and identified the WM properties that most affect the precision and accuracy of the pXRF Cl− measurement. Despite covering a range of several orders of magnitude in chloride concentration, calibrated pXRF measurements varied by no more than 14% compared to standard laboratory Cl− measurements for dry homogenous samples. Measurements taken of WMs that were not homogenized decreased pXRF accuracy by 75% while moisture content decreased accuracy by 15%. Field measurements made at different areas inside an oil and gas WM pit were accurate within 60% of the standard laboratory Cl− measurements, despite the samples having a wide range of moisture content and particle size distributions. This study indicates that pXRF can be used to rapidly characterize soil salinity in-situ with acceptable accuracy and precision for screening purposes, opening the door for automated robotic measurements of chloride over large areas.

Experimental Study on Direct Harvesting of Corn Kernels

The mechanical harvesting of corn has always been a problem for the development of the corn industry. In the present investigation, a tangential flow–transverse axial flow threshing test system was designed based on the 4YL-4/5 harvester. The structure design was modular, and the threshing drum and other key parts could be changed, or the technical parameters could be adjusted according to the needs. Thus, the system becomes suitable to carry out the threshing test of various grains. In this paper, two kinds of systems, a cylindrical plate-tooth mixed row threshing drum and a full cylindrical threshing drum, were designed. Using the same materials and technical conditions, a comparative experiment of the corn grain harvest was carried out to explore the mechanical–technical conditions and methods to reduce the grain breakage rate of corn’s direct harvest.The results showed that the threshing ability and adaptability of the cylinder with a plate-tooth mixed arrangement structure were higher than those of the full cylinder arrangement structure. It was also found that for a higher moisture content (above 28%) of the maize ear, the grain breakage rate met the national standard. On the other hand, the cylinder with a plate-tooth threshing drum can support a wider range of moisture contents and drum peripheral velocities than the full cylinder threshing drum. Within the range of all tested moisture contents and drum peripheral velocities, the minimum grain breakage rate of the full cylinder tooth drum was 3.7%, and the minimum grain breakage rate of the cylinder with the plate-tooth threshing drum was 1.5%, which means a reduction of 59.5% of the breakage rate was achieved.

Quantitation of Water Addition in Octopus Using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR): Development of a Rapid and Non-Destructive Food Analysis Method.

A rapid and non-destructive method based in time domain reflectometry analysis (TDR), which detects and quantifies the water content in the muscle, was developed for the control of abusive water addition to octopus. Common octopus samples were immersed in freshwater for different periods (0.5–32 h) to give a wide range of moisture contents, representing different commercial conditions. Control and water-added octopus were analyzed with a TDR sensor, and data correlated with moisture content were used for calibration and method validation. A maximum limit of moisture content of 85.2 g/100 g in octopus is proposed for conformity assessment, unless the label indicates that water (>5%) was added. Calibration results showed that TDR analysis can discriminate control and water-added octopus, especially for octopus immersed for longer periods (32 h). In addition, moisture content can be quantified in octopus using only TDR analysis (between 80 and 90 g/100 g; RMSE = 1.1%). TDR data and correlation with moisture content show that this non-destructive methodology can be used by the industry and quality control inspections for assessment of octopus quality and to verify compliance with legislation, promoting fair trade practices, and further contributing to a sustainable use of resources.

IMPROVING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS BY PROVIDING BETTER PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES BASED ON THE UNIVERSITY'S KNOWLEDGE HUB

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Modern university buildings use a large number of resources, such as heat, cold and hot water, as well as electricity, which is the main consumed energy resource and is used for lighting, office equipment, ventilation and air conditioning systems. In order to improve the energy efficiency of university buildings, it is necessary to carry out heat and energy modernization of internal and external envelopes, which will allow for internal billing and qualitative analysis of consumption, which contribute to prompt decision-making on heat and energy modernization of the premises.METHODS. To assess the potential for improving the energy efficiency of buildings by improving the quality of protective structures, methods for assessing the temperature and humidity conditions of multilayered enclosing structures in a wide range of humidity under stationary boundary conditions were developed on the basis of the University Hub of Knowledge.FINDINGS. On the basis of the University Hub of Knowledge, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, the moisture content profile was calculated for the general estimation of the moisture condition for building No. 4, the planes of the highest moisture content were determined to find the most dangerous, from the moisture condition point of view, section of the structure, the calculation of the enclosing structure modernization according to the maximum allowable moisture condition for the analysis of moisture accumulation in the coldest month of the year was made.CONCLUSION. The advantage of the proposed method of increasing the energy efficiency of buildings by improving the quality of protective structures based on the University Hub of Knowledge is the possibility of calculation in a wide range of moisture content of materials, including supersorption moisture zone, as well as applicability to structures with multizone condensation of moisture. The clarity and simplicity of the proposed method makes it available for the practical implementation of energy efficiency improvements in all university buildings.

Effects of Moisture Content and Grain Direction on the Elastic Properties of Beech Wood Based on Experiment and Finite Element Method

Beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) is used in a wide range of wood products. However, the influence of the wood’s moisture content on its mechanical functions will affect its structural strength. It would be complicated and time-consuming to experimentally measure wood’s mechanical functions under different moisture contents. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a prediction formula between the moisture content and elastic constants, and then verify whether its mechanical functions within a wide range of moisture content can be studied by using FEM (finite element method). In this study, which was based on experimentation, we studied the influence of a wide range of moisture contents and grain direction on the compressive yield strength, modulus of elasticity and shear modulus of beech wood. The relationship between the moisture content and elastic constants was established; the moisture sensitivities of different elastic parameters were obtained. Ultimately, compression curves under different moisture contents were plotted out, using both FEM and experimentation. According to the results, the interaction of moisture with the grain direction had a significant effect on the elastic constants of wood, with grain direction having a greater effect on the elastic properties than the moisture content. Moreover, the decay function can be used to fit these experimental results well. The elastic constants of beech wood responded differently to the moisture content, depending on whether it was in the longitude or transverse directions. Finally, this study proved the feasibility of using FEM to simulate wood’s compressive performance with a wide range of moisture contents.

Physical properties of barley grains at hydration and drying conditions of malt production

AbstractBarley has shown several applications in food formulation, mainly after the malting process (hydration, germination, and drying). Because barley is steeped prior the malting, the aim of this work was to determine the physical properties of the grains and their bed as functions of a wide range of moisture content (12.68–80.28% d.b.). Such influences were evaluated and described through mathematical expressions. Length, width, thickness, different diameters, sphericity, and surface area of the barley grains increased with increasing moisture content, up to ~60%. Volume of thousand grains behaved similarly to these properties while their mass was increased continuously with increasing the moisture content. Bulk and true density tended to decrease during hydration while the bed porosity accompanied the density and volume variations. Specific surface area of the grains and bed decreased at higher moisture content due to the grain tri‐dimensional expansion during hydration. Polynomial equations could be obtained to predict the studied properties as a function of the moisture content. Both experimental data and resulting models can be used to accurately design equipment and processes involving heat and mass transfer during malting as well as for determining parameters as water diffusion coefficients.Practical applicationsBarley is an important cereal food and beverages applications, mainly to malt production. This study evaluated barley properties in a wide range of moisture contents, in order to understand its behavior under hydration and drying conditions. This data will provide important information needed to design different aspects of barley processing and storage. Moisture dependence of physical properties were determined for barley, considering a wide moisture range (12–80%d.b.). Barley achieved an expansion limit in moistures about 60–70% (d.b.). Simple polynomial equations were proposed to represent the physical properties. All physical properties were satisfactorily modeled.

Effects of Splits Content on Dry Matter Loss Rates of Soybeans Measured Using a Static Grain Respiration Measurement System

HighlightsRespiration rate increased with the percentage of split soy beans.The splits multiplier for soybeans appears to be more sensitive than the corn damage multiplier.The relationship between the split percentage and splits multiplier for soybeans is approximately linear.A value for the splits multiplier is provided for 18% moisture content soybeans stored at 35°C.Abstract. The objectives of this study were to compare the effects of 0% to 16% (w/w) splits content (xs) of soybeans stored at 35°C and 18% moisture content (w.b.) on dry matter loss rates (vDML) and to determine a splits multiplier (MS) for soybeans stored at these conditions, similar to the damage multiplier (MD) used in ASABE Standard D535 for shelled corn. Effects of percentage by weight splits (xs) on MS and safe storage time are expected to be greater than MD for corn because soybeans are prone to cracking and splitting, lipid oxidation, and protein degradation, all of which lead to grain dry matter and quality losses. Results indicated that vDML increased with increasing xs, and the mean vDML was 1.5 times greater for samples with 16% splits than for samples with 4% splits. The MS for soybeans was linearly correlated with xs, decreasing from 1.0 to 0.60 for 0% to 16% splits, respectively. Soybeans appeared to be more sensitive to percent by weight splits than corn was to the presence of damaged kernels. In Standard D535, the MD for corn only decreased from 1.0 to 0.8 when percent (w/w) damaged kernel content increased from 30% to 40%. In comparison, it should be noted that damage to soybeans was defined differently from damage to corn. This research is useful in defining MS for 18% moisture content soybeans stored at 35°C under hermetic conditions. The procedures outlined in this article may be used in the future to more formally define a soybean MS that covers a wider range of moisture contents, storage conditions, and possibly an MD based on other factors included in the USDA definitions of damaged soybean kernels. Keywords: Allowable storage time, Grain quality, Splits multiplier.

The effect of moisture content and thermal behaviour on the ignition of

Fuel moisture content is one of the key parameters controlling the flaming ignition of wildland fuel. However, the role of fuel moisture content in assessing the flammability of different fuel curing (dead and live fuel) is still not well understood. This paper presents the results of ignition tests of fuel beds consisting of dead and live Eucalyptus saligna leaves under a wide range of moisture contents. External heat flux and fuel moisture content are shown to significantly influence time to ignition and mass loss rate at the ignition of Eucalyptus saligna leaves, thus illustrating distinctive heating processes in the fuel bed. The thermal behaviour of the leaf bed before ignition is analysed using the analytical solution to the heat conduction equation, as the classical ignition correlations yield inconclusive results. This approach allows identification of thermally thick and thin behaviours for distinct ranges of heating, with the transition (thermally intermediate) region observed at higher external heat fluxes for higher moisture content. Additionally, a flammability assessment based on time to ignition confirms the inadequacy of the common assumption that live fuel can be considered as moist dead fuel.

Influence of moisture content on the thermophysical properties of tropical wood species

The aim of this work was to investigate the thermal behavior of solid wood used as building materials. Three tropical wood species namely Iroko (Milicia excelsa), Bilinga (Nauclea diderrichii), and Tali (Erythrophleum suaveolens) were chosen. The thermophysical properties in the longitudinal, radial and tangential directions were determined experimentally for different moisture contents. Asymmetrical hot plate method was used to measure the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. The influence of water content and the direction of the fibers on thermophysical properties of the species studied were investigated. The results show that thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity increase with moisture content, while the diffusivity decreases. In the wide range of moisture content considered, thermal conductivities varied between 0.1 and 0.6 Wm−1 K−1. The increase of moisture content by 1% induces a 0.2% increase in thermal conductivity for Bilinga, 0.4% for Tali and 0.3% for Iroko. Tali, whose density is the highest, presented high values of thermal conductivity in longitudinal direction but lowest values in radial and tangential directions compared to other species. Thermal conductivity is 2 to 3 times higher in the longitudinal direction than in the radial and tangential directions. The volumetric heat capacity was not influenced by the direction of the heat flow.

Moisture diffusivity in concentrated and dry protein-carbohydrate films

Understanding moisture diffusivity behaviour over a wide range of moisture contents is pivotal for optimising drying operations. Generally, data on moisture diffusivity are scarce and the effect of matrix composition on moisture diffusivity at relevant temperature for drying processes is not yet well described. In this paper moisture diffusivity in protein-carbohydrate films is systematically investigated for a wide range of moisture contents at 80 °C.Diffusion data are obtained from controlled thin film drying experiments following the regular regime method and compared to theoretical models. Moisture diffusivity for binary maltodextrin-water and whey protein-water systems appeared similar and were reasonably well described with the Darken relation. Diffusivity was lower for casein-water systems at moisture contents above 0.15 kg water/kg, which may be explained by compartmentalization of water in the casein micelles. At low moisture contents all binary systems showed universal behaviour, which may be explained by random coil behaviour leading to similar water-molecule interactions. This behaviour could be well described by free-volume theory. In mixed systems of proteins and carbohydrates moisture diffusivity appeared strongly influenced by the presence of casein, probably due to their high voluminosity. Finally, it was surprisingly observed that diffusivity in multicomponent systems decreased sharply at lower water contents when compared to binary systems. This might be explained by a denser molecular packed system in the dry regime for multicomponent systems or water trapping by protein-carbohydrate complexes.

Collapse and Swell of Lime Stabilized Expansive Clays in Void Ratio–Moisture Ratio–Net Stress Space

The swell-collapse mechanism of residual basaltic clay in both untreated and stabilized with lime conditions was investigated. For treated specimens, the optimum lime content (OLC) was found based on swell potential reduction. Swelling and collapse potential were investigated using the virgin compaction surface, which is the backbone of the Monash-Peradeniya-Kodikara (MPK) framework. The suitability of the MPK was examined by applying different state paths. The swelling and collapse potentials were tested under a wide range of moisture contents and stress levels, with attention given to the effect of stress history and operational stress. Test results indicated that for the untreated and lime-treated clay (at OLC), the behavior of soil during loading, unloading, and wetting closely followed the MPK framework. However, the MPK did not extend to specimens with very low moisture content wetted under low stresses, and, consequently, a new improved model was suggested. Furthermore, a new method for predicting the swelling and collapse potential was proposed using the virgin compaction surface.

Comparison study on the strength index of tropical shale and sandstone influenced by moisture content

The effects of variation of moisture content on the strength index are different depending on the type of rocks. Hence this paper compares effect of moisture content to the strength and anisotropy index of moderately weathered shale and sandstone of Jurong Formation. Both field and laboratory works had been carried out to in order to gain useful data such as the physical description, the strength index and also the anisotropy index of the rocks. Twenty-four samples of moderately weathered for each shale and sandstone (total 48 samples) were tested at a wide range of moisture content varying from original moisture content to saturated condition. The results revealed that the presence of water has affected the strength index of shale more than sandstone. The strength index of shale decreased up to 80% with just 7.4% increment of moisture content while the strength index of sandstone only decreased up to 46% by 6.94% increase in moisture content. The presence of water also affected the anisotropy index of the material. The results discovered that the presence of moisture content has affected the anisotropy index of shale more than sandstone. With original moisture content of 1.06% to moisture content of 8.45%, the shale is shifting from fairly-moderately anisotropic to highly anisotropic while sandstone that had not been affected much in term of anisotropy index still remain as fairly-moderately anisotropic material with 6.94% increase of moisture content. Field and experimental results shown the increment of moisture content has affected the strength and anisotropy index of shale more than sandstone of the same weathering grade. The impact of moisture content on tropical shale and sandstone strength index is required for the design and construction of foundations, tunneling and slope stability studies in rock mass.

Laboratory Tensile Strength Testing of Clay Soils using Direct Measurement

Clay has wide application in engineered barriers, such as buffer barriers in deep geological nuclear waste disposal, clay liners in landfill, and earthen slopes and embankments, to name a few. However, most clay soils have a high potential to crack under extreme weather induced moisture loss. From a macro-mechanical view, clay tensile strength which is a critical factor governing the cracking behavior is highly dependent on the moisture content and corresponding matric suction. In this study, a series of laboratory tests on two typical clays (kaolinite and sodium bentonite) were carried out to investigate the relationship between clay tensile strength and moisture content by using a specially designed device which can measure tensile strength directly (Stirling et al. 2014, 2015). In addition, the study also investigated the effect of silica sand additive on the tensile strength at a wide range of moisture contents. The results demonstrate that both moisture content and sand additive have a significant impact on the measured tensile strength of the clays.

Analyses of Mechanical Properties of By-products for Development of Livestock Feed Bioreactor

Abstract.Research on the utilization of by-products for alternative feed production has been undertaken to reduce the cost of breeding livestock especially in East Asia where there is high dependency on grains. Most studies, however, have focused on their properties. By-products have a wide range of moisture content (MC). Anaerobic fermentation is usually adopted as a processing method to prevent deterioration, decomposition, and acidification during the transportation and storage processes. As a preceding study for developing a storage and fermentation system, the objective of this study was to analyze the mechanical characteristics of by-products. Geometric, physical, and rheological characteristics were examined using particle testing methods. Heat transfer coefficient and specific heat of by-products were determined using quick thermal conductivity meter. An extremely high uniformity coefficient of between 2.30 and 3.29 for the mixed by-products was recorded with a static repose angle ranging from 32.3° to 46.6°. The adhesive force increased when materials high in moisture were mixed. The heat transfer coefficient was in the range of 0.1244 to 0.2774 W/m·K and specific heat was between 307.8 and 594.3 J/g. Mechanical characteristics of by-products for the development of bioreactor were examined and reported. Keywords: By-products, Fermentation, Livestock feed, Mechanical characteristics, Storage.

Laboratory Measurements of Subsurface Spatial Moisture Content by Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) Diffraction and Reflection Imaging of Agricultural Soils

Soil moisture content (SMC) down to the root zone is a major factor for the efficient cultivation of agricultural crops, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Precise SMC can maximize crop yields (both quality and quantity), prevent crop damage, and decrease irrigation expenses and water waste, among other benefits. This study focuses on the subsurface spatial electromagnetic mapping of physical properties, mainly moisture content, using a ground-penetrating radar (GPR). In the laboratory, GPR measurements were carried out using an 800 MHz central-frequency antenna and conducted in soil boxes with loess soil type (calcic haploxeralf) from the northern Negev, hamra soil type (typic rhodoxeralf) from the Sharon coastal plain, and grumusol soil type (typic chromoxerets) from the Jezreel valley, Israel. These measurements enabled highly accurate, close-to-real-time evaluations of physical soil qualities (i.e., wave velocity and dielectric constant) connected to SMC. A mixture model based mainly on soil texture, porosity, and effective dielectric constant (permittivity) was developed to measure the subsurface spatial volumetric soil moisture content (VSMC) for a wide range of moisture contents. The analysis of the travel times for GPR reflection and diffraction waves enabled calculating electromagnetic velocities, effective dielectric constants, and spatial SMC under laboratory conditions, where the required penetration depth is low (root zone). The average VSMC was determined with an average accuracy of ±1.5% and was correlated to a standard oven-drying method, making this spatial method useful for agricultural practice and for the design of irrigation plans for different interfaces.

Application of a coupled smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and coarse-grained (CG) numerical modelling approach to study three-dimensional (3-D) deformations of single cells of different food-plant materials during drying.

Numerical modelling has gained popularity in many science and engineering streams due to the economic feasibility and advanced analytical features compared to conventional experimental and theoretical models. Food drying is one of the areas where numerical modelling is increasingly applied to improve drying process performance and product quality. This investigation applies a three dimensional (3-D) Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and Coarse-Grained (CG) numerical approach to predict the morphological changes of different categories of food-plant cells such as apple, grape, potato and carrot during drying. To validate the model predictions, experimental findings from in-house experimental procedures (for apple) and sources of literature (for grape, potato and carrot) have been utilised. The subsequent comaprison indicate that the model predictions demonstrate a reasonable agreement with the experimental findings, both qualitatively and quantitatively. In this numerical model, a higher computational accuracy has been maintained by limiting the consistency error below 1% for all four cell types. The proposed meshfree-based approach is well-equipped to predict the morphological changes of plant cellular structure over a wide range of moisture contents (10% to 100% dry basis). Compared to the previous 2-D meshfree-based models developed for plant cell drying, the proposed model can draw more useful insights on the morphological behaviour due to the 3-D nature of the model. In addition, the proposed computational modelling approach has a high potential to be used as a comprehensive tool in many other tissue morphology related investigations.