Mechanical Properties of Cashew Nut Under Compression Loading at Varied Moisture Contents
Abstract
In the present study, the moisture-dependent mechanical properties, i.e. rupture force, deformation and rupture energy along three different axes (i.e. L, B, T), of the cashew (Anacardium occidentale) varieties (Vengurle 1, Vengurle 3, Vengurle 4 and Vengurle 7) were studied at 17–85% db under compression loading. The rupture force decreases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.752) with the increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db, for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 15,080–3467, 17,000–4275 and 21,014–3388 g; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 25,090–4031, 26,000–3851, 31,256–3449 g; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 22,000–3342, 21,000–3360, 27,000–3725 g; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 20,900–5542, 25,080–5542 and 29,000–7009 g, respectively. The deformation at rupture increases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.671) with the increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db, for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 2.1–2.98, 2.42–3.56 and 3.4–6.21 mm; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 2.8–4.73, 2.65–4.3 and 4.21–6.16 mm; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 4.2–6.89; 2.81–5.35 and 5.6–6.7 mm; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 4.56–7.8, 3.2–5.56 and 6.2–7.27 mm, respectively. The rupture energy decreases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.720) with increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 143–36.58, 108–56 and 123–80.38 mJ; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 271–59.54; 82.00–33.68 and 265–101 mJ; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 136–80.96, 58.54–23.32 and 154–96.74 mJ; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 273–98.26, 123–21.22 and 255–151 mJ, respectively. The rupture force was higher along thickness and decreases along width and length, and it was maximum for Vengurle 3 followed by Vengurle 7, Vengurle 4 and Vengurle 1. The deformation at rupture was higher along the thickness and decreases along width and thickness and was maximum at Vengurle 7 followed by Vengurle 4, Vengurle 3 and Vengurle 1, respectively. The rupture energy was higher at length for Vengurle 7 and decreases at Vengurle 3, followed by Vengurle 1 and Vengurle 4 along length of the cashew nut.
Fracture resistance of sunflower seed and kernel to compressive loading
Abstract The fracture resistance of both a sunflower seed ( Helianthus annuus L.) and its kernel was measured in terms of average compressive force, deformation and energy absorbed per unit volume at rupture. Samples at various moisture contents were loaded in vertical and horizontal orientations. The force required for seed hull or kernel rupture decreased as moisture content increased from 4% to 20% d.b. Seeds loaded in the horizontal orientation developed hull cracks at a lower level of force than those loaded in the vertical orientation. For the kernel, the trend was the opposite. The average compressive forces required to cause kernel rupture were substantially lower (13.4–8.5 N) than those required to rupture the seed (65.2–35.3 N) in both orientations. The maximum deformations of the seed at rupture were 1.34 and 1.46 mm under horizontal and vertical loading orientations, respectively, while for the kernel these values were 1.73 and 2.32 mm. Energy absorbed per unit volume at rupture increased with an increase in moisture content. The seeds loaded in a vertical orientation absorbed more energy (144.7–222.9 J/m 3 ) prior to rupture than those loaded in the horizontal (95.2–184.2 J/m 3 ) orientation. Kernels loaded in a vertical orientation required less energy (18.1–54.3 J/m 3 ) to rupture than those loaded in the horizontal (38.9–65.8 J/m 3 ) orientation.
Improving the Air Flow Distribution in a Batch Walnut Dryer
ABSTRACT ENGLISH walnuts are usually dried on farm in batch dryers. Field measurements have shown that non-uniform air flow patterns exist in one common type of bulk dryer. These non-uniform air flows are the suspected cause of non-uniform drying that has been observed by some walnut growers. A two-dimensional finite element model has been used to evaluate modifications to improve the air flow distribution within the drying bins.