INFLUENCE OF MOISTURE CONTENT AND TEMPERATURE INTERACTION ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DESMA (Novella pentadesma) SEED
O. A. FABUNMI *
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Z. D. OSUNDE
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
B. A. ALABADAN
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
A. A. JIGAM
Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In this research, the effects of moisture content and temperature on the mechanical properties of desma seed were investigated in the moisture and temperature ranges of 9.2-17.8% (wb) and 40-70ºC. The mechanical properties which include force, stress, energy, deformation and young’s modulus at peak, break and yield points of compression were determined using the Universal Tensile Machine (Testometric). The results show the force, stress, energy and deformation to increase with increasing moisture content and temperature with peak values at 17.8% moisture content and 70ºC as (95.360±1.23) N, (95.360±3.45) N/mm2, (0.1293±0.0605) Nm and (1.9850±0.4100) mm, respectively. The young’s modulus decreased with moisture content and temperature, and its optimum value at 17.8% and 70ºC is (809.00±3.345) N/mm2. The results are essential in the design of dryer and oil expeller for the seed.
Keywords: Force, stress, energy, design, oil expeller