Effect of moisture content on the physical and aerodynamics properties of cashew nut

• J. Isa

  Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

• M. A. Aderotoye

  Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Physical and aerodynamics properties of nuts and other seeds are often needed for the design of cleaning, de-hulling, separating and other processing equipment and machineries. Physical properties (Sizes, surface area, sphericity index, roundness, mass, volume, angle of repose, coefficient of friction and terminal velocity) and Gravimetric properties (bulk density, true density and porosity measurements) were determined for cashew nuts using standard techniques in the moisture content range of 4.0% to 10.8% wet basis. The static coefficient of friction of the cashew nut was determined on four different materials, namely, wood, mild steel, stainless steel and galvanized sheet while the terminal velocity was measured using vertical air tunnel. The average length, thickness, width, equivalent diameter, sphericity and volume for cashew nuts were 30.58 mm, 17.16mm, 24.53mm, 23.25 mm, 76.28% and 20.7 mm3 respectively. The terminal velocity increased from 2.31m /s to 2.54m/s as the moisture content increased. The co-efficient of friction on various surfaces increased with increase in moisture content. Plastic as a surface for sliding offered the maximum friction followed by mild steel, stainless steel and galvanized sheet at 4%MCw.b, while at moisture content of 6.1, 8.5 and 10.8%w.b mild steel offered the maximum friction. These findings provided useful data for the suitable design and fabrication of processing machines such as sorting, grading, grinding, drying and packaging and will also provide useful knowledge for industrial processing of cashew nut.

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