Moisture-dependent physical and mechanical properties of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed

Abstract

Some physical and mechanical properties of cumin seed were obtained as moisture content changed from 7.24% to 21.38% d.b. Increasing of moisture content was found to increase the seed length (5.14-5.58 mm), width (1.33-1.55 mm), thickness (0.97-1.05 mm), arithmetic mean diameter (2.48-2.73), geometric mean diameter (1.88-2.09 mm), surface area (10.34-12.66 mm2), thousand seed weight (2.9-3.9 g), porosity (51.22%-64.11%), true density (917.8-1030.6 kg/m3), static angle of repose (43-49 deg), dynamic angle of repose (47-56.6 deg), and coefficient of static friction on the three surfaces: glass (0.48-0.77), galvanized iron sheet (0.36-0.73), and plywood (0.57-0.69). However, bulk density was found to decrease from 447.66-369.88 kg/m3, and rupture force and rupture energy along with seed length and width were found to decrease from 83.74-56.17 N, 132.95-84.47 N, 50.66-27.52 mJ, and 67.8 to 33.36 mJ, respectively. The sphericity increased from 36.63% to 37.5% with increasing in moisture content from 7.24% to 14.5%d.b. and then reduced to 37.5% with further increase in moisture content to 21.38% d.b.
Keywords: seed, engineering properties, moisture, porosity, density, medical plant
DOI: 10.3965/j.issn.1934-6344.2009.02.049-056

Citation: Kaveh Mollazade, Hojat Ahmadi, Jalal Khorshidi, Ali Rajabipour, Seyed Saeid Mohtasebi.
Moisture-dependent physical and mechanical properties of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed. Int J Agric & Biol Eng,
2009; 2(2): 49