1ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering Regional Centre, Coimbatore-641 007, Tamilnadu, India
2Karunya University, Coimbatore-641 114, Tamilnadu, India
3ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal-462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author: Email: balaciphet@gmail.com
Online published on 9 January, 2017.
Minor millets like kodo and kutki millet were studied for their engineering properties at different moisture contents (10–20%, db, dry basis). The results showed thatthe geometric properties of grain viz., length (2.26 mm-2.69 mm), breadth (1.39 mm-2.15 mm), thickness (1.24 mm-2.07 mm), arithmetic mean diameter (1.66 mm-2.30 mm), geometric mean diameter (1.59 mm-2.28 mm), square mean diameter (2.82 mm-3.97 mm), equivalent diameter (2.02 mm-2.85 mm), sphericity (0.67–0.86), aspect ratio (0.59–0.86) and surface area (8.96 mm2-16.85 mm2) increased linearly with increase in moisture content. The gravimetric properties of grain viz., unit volume (3.91 mm3-12.9 mm3), thousand kernel weight (1.87 g-4.36 g) increased; bulk density (520 kg m"3-709 kg m3), true density (1056 kg m"3-1852 kg m3) and porosity (34.6%-64.1%) decreased with increase in moisture content. The angle of repose (27.1°-32.8°) showed an increasing trend. Coefficient of static friction of these minor millets against different contact surfaces showed an increasing trend with moisture content. The grain hardness showed a decreasing trend with increasing moisture content
Kodo millet, kutki millet, engineering property
