Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Bhopal-462038.
The engineering properties of turmeric rhyzomes were determined as a function of moisture content. The average length, width and thickness of turmeric were 42.77, 10.85 and 9.51 mm respectively at 12.4% moisture content (d b). The volume, surface area and angle of repose were observed as 2.76 cm3, 7925.33mm2 and 330 respectively. The bulk density, true density, porosity and terminal velocity of turmeric rhyzome were observed as 622.33 kg/m3, 1253.93 kg/m3, 50.37% and 7.22m/s respectively. The mean value of peak compressive force for rhyzomes to fail was 172.15 N at the corresponding displacement of 1.00 mm. Studies on rewetted turmeric rhizome showed that bulk density decreased from 622.33 to 602.66 kg/m3 and true density increased linearly from 1253.93 to 1279.53 kg/m3, porosity from 50.37 to 52.90%, terminal velocity from 7.12 to 10.85 m/s and angle of repose from 33 to 45.5 degree in the moisture range 12.40 to 21.85% (d b). The static co-efficient of friction also increased linearly on four metal surfaces, namely, mild steel (0.51 to 0.66), galvanized iron (0.47 to 0.64), aluminum (0.40 to 0.56) and stainless steel (0.37 to 0.54) with increase in moisture range from 12.40 to 21.85% (db).
Turmeric, Terminal velocity, Properties, Static friction, Specific gravity
