Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola-444 104, India
*Corresponding author's address and email: E-55, Gulmohar Colony, Central Campus, MPKV, Rahuri Email: rnkenghe@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 17 December, 2011.
The relationship between pressure drop and the rate of airflow through agricultural products is important in design of drying or aeration systems. Pressure drops were measured in Lathyrus (cv. NLK-40, Pratik and Ratan) beds. The respective grain beds were at 7.33 to 18.80%, 6.75 to 18.30% and 7.90 to 19.40% (d. b.) moisture content with bulk density of 805 to 895, 795 to 875 and 770 to 855 kg m−3. The pressure drops were measured at 0.2 m bed depth for superficial air velocities ranging from, 0.0421 to 0.9813 m3 s−1 m −2, 0.0450 to 1.1024 m3 s−1 m −2 and 0.0484 to 1.1693 m3 s−1 m −2, respectively, for NLK-40, Pratik and Ratan. With increase in moisture content the minimum fluidization velocity values were found decreased. It was observed that with increase in bulk density the values of minimum fluidization were decreased linearly. The results indicated that 1% increase in moisture content decreased the pressure drop by 3.10%, whereas, 1% increases in bulk density decreased the pressure drop by 7.16%.
Lathyrus, Moisture content, Bulk density, Fluidization
