The effect of variety and moisture content on some engineering properties of five improved paddy rice varieties was investigated within moisture content range of 10% and 30% dry basis (d.b.). Increase in moisture content was found to increase the linear dimensions, mass of 100 seeds, surface area, apparent volume, true volume, arithmetic mean diameter, effective geometric diameter, sphericity, angle of repose, porosity and static coefficient of friction while bulk density and true density decreased with increase in moisture content. Static coefficient of friction was found to increase as moisture content increased from 0.34-0.46, 0.35-0.59, 0.36-0.46 and 0.34-0.45, respectively on plywood, galvanized steel, mild steel and glass structural surfaces. The highest static coefficient was found on galvanized steel. Angle of repose was found to increase as moisture content increases. The study concludes that variety and changes in moisture content significantly (P < 0.05) affected most of the engineering properties determined.

No abstract

SummaryAdsorption isotherms of water yam flour were determined by static gravimetric method of saturated salt solutions in the range of water activities between 0.11 and 0.96 and at temperatures of 25, 35 and 45 °C. The experimental sorption data was fitted to five models: Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB), Peleg, Iglesias-Chirife, Exponential and Oswin and the differential enthalpy and entropies were determined. Equilibrium moisture contents decreased with increase in temperature at all the water activities studied. Peleg model gave the best fit for the sorption isotherm of water yam flour. Monolayer moisture content values estimated from the GAB-model were found to decrease with increases in temperature. The differential enthalpy and entropy decreased with increases in moisture content. The isokinetic temperature was 371.32 K and the compensation theory was satisfied.