EFFECTS OF MOISTURE CONTENT ON SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF ARECANUT (ARECA CATECHU L.) FRUIT WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO THE DESIGN OF PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

Abstract

The physical and mechanical properties of fresh arecanut fruit have not been comprehensively and thoroughly investigated scientifically yet. This made the researchers and engineers not to be precise in designing the fresh arecanut handling machine. Thus, the present study was aimed to investigate some engineering properties of arecanut fruit in three moisture viz. 67.66%, w.b. (underripe stages), 64.86%, w.b. (ripe stages), and 33.90%, w.b. (overripe stages). In general, the results of the study show that the geometric and arithmetic mean diameter, surface area, bulk and true density, porosity, angle of repose, compression force and static coefficient of friction at different surfaces (stainless steel, plywood, and glass) of arecanut fruit were found to increase 2.16%, 2.70%, 4.26%, 0.02%, 42.16%, 42.41%, 9.97%, 17.04%, 20.30%, and 22.04% respectively at decrease of moisture content from 67.66%, w.b. to 33.90%, w.b. However, sphericity, aspect ratio, thousand fruit mass, and bulk density of the arecanut fruit were found to decrease 2.31%, 3.31%, 34.54%, and, 50.24%, respectively at a decrease of moisture content from 67.66% (w.b.) to 33.90% (w.b.). Some engineering properties of arecanut fruit indicate something slightly different from the arecanut kernels so that this data can help the researcher or engineer to design the fresh arecanut fruit handling machine more precisely.