EVALUATING RESISTANCE TO AIR FLOW ACROSS LEMON FRUIT BED FOR SELECTING AN APPRPRIATE PRESSURE DROP PREDICTION EQUATION

The prediction of airflow resistance is fundamental to the design of efficient drying and aeration systems for Lemon fruit.In this study the physical properties of lemon fruitfig at different moisture contents were measured. Pressure drop across a bed of lemon fruitwas also measured. Using a laboratory unit, In the thin layer (2 kernels depth, 3 cm), the kernels were put together in three arrangements; X, Y and random, 5 moisture content (84%, 64%, 44%, 24% and 10% w.b) and 11 flow rate (0.1-1.1 m3/m2s) were envisaged. Results indicated that resistance to airflow through a column of lemon fruit increased with increasing bed depth and airflow rate. In this experiment pressure drop decreased with decrease moisture content. Airflow rate was the most significant factor affecting the pressure drop of lemon fruit in the both experiment. Three applicable models (Shedd, Hukill& Ives, and Ergun) were used to evaluate the pressure drop data. The Ergun model, with higher values for coefficient of determination and lower values for root mean square error and mean relative deviation modulus, is the best model for predicting pressure drop across lemon fruit bed for the conditions studied.

Keywords:

Lemon fruit , Resistance to airflow , Modeling , storage , pressure drop