Course Objectives

• To make students understand the basic theoretical aspects and importance of engineering properties of agricultural produce
• To learn the physical and thermophysical properties of agricultural materials.
• To learn the requirement of engineering properties of materials for analysis and design of agricultural food and biological systems.

Course Outcomes

CO1: Understand the engineering properties of agricultural produce: PO1,PO2,PO12

CO2: Apply engineering principles to analyze the properties of agricultural products: PO1, PO2

CO3: Design handling systems and equipment based on the engineering properties of agricultural produce: PO2,PO3, PO5, PO12

PO1: Engineering knowledge: Apply the knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals, and an engineering specialization to the solution of complex engineering problems.

PO2: Problem analysis: Identity, formulate, review research literature, and analyze complex engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering sciences.

PO3: Design/development of solutions: Design solutions for complex engineering problems and design system components or processes that meet the specified needs with appropriate consideration for the public health and safety, and the cultural, societal, and environmental considerations.

PO5: Modern tool usage: Create, select, and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering and IT tools including prediction and modeling to complex engineering activities with an understanding of the limitations.

PO12: Life-long learning: Recognize the need for, and have the preparation and ability to engage in independent and life-long learning in the broadest context of technological change.

Course Syllabus

MODULE – I: Introduction (2 hr)

Introduction, Classification, and the importance of engineering properties in the design of agricultural machinery. Physical Properties: shape, size, roundness, sphericity, volume, density, porosity, specific gravity, the surface area of grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Practice (5 hr):

• Determination of the shape and size of grains, fruits, and vegetables,
• Determination of bulk density of grains, fruits, and vegetables
• Determination of angle of repose of grains, cereals, and pulses.
• Determination of the particle density and bulk density of solid grains.
• Determination of porosity of solid grains.

MODULE – II: Thermal Properties (2 hr)

Thermal properties: Heat capacity, Specific heat, Thermal conductivity, Thermal diffusivity, Heat of respiration; Co-efficient of thermal expansion.

Practice (3 hr):

• Determination of specific heat of different types of grain
• Determination of Thermal Conductivity of grains by formula methods

MODULE – III: Frictional and Aerodynamic Properties (2 hr)

Frictional Properties: Friction in agricultural materials; Static friction, Kinetic friction, rolling resistance, angle of internal friction, angle of repose, Flow of bulk granular materials, Aerodynamic Properties: Aerodynamics of agricultural products, drag coefficients, terminal velocity.

Practice ( 2 hr):

• Determination of the co-efficient of external and internal friction of grains using the different surfaces.
• Finding out the terminal velocity of the grain sample and study the separating behavior in a vertical wind tunnel

MODULE-IV: Rheological Properties (4 hr)

Rheological properties: force, deformation, stress, strain, elastic, plastic and viscous behavior, Newtonian and Non-Newtonian liquid, Visco-elasticity, Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluid, Pseudo-plastic, Dilatant, Thixotropic, Rheopectic and Bingham Plastic Foods, Flow curves. Electrical properties: dielectric loss factor, loss tangent, A.C. conductivity and dielectric constant, method of determination.

Practice (2.5 hr):

• Determination of hardness of food material
• Determination of Dielectric constant by formula method.

Book References:

1. Rao, M.A. and Rizvi, S.H., 1995. Engineering Properties of Foods. Marcel Dekker Inc. New York.
2. Singhal OP & Samuel DVK. 2003. Engineering Properties of Biological Materials. Saroj Prakashan.
3. Prentice, J.H. 1984. Measurement in Rheological Properties of Food Stuffs. Elsevier Applied science Pub. Co. Inc. New York.
4. Mohesin, N.N. 1980. Thermal Properties of Foods and Agricultural Materials. Gordon & Breach Science Publishers , New York.

Session Plan

Session 1

Theory (1 hr): Introduction, Classification, and the importance of engineering properties in the design of agricultural machinery.

PDF: Introduction, Classification and application

Session 2

Theory: Physical Properties (1 hr): shape, size, roundness, sphericity, volume, density, porosity, specific gravity, the surface area of grains, fruits, and vegetables.

PDF: Physical Properties

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKe05D5H54E

Practice (5 hr):

• Determination of the shape and size of grains, fruits, and vegetables,
• Determination of bulk density of grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Determination of angle of repose of grains, cereals, and pulses.
• Determination of the particle density and bulk density of solid grains.
• Determination of porosity of solid grains.

Session 3

Theory (1 hr): Thermal properties: Heat capacity, Specific heat, Thermal conductivity, Thermal diffusivity

PDF: Thermal Properties

Thermal conductivity derivation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDP6egLrsdM

Practice (2 hr):

Determination of specific heat of different types of grain.

Session 4

Theory (1 hr): Thermal properties:  Heat of respiration; Co-efficient of thermal expansion.

PDF: Thermal Properties

Coefficient of thermal expansion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idbp1YJf4kk

Practice (1 hr):

Determination of Thermal Conductivity of grains by formula methods

Session 5

Frictional Properties (1 hr): Friction in agricultural materials; Static friction, Kinetic friction, rolling resistance, angle of internal friction, angle of repose

PDF: Frictional Properties

Angle of repose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LqA85PI-LQ

Practice ( 1 hr):

Determination of the co-efficient of external and internal friction of grains using the different surfaces.

Angle of friction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pairMLO0C0c

Session 6

Aerodynamic Properties (1 hr): Aerodynamics of agricultural products, drag coefficients, terminal velocity.

PDF: Aerodynamic Properties

Terminal velocity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmeqV0WjGWM

Practice (1 hr):

Finding out the terminal velocity of the grain sample.

Session 7

Rheological properties (1 hr): force, deformation, stress, strain, elastic, plastic, and viscous behavior.

PDF: Rheology (Terminology)

Practice (1.5 hr):

Determination of hardness of food material.

Session 8

Rheological properties (1 hr): Newtonian and Non-Newtonian liquid, Visco-elasticity, Ideal fluid

PDF: Ideal body

Session 9

Rheological properties (1 hr): Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluid, Pseudo-plastic, Dilatant, Thixotropic, Rheopectic, and Bingham Plastic Foods, Flow curves.

PDF: Model Elements and model

Shear-thinning vs Shear thickening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_cLJvUBlxw

Session 10

Electrical properties (1 hr): dielectric loss factor, loss tangent, A.C. conductivity and dielectric constant, method of determination.

PDF: Dielectric properties

Dielectric heating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5ecGEVXtUQ&t=593s

Practice (1 hr):

Determination of Dielectric constant by formula method.

Case Studies

Case Studies