No abstract

Recebido em março/2014; Aceito em setembro/2014. RESUMO: Considerando a necessidade de construção e aperfeiçoamento dos equipamentos utilizados nas fases de colheita e pós-colheita desta de grãos e sementes, objetivou-se com o presente trabalho, determinar a esfericidade, circularidade, área superficial e projetada dos grãos de milho da cultivar P3646 durante a secagem em quatro condições de ar. Os grãos de milho foram colhidos mecanicamente com o teor de água de 26% b.u. e posteriormente foram submetidos à secagem em estufa com circulação de ar forçada nas temperatura, 40, 60, 80 e 100 °C, e umidades relativas de 19,9; 9,8; 2,7 e 1,3%, respectivamente, até atingirem teor de água de 14% b.u.. Foram determinadas a circularidade, esfericidade, área superficial e área projetada, ao longo da secagem. Conclui-se que a redução do teor de água e as condições de secagem proporcionam a redução da esfericidade, circularidade, área superficial e projetada dos grãos de milho. Palavras-chave: Zea mays L., teor de água, propriedades físicas. SHAPE AND SIZE OF CULTIVAR P3646 CORN GRAIN UNDER DIFFERENT AIR DRYING CONDITIONSABSTRACT: Considering the need for construction and improvement of used equipment during harvest and post-harvest of corn grains and seeds, the aim of this work was to determine the sphericity, roundness, and projected surface area of P3646 corn cultivar during drying with four air conditions. The corn grains were mechanically harvested with moisture content of 26% wb were dried in an oven with forced air circulation at four temperature conditions, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ° C, and humidity about 19.9; 9.8;. 2.7 and 1.3%, respectively, until

Cowpea production has gained considerable ground in Brazil. Cowpea grain undergo different types of pressure and may crack and break during processing and storage, thus, there is a need to classify the mechanical properties of the beans. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of the moisture content of cowpea beans on the maximum compressive force for fixed deformation and determine the proportional modulus of deformity under compression. The cowpea cultivars Novaera and Tumucumaque were evaluated at different moisture contents (0.12; 0.15; 0.18; 0.20; and 0.23 decimal d.b.). The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design for each moisture content and 10 deformation rates were applied (0.02; 0.04; 0.06; 0.08; 0.10; 0.12; 0.14; 0.16; 0.18; and 0.20 mm). The compression force was assessed using a universal testing machine and the proportional deformation modulus was determined. Following, hardness and elasticity of cowpea beans ??as a function of the moisture content were established. The compressive force required to deform cowpea beans decreases with increasing moisture content: between 2 and 105 N (Tumucumaque) and between 2 to 97 N (Novaera). The proportional deformation modulus of cowpea increased as the moisture content and deformation reduced, ranging from 4.9 x 107 to 31.9 x 107 Pa (Tumucumaque) and from 5.9 x 107 to 42 x 107 Pa (Novaera).