Experiment and finite element simulation of friction factor and stack damage between blueberries

Abstract

Blueberries are susceptible to mechanical damage during the processes of transportation and storage. This article hopes to provide some theoretical basis for the improvement of blueberry packaging based on stack damage. The Finite Element Method was applied in this research. And to obtain an accurate friction factor between small spherical fruit, a new experimental platform was built. For the first time, it was found that the friction factor between blueberry surfaces was 0.4–0.6. Subsequently, the texture analyzer was employed to perform compression tests on unit cells composed of blueberries. Through the combination of slicing observation and finite element simulations, browning results of unit cells with different stack forms were gained. The stack method adopted the larger‐sized blueberries in the upper layer and the calyx of the upper blueberries was upward, which had the least damage to the blueberries, and the blueberries could be stacked up to 214 layers.Practical ApplicationUnderstanding the impact of different stacking methods on blueberry damage is crucial for avoiding serious damage to blueberries during storage and packaging. This article accurately determined the factor of friction between the surfaces of blueberries. Based on this, the influence of the calyx and size of blueberries on stacking damage was studied through a combination of stacking experiments and finite element method. This article not only solves the problem of the lack of friction factor between blueberries, providing an effective method for measuring the friction coefficient between small spherical fruits, but also provides directions for reducing stacking damage of blueberries and extending their post‐harvest life, as well as providing a theoretical basis for improving blueberry packaging and mechanization research.