Aerodynamic Characteristics of Unshelled and Shelled Sunflower Seeds: Significance of Moisture and Cultivars

摘要

Aerodynamic characteristics of shelled and unshelled sunflower seeds of four cultivars, namely NSFH-36, PSFH-118, GKSFH-2002, and SH-3322, were evaluated as a function of moisture content. In the selected moisture range (6.2–14.4% d.b.), terminal velocity of unshelled seeds varied from 2.93–3.28, 2.54–3.04, 2.46–3.13, and 2.98–3.53 ms~(?1), whereas for shelled seeds it varied between 2.36–3.16, 2.22–3.06, 2.14–2.98, and 2.28–3.20 ms~(?1) for NSFH-36, PSFH-118, GKSFH-2002, and SH-3322 cultivars, respectively. The drag coefficient decreased from 0.23–0.18, 0.31–0.20, 0.27–0.16, and 0.36–0.12 in unshelled seeds, whereas, it varied between 0.19–0.13, 0.18–0.12, 0.16–0.14, and 0.19–0.13 in shelled seeds of NSFH-36, PSFH-118, GKSFH-2002, and SH-3322 cultivars, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that variation in moisture content, as well as cultivars, either individually or their interactions influenced the terminal velocity and drag coefficient of unshelled and shelled sunflower seeds significantly.