EVALUATION OF SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF WATERMELON SEED RELEVANT TO THE DESIGN OF PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

摘要

Some physical and mechanical properties of watermelon seeds were investigated in this study.udSize, surface area and seeds were characterized using established procedure. The volume, massudand density of the seeds were determined using water displacement method. The staticudcoefficient of friction of water melon seeds were determined with reference to three differentudstructural surfaces; plywood, glass and galvanized metal sheet. The compression test wasudcarried out to determine the load, energy and deformation at peak and yield of major andudintermediate axis of watermelon seed. The result of the experiment on size shows thatudwatermelon seed has a wide range of size distribution. The surface area and the shape alsouddepend on varieties. The angle of repose ranges from 180 to 260 at storage moisture content.udThe static coefficient of friction depends on the type of structural surface involved. Theudsphericity of the black, brown and white – black varieties was 0.483, 0.535 and 0.489 while theudroundness of black, brown and white – black varieties was 0.776, 0.639 and 0.856. The densityudof watermelon seed was lower than the density of water. The densities of black, brown andudwhite – black varieties were 0.932, 0.935 and 0.928 at storage moisture level.