Effect of Moisture Content of Betel Nut (Areca catechu L.) on Some Physical and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate some physical and mechanical properties of betel nut fruit as a function of moisture content for design a mechanism or apparatus to produce dried whole kernel. The physical (moisture, dimensions and weight)and mechanical properties (coefficient of static of static, rupture force, deformation at rupture point and rupture energy) were determined on small, medium and large sizes of ripe betel nut fruit. The ripe fruit were dried by sunlight on asphalt surface for six weeks. The result showed that the moisture content to fruit and kernel were slightly declined and nearly together on the forth week about 13.20-14.43 %(wb)all three sizes. The reduction of moisture content affected the reduction on diameter of 8-20% and height of 2-7% and weight of 62-67% that compared with fresh betel nut fruit for all three sizes. The COF on rubber surface was slightly reduced according to reduction of moisture content of the fruits At 8.61%(wb), the COF of rubber surface was higher than that of steel surface which was 0.56, 0.55 and 0.62, and 0.46, 0.47 and 0.45 according to small, medium and large respectively. The reduction of moisture content affected to rupture force, deformation at rupture point and rupture energy. The rupture force was not exceeded 1.26, 1.25 and 1.00 kN on small, medium and large, respectively. The deformation at rupture point on axial axis was higher than that on lateral axis, especially, at less moisture content. The rupture energy of the betel nut fruit at 11.57-8.61 %(wb) was about 3.36-4.95 Nm and 1.96-5.19 Nm on axial-and lateral axis, respectively. All data of physical and mechanical properties that affected by moisture content were useful to design a system for breaking the husk.