Measurement of low air flow through paddy | |
| Author | Gunasekaran, Sundaram |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. AE-81-13 |
| Subject(s) | Grain aeration Air flow |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | In this study a transistor anemometer and a strain gage pressure transducer were developed for very low air flow and pressure differential measurements. They were calibrated to be used in the air flow and pressure ranges of 0.01-3.0 m/s and 0.02-11 mm of H2o respectively. In an experimental set-up temperature gradients of 10, 20, 30 and 40 °C were created by means of heating coils and the resulting air flows through grain beds were measured by magnifying the air velocity by about 100 times. Experimental data on the resistance of paddy grain layers of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm to such air flows were obtained. Similarly, resistance to air flow characteristics of paddy were obtained over a wide range of air flow created by a suction fan. The results were expressed in the usual linear relationship on a log-log scale. The effect of bed depth and air flow rate were discussed within the range of grain depths and air flow rates considered in this study. The results were compared with similar studies of those reported earlier. The trends of the lines representing the resistance to air flow characteristics of paddy, as judged by the slopes, were found to be in close agreement with the others. In the air flow range of 0.02 m/s and less the slope obtained was 0.85 which compares fairly well with the theoretically expected value of 1.0. An approximate empirical relationship was also developed to calculate theoretical air velocities through grain beds due to natural convection. |
| Year | 1981 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Jindal, Vinod Kumar |
| Examination Committee(s) | Singh, Gajendra ; Exell, Robert H.B. ; Koike, Masayuki |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | The Royal Norwegian Government |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1981 |