In recent years, cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has been legalized by many countries for productio... more In recent years, cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has been legalized by many countries for production, processing, and use considering its tremendous medical and industrial applications. Cannabis contains more than a hundred biomolecules (cannabinoids) which have the potentiality to cure different chronic diseases. After harvesting, cannabis undergoes different postharvest operations including drying, curing, storage, etc. Presently, the cannabis industry relies on different traditional postharvest operations, which may result in an inconsistent quality of products. In this review, we aimed to describe the biosynthesis process of major cannabinoids, postharvest operations used by the cannabis industry, and the consequences of postharvest operations on the cannabinoid profile. As drying is the most important post-harvest operation of cannabis, the attributes associated with drying (water activity, equilibrium moisture content, sorption isotherms, etc.) and the significance of novel pre-...
Using straw and herbaceous crops to replace or augment fossil fuels is becoming popular as access... more Using straw and herbaceous crops to replace or augment fossil fuels is becoming popular as access to forest biomass becomes environmentally stricter and more expensive. The low bulk density raw biomass is pre-processed and densified into pellets to facilitate handling and use. Dust is generated during collection, baling and debaling, grinding, drying, and densifying processed herbaceous biomass. Abundant literature deals with dust generated during the industrial handling of woody biomass, grains, and other crops like cotton. But the information on handling herbaceous biomass in the open literature is scarce. This paper reviews the available literature on dust generation from handling and processing of herbaceous biomass. Limited available data shows that herbaceous biomass species have a lower ignition temperature than woody biomass. The paper identifies several crucial pieces of information needed to ensure safety in the handling and pelleting of herbaceous crops.
This present study was undertaken to investigate the ultrasonic delignification of switchgrass (P... more This present study was undertaken to investigate the ultrasonic delignification of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and the effects of ultrasonic irradiation on the molecular and microstructure of switchgrass. We investigated this question using response surface methodology (RSM) featuring a four-factor, three-level Box–Behnken experimental design with acoustic power (120, 180, and 240 W), solid–solvent ratio (1/25, 1/20, and 1/15 g/mL), hammer mill screen size (1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mm), and sonication time (10, 30, and 50 min) as factors, while delignification (%) was the response variable. The native and treated switchgrass samples were further characterized through crystallinity measurements and electron microscopy. The results of lignin analysis show that the percent delignification ranged between 1.86% and 20.11%. The multivariate quadratic regression model developed was statistically significant at p < 0.05. SEM and TEM micrographs of the treated switchgrass grinds resulted i...
In this study, wood sawdust as waste residue from wood processing mills was pretreated using torr... more In this study, wood sawdust as waste residue from wood processing mills was pretreated using torrefaction to improve fuel properties and densified to facilitate transportation. Sawdust was torrefied in a fixed bed reactor using inside temperatures (IT) of 230, 260 and 290 °C for 15, 30 and 45 min, residence time. Due to the low calorific value of the treatments, the outside temperature (OT) of the fixed bed reactor was used instead for a fixed duration of 45 min, which resulted in an increase in energy value by 40% for the most severe conditions. The mechanical strength of the pellets was enhanced by adding 20% binder (steam-treated spruce sawdust) to biochar, which improved the pellet tensile strength by 50%. Liquid by-products from the torrefaction process contained furfural and acetic acid, which can be separated for commercial uses. Thermochemical analysis showed better fuel properties of OT torrefied samples such as high fixed carbon (52%), low volatiles (41%) and lower oxygen ...
This research was aimed to determine the hydrophilic bioactive extractives of Arizona cypress. Th... more This research was aimed to determine the hydrophilic bioactive extractives of Arizona cypress. The extractives of Arizona cypress were isolated and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Hydrophilic compounds of the extractives were mildly isolated by soaking the wood flour in ethanol: water (9:1 v/v) solution followed by n-hexane extraction to remove the lipophilic moieties. Raw extract of Arizona cypress was further purified to isolate the bioactive phenols using dichloromethane-ethanol in a solvent-solvent system and precipitation with potassium acetate. The bioactivity of the hydrophilic extracts of Cupressus arizonica was determined and compared with the raw hydrophilic extractives of Cupressus sempervirens and Picea excelsa. The total phenol content was determined according to the folin-ciocalteu method. The antioxidant capacity was determined by iron (II) chelating activity and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Fro...
Microwave torrefaction of oat hull was conducted to enhance its physicochemical properties. A ben... more Microwave torrefaction of oat hull was conducted to enhance its physicochemical properties. A bench-top reactor with an internal stirrer was used for oat hull pretreatment at temperatures of 225 °C, 255 °C, and 285 °C, and residence times of 3, 6, and 9 min, respectively. Results showed that a high temperature level at 3 min residence time or severe torrefaction increased calorific values by up to 35% of its original value, while decreasing mass yield down to 60.77%. Severe torrefaction further decreased moisture absorption, moisture content, and grinding energy consumption but decreased energy yield and bulk density. Residence time had no significant effect on biomass physicochemical changes; however, production cost may be significantly increased by longer residence times. It was also concluded that increased microwave power levels from 400 to 650 W decreased energy consumption by shortening processing times, resulting in a positive economic impact of the process. Moderate and sev...
The low bulk density agricultural biomass should be processed and densified making it suitable fo... more The low bulk density agricultural biomass should be processed and densified making it suitable for biorefineries. However, many agricultural biomass (lignocellulosic) especially those from straw and stover results in poorly formed pellets or compacts that are more often dusty, difficult to handle and costly to manufacture. The binding characteristics of biomass can be enhanced by modifying the structure of lignocellulose matrix (cellulose-hemicellulose-lignin) by different pre-processing and pre-treatment methods. However, it is not well understood as to how various pre-processing and pre-treatment methods affect the lignocellulosic matrix at the molecular level. Therefore, it is essential to determine chemical composition of agricultural biomass and the distribution of lignin relative to cellulose and hemicellulose before and after application of various treatment methods and after densification process. In this paper, the structural characteristics of lignocellulosic plant biomass...
Page 1. This is not a peer-reviewed article. Paper Number: 036058 An ASAE Meeting Presentation Ph... more Page 1. This is not a peer-reviewed article. Paper Number: 036058 An ASAE Meeting Presentation Physical Properties of Chickpea (C. arietinum) Cultivars Amin Allah Masoumi, Visiting Scholar1 and Ph.D. student2 Lope Tabil, Assistant Professor1 ...
Thin layer drying rates of purslane were determined experimentally as a function of temperature w... more Thin layer drying rates of purslane were determined experimentally as a function of temperature with air velocity kept constant at 1.1 m/s and relative humidity below 5%. Thin layer drying data were obtained for purslane at four drying air temperatures (35, 70, 95, and 120°C). Five thin layer-drying models (Henderson and Pabis, exponential, Page, two-term exponential, and Thompson models) were fitted
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2016
The forming process of biomass fuel pellets using a ring mold pelletizer was analyzed, optimized,... more The forming process of biomass fuel pellets using a ring mold pelletizer was analyzed, optimized, tested and evaluated in this study. The effects of stress amplitude and the stress ratio on the fatigue failure of the ring mold under 4-, 3-, and 2-roller designs were investigated. Depending on the calculation of stress amplitude acting on the ring mold, the 4-roller design was chosen for having the smallest value of stress amplitude in this condition. After determining the main design parameters, a three-dimensional model of the ring mold pelletizer was established based on the Pro/Engineer software, and the model was transferred into ADAMS software through Mechanism/Pro which is a dedicated interface software. The ADAMS software was used to run simulations. In order to obtain the highest efficiency and the lowest power consumption, the optimal result was the 4-roller design. Finally, a prototype of the ring mold pelletizer with four rollers was designed and manufactured for biomass ...
2values) obtained were very low. Therefore, new statistical cube compaction models for sun-cured ... more 2values) obtained were very low. Therefore, new statistical cube compaction models for sun-cured and dehydrated alfalfa were developed. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed, where density was considered as the dependent variable while pressure, holding time, and leaf content were considered as independent variables. The new models had better R 2 values compared to the five
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2013
Agricultural biomass residue such as barley, canola, oat and wheat straw has the potential to be ... more Agricultural biomass residue such as barley, canola, oat and wheat straw has the potential to be used for sustainable production of bio-fuels and offset greenhouse gas emissions. The biomass substrate must be processed and handled in an efficient manner in order to reduce industry’s operational cost as well as meet the requirement of raw material for biofuel production. Biomass has low bulk density, making it difficult and costly to store and transport in its native loose form. Therefore, in this study, an integrated approach to densification of non-treated and steam exploded barley, canola, oat and wheat straw was developed. During this process, the significance of major contributing factors (independent variables such as biomass type, treatment, pressure and grind size) on pellet density, durability and specific energy were determined. It has been found that applied pressure (60.4%) was the most significant factor affecting pellet density followed by the application of steam explo...
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2010
Processing and densification of agricultural biomass into high density and durable pellets are cr... more Processing and densification of agricultural biomass into high density and durable pellets are critical to facilitate handling, storage and transportation. Biomass pelleting experiments were designed to conduct single and pilot scale pelleting of non-treated and steam exploded barley, canola, oat and wheat straw grinds acquir ed from 6.4, 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 mm hammer mill screen sizes at 10% moisture content (wb). Single-pelleting was performed by applying compression pressures of 31.6, 63.2, 94.7, and 138.9 MPa using a close-fit plunger die assembly (die length 135.3 mm and diameter of ( 6.30±0.5 ) mm). During pilot scale pelleting, customization of ground straw material was performed by adding steam exploded biomass in increments of 25% to non-treated ground straw for respective biomass at specific grind size. Ground s traw samples were conditioned to 17.5% moisture content and 10% flaxseed oil was added to increase the bulk density and flowability of grinds, which resulted in the p...
Field pea is the most produced and exported pulse crop in Canada. Field pea exported to countries... more Field pea is the most produced and exported pulse crop in Canada. Field pea exported to countries with tropical climates is at particular risk due to rapid deterioration. It is therefore important to develop practical strategies for safe storage of feed pea. Knowledge on spoilage characteristics of pea stored in adverse storage conditions is important in the transportation and storage of this export commodity. This study was conducted to examine the conditions that lead to quality losses in storage and transport of pea. Tropical and subtropical conditions were simulated in airtight chambers. Relative humidities (RH) of 60, 70, 80 and 90% and temperatures of 10, 20, 30 and 40°C were examined. Both whole sound pea and feed-grade pea were observed for changes in moisture content (MC) and mold appearance at different time intervals. The amount of produced carbon dioxide (CO2) was measured in airtight chambers to control the condition existing in sealed airtight chambers. Also all compon...
Bio-based plastics/ biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA) are gaining popularity, as ... more Bio-based plastics/ biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA) are gaining popularity, as matrices reinforced or filled with natural fibres to produce biodegradable composites. However, the major drawback associated with PLA is its brittleness (low flexibility). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of adding impact modifier on the physical and mechanical properties of PLA-biocomposites made of cellulose-rich biofibres (CRB). The oat hull biomass was delignified at different temperatures of 30oC and 65oC to produce two types of fibres, i.e. CRB-30 and CRB-65, respectively. Formulations with 15% and 30% CRB fibres of the total mass of biocomposites were tested. The effect of impact modifier at 15% inclusion rate was also investigated with PLA-based composites. A twin screw extruder and a compression molding machine were respectively used for compounding the formulations and product molding. The performance of the composites in all formulations was assessed ...
Can biomass fuel pellets be manufactured from agricultural straw? Studies however point out that ... more Can biomass fuel pellets be manufactured from agricultural straw? Studies however point out that agricultural straw do not bind very well during pelleting resulting in poorly formed straw pellets, which are often dusty, difficult to handle, and costly to produce. Durable biomass pellet is required in the market so that it is easier to handle and transport. Binders, when added to the biomass, help to bind particles and improve the physical quality biomass fuel pellet. Glycerol, bentonite, lignosulfonate and softwood waste were investigated in this study as binders to improve pellet strength and enhance pellet quality. The physical, chemical, mechanical and fuel properties of wheat straw pellets made with addition of different binders in different proportions were investigated. Wheat straw with glycerol (5%), bentonite (2%), lignosulfonate (2%), wood waste (10%, 20%,30%), and pretreated wood waste (10%, 20%, 30%) with glycerol (0, 5%) were compressed in a single pelleting unit at a te...
Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Journal, 2007
The compression, relaxation, and frictional (adhesion) properties of peat moss, wheat straw, oat ... more The compression, relaxation, and frictional (adhesion) properties of peat moss, wheat straw, oat hull, and flax shive grinds were evaluated. Grinds of 9 to 10% moisture (w.b.) were compressed in a heated (95°C) cylindrical plunger-die apparatus at loads of 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 4400 N (15.8, 31.6, 63.2, 94.7, 126.3, 138.9 MPa, respectively). Peat moss was the only feedstock that was able to produce cohesive pellets at the 500 N load. The Jones (1960) and Walker (1923) compression models showed that flax shives had the highest compressibility among the four grinds. Compressive loads greater than 1000 N produced a significant reduction in diametral expansion of the pellets, while loads exceeding 2000 N significantly reduced the longitudinal pellet expansion; following a 14 day assessment period. The least amount of dimensional expansion was observed for the peat moss pellets. Relaxation testing of the four grinds indicated that there was no significant difference between as...
Legumes including red lentils have soluble and insoluble fibers, resistant starch, folate and pro... more Legumes including red lentils have soluble and insoluble fibers, resistant starch, folate and proteins. The functional properties of these nutrients may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and promote the well-being of pulse consumers. Roasting of red lentils can be used to produce flour, high protein and starch fractions. Dehulling of red lentils may be improved by roasting. Roasting may improve the flavor and palatability of red lentils, and may reduce anti-nutritional factors associated with legume consumption. Little is known regarding the effects of roasting temperatures and storage on the quality characteristics such as breakage susceptibility, color and hardness of roasted red lentils. ‘Robin’ red lentils at initial moisture content of 15 to 16% were roasted at temperatures of 160, 180, and 200C for 15, 30, and 45 minutes. The roasted lentils were cooled immediately. The lentils were placed in Ziploc bags and stored at temperatures of 5C and 25C. The breakage susceptib...
In recent years, cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has been legalized by many countries for productio... more In recent years, cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has been legalized by many countries for production, processing, and use considering its tremendous medical and industrial applications. Cannabis contains more than a hundred biomolecules (cannabinoids) which have the potentiality to cure different chronic diseases. After harvesting, cannabis undergoes different postharvest operations including drying, curing, storage, etc. Presently, the cannabis industry relies on different traditional postharvest operations, which may result in an inconsistent quality of products. In this review, we aimed to describe the biosynthesis process of major cannabinoids, postharvest operations used by the cannabis industry, and the consequences of postharvest operations on the cannabinoid profile. As drying is the most important post-harvest operation of cannabis, the attributes associated with drying (water activity, equilibrium moisture content, sorption isotherms, etc.) and the significance of novel pre-...
Using straw and herbaceous crops to replace or augment fossil fuels is becoming popular as access... more Using straw and herbaceous crops to replace or augment fossil fuels is becoming popular as access to forest biomass becomes environmentally stricter and more expensive. The low bulk density raw biomass is pre-processed and densified into pellets to facilitate handling and use. Dust is generated during collection, baling and debaling, grinding, drying, and densifying processed herbaceous biomass. Abundant literature deals with dust generated during the industrial handling of woody biomass, grains, and other crops like cotton. But the information on handling herbaceous biomass in the open literature is scarce. This paper reviews the available literature on dust generation from handling and processing of herbaceous biomass. Limited available data shows that herbaceous biomass species have a lower ignition temperature than woody biomass. The paper identifies several crucial pieces of information needed to ensure safety in the handling and pelleting of herbaceous crops.
This present study was undertaken to investigate the ultrasonic delignification of switchgrass (P... more This present study was undertaken to investigate the ultrasonic delignification of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and the effects of ultrasonic irradiation on the molecular and microstructure of switchgrass. We investigated this question using response surface methodology (RSM) featuring a four-factor, three-level Box–Behnken experimental design with acoustic power (120, 180, and 240 W), solid–solvent ratio (1/25, 1/20, and 1/15 g/mL), hammer mill screen size (1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mm), and sonication time (10, 30, and 50 min) as factors, while delignification (%) was the response variable. The native and treated switchgrass samples were further characterized through crystallinity measurements and electron microscopy. The results of lignin analysis show that the percent delignification ranged between 1.86% and 20.11%. The multivariate quadratic regression model developed was statistically significant at p < 0.05. SEM and TEM micrographs of the treated switchgrass grinds resulted i...
In this study, wood sawdust as waste residue from wood processing mills was pretreated using torr... more In this study, wood sawdust as waste residue from wood processing mills was pretreated using torrefaction to improve fuel properties and densified to facilitate transportation. Sawdust was torrefied in a fixed bed reactor using inside temperatures (IT) of 230, 260 and 290 °C for 15, 30 and 45 min, residence time. Due to the low calorific value of the treatments, the outside temperature (OT) of the fixed bed reactor was used instead for a fixed duration of 45 min, which resulted in an increase in energy value by 40% for the most severe conditions. The mechanical strength of the pellets was enhanced by adding 20% binder (steam-treated spruce sawdust) to biochar, which improved the pellet tensile strength by 50%. Liquid by-products from the torrefaction process contained furfural and acetic acid, which can be separated for commercial uses. Thermochemical analysis showed better fuel properties of OT torrefied samples such as high fixed carbon (52%), low volatiles (41%) and lower oxygen ...
This research was aimed to determine the hydrophilic bioactive extractives of Arizona cypress. Th... more This research was aimed to determine the hydrophilic bioactive extractives of Arizona cypress. The extractives of Arizona cypress were isolated and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Hydrophilic compounds of the extractives were mildly isolated by soaking the wood flour in ethanol: water (9:1 v/v) solution followed by n-hexane extraction to remove the lipophilic moieties. Raw extract of Arizona cypress was further purified to isolate the bioactive phenols using dichloromethane-ethanol in a solvent-solvent system and precipitation with potassium acetate. The bioactivity of the hydrophilic extracts of Cupressus arizonica was determined and compared with the raw hydrophilic extractives of Cupressus sempervirens and Picea excelsa. The total phenol content was determined according to the folin-ciocalteu method. The antioxidant capacity was determined by iron (II) chelating activity and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Fro...
Microwave torrefaction of oat hull was conducted to enhance its physicochemical properties. A ben... more Microwave torrefaction of oat hull was conducted to enhance its physicochemical properties. A bench-top reactor with an internal stirrer was used for oat hull pretreatment at temperatures of 225 °C, 255 °C, and 285 °C, and residence times of 3, 6, and 9 min, respectively. Results showed that a high temperature level at 3 min residence time or severe torrefaction increased calorific values by up to 35% of its original value, while decreasing mass yield down to 60.77%. Severe torrefaction further decreased moisture absorption, moisture content, and grinding energy consumption but decreased energy yield and bulk density. Residence time had no significant effect on biomass physicochemical changes; however, production cost may be significantly increased by longer residence times. It was also concluded that increased microwave power levels from 400 to 650 W decreased energy consumption by shortening processing times, resulting in a positive economic impact of the process. Moderate and sev...
The low bulk density agricultural biomass should be processed and densified making it suitable fo... more The low bulk density agricultural biomass should be processed and densified making it suitable for biorefineries. However, many agricultural biomass (lignocellulosic) especially those from straw and stover results in poorly formed pellets or compacts that are more often dusty, difficult to handle and costly to manufacture. The binding characteristics of biomass can be enhanced by modifying the structure of lignocellulose matrix (cellulose-hemicellulose-lignin) by different pre-processing and pre-treatment methods. However, it is not well understood as to how various pre-processing and pre-treatment methods affect the lignocellulosic matrix at the molecular level. Therefore, it is essential to determine chemical composition of agricultural biomass and the distribution of lignin relative to cellulose and hemicellulose before and after application of various treatment methods and after densification process. In this paper, the structural characteristics of lignocellulosic plant biomass...
Page 1. This is not a peer-reviewed article. Paper Number: 036058 An ASAE Meeting Presentation Ph... more Page 1. This is not a peer-reviewed article. Paper Number: 036058 An ASAE Meeting Presentation Physical Properties of Chickpea (C. arietinum) Cultivars Amin Allah Masoumi, Visiting Scholar1 and Ph.D. student2 Lope Tabil, Assistant Professor1 ...
Thin layer drying rates of purslane were determined experimentally as a function of temperature w... more Thin layer drying rates of purslane were determined experimentally as a function of temperature with air velocity kept constant at 1.1 m/s and relative humidity below 5%. Thin layer drying data were obtained for purslane at four drying air temperatures (35, 70, 95, and 120°C). Five thin layer-drying models (Henderson and Pabis, exponential, Page, two-term exponential, and Thompson models) were fitted
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2016
The forming process of biomass fuel pellets using a ring mold pelletizer was analyzed, optimized,... more The forming process of biomass fuel pellets using a ring mold pelletizer was analyzed, optimized, tested and evaluated in this study. The effects of stress amplitude and the stress ratio on the fatigue failure of the ring mold under 4-, 3-, and 2-roller designs were investigated. Depending on the calculation of stress amplitude acting on the ring mold, the 4-roller design was chosen for having the smallest value of stress amplitude in this condition. After determining the main design parameters, a three-dimensional model of the ring mold pelletizer was established based on the Pro/Engineer software, and the model was transferred into ADAMS software through Mechanism/Pro which is a dedicated interface software. The ADAMS software was used to run simulations. In order to obtain the highest efficiency and the lowest power consumption, the optimal result was the 4-roller design. Finally, a prototype of the ring mold pelletizer with four rollers was designed and manufactured for biomass ...
2values) obtained were very low. Therefore, new statistical cube compaction models for sun-cured ... more 2values) obtained were very low. Therefore, new statistical cube compaction models for sun-cured and dehydrated alfalfa were developed. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed, where density was considered as the dependent variable while pressure, holding time, and leaf content were considered as independent variables. The new models had better R 2 values compared to the five
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2013
Agricultural biomass residue such as barley, canola, oat and wheat straw has the potential to be ... more Agricultural biomass residue such as barley, canola, oat and wheat straw has the potential to be used for sustainable production of bio-fuels and offset greenhouse gas emissions. The biomass substrate must be processed and handled in an efficient manner in order to reduce industry’s operational cost as well as meet the requirement of raw material for biofuel production. Biomass has low bulk density, making it difficult and costly to store and transport in its native loose form. Therefore, in this study, an integrated approach to densification of non-treated and steam exploded barley, canola, oat and wheat straw was developed. During this process, the significance of major contributing factors (independent variables such as biomass type, treatment, pressure and grind size) on pellet density, durability and specific energy were determined. It has been found that applied pressure (60.4%) was the most significant factor affecting pellet density followed by the application of steam explo...
International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2010
Processing and densification of agricultural biomass into high density and durable pellets are cr... more Processing and densification of agricultural biomass into high density and durable pellets are critical to facilitate handling, storage and transportation. Biomass pelleting experiments were designed to conduct single and pilot scale pelleting of non-treated and steam exploded barley, canola, oat and wheat straw grinds acquir ed from 6.4, 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 mm hammer mill screen sizes at 10% moisture content (wb). Single-pelleting was performed by applying compression pressures of 31.6, 63.2, 94.7, and 138.9 MPa using a close-fit plunger die assembly (die length 135.3 mm and diameter of ( 6.30±0.5 ) mm). During pilot scale pelleting, customization of ground straw material was performed by adding steam exploded biomass in increments of 25% to non-treated ground straw for respective biomass at specific grind size. Ground s traw samples were conditioned to 17.5% moisture content and 10% flaxseed oil was added to increase the bulk density and flowability of grinds, which resulted in the p...
Field pea is the most produced and exported pulse crop in Canada. Field pea exported to countries... more Field pea is the most produced and exported pulse crop in Canada. Field pea exported to countries with tropical climates is at particular risk due to rapid deterioration. It is therefore important to develop practical strategies for safe storage of feed pea. Knowledge on spoilage characteristics of pea stored in adverse storage conditions is important in the transportation and storage of this export commodity. This study was conducted to examine the conditions that lead to quality losses in storage and transport of pea. Tropical and subtropical conditions were simulated in airtight chambers. Relative humidities (RH) of 60, 70, 80 and 90% and temperatures of 10, 20, 30 and 40°C were examined. Both whole sound pea and feed-grade pea were observed for changes in moisture content (MC) and mold appearance at different time intervals. The amount of produced carbon dioxide (CO2) was measured in airtight chambers to control the condition existing in sealed airtight chambers. Also all compon...
Bio-based plastics/ biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA) are gaining popularity, as ... more Bio-based plastics/ biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA) are gaining popularity, as matrices reinforced or filled with natural fibres to produce biodegradable composites. However, the major drawback associated with PLA is its brittleness (low flexibility). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of adding impact modifier on the physical and mechanical properties of PLA-biocomposites made of cellulose-rich biofibres (CRB). The oat hull biomass was delignified at different temperatures of 30oC and 65oC to produce two types of fibres, i.e. CRB-30 and CRB-65, respectively. Formulations with 15% and 30% CRB fibres of the total mass of biocomposites were tested. The effect of impact modifier at 15% inclusion rate was also investigated with PLA-based composites. A twin screw extruder and a compression molding machine were respectively used for compounding the formulations and product molding. The performance of the composites in all formulations was assessed ...
Can biomass fuel pellets be manufactured from agricultural straw? Studies however point out that ... more Can biomass fuel pellets be manufactured from agricultural straw? Studies however point out that agricultural straw do not bind very well during pelleting resulting in poorly formed straw pellets, which are often dusty, difficult to handle, and costly to produce. Durable biomass pellet is required in the market so that it is easier to handle and transport. Binders, when added to the biomass, help to bind particles and improve the physical quality biomass fuel pellet. Glycerol, bentonite, lignosulfonate and softwood waste were investigated in this study as binders to improve pellet strength and enhance pellet quality. The physical, chemical, mechanical and fuel properties of wheat straw pellets made with addition of different binders in different proportions were investigated. Wheat straw with glycerol (5%), bentonite (2%), lignosulfonate (2%), wood waste (10%, 20%,30%), and pretreated wood waste (10%, 20%, 30%) with glycerol (0, 5%) were compressed in a single pelleting unit at a te...
Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Journal, 2007
The compression, relaxation, and frictional (adhesion) properties of peat moss, wheat straw, oat ... more The compression, relaxation, and frictional (adhesion) properties of peat moss, wheat straw, oat hull, and flax shive grinds were evaluated. Grinds of 9 to 10% moisture (w.b.) were compressed in a heated (95°C) cylindrical plunger-die apparatus at loads of 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 4400 N (15.8, 31.6, 63.2, 94.7, 126.3, 138.9 MPa, respectively). Peat moss was the only feedstock that was able to produce cohesive pellets at the 500 N load. The Jones (1960) and Walker (1923) compression models showed that flax shives had the highest compressibility among the four grinds. Compressive loads greater than 1000 N produced a significant reduction in diametral expansion of the pellets, while loads exceeding 2000 N significantly reduced the longitudinal pellet expansion; following a 14 day assessment period. The least amount of dimensional expansion was observed for the peat moss pellets. Relaxation testing of the four grinds indicated that there was no significant difference between as...
Legumes including red lentils have soluble and insoluble fibers, resistant starch, folate and pro... more Legumes including red lentils have soluble and insoluble fibers, resistant starch, folate and proteins. The functional properties of these nutrients may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and promote the well-being of pulse consumers. Roasting of red lentils can be used to produce flour, high protein and starch fractions. Dehulling of red lentils may be improved by roasting. Roasting may improve the flavor and palatability of red lentils, and may reduce anti-nutritional factors associated with legume consumption. Little is known regarding the effects of roasting temperatures and storage on the quality characteristics such as breakage susceptibility, color and hardness of roasted red lentils. ‘Robin’ red lentils at initial moisture content of 15 to 16% were roasted at temperatures of 160, 180, and 200C for 15, 30, and 45 minutes. The roasted lentils were cooled immediately. The lentils were placed in Ziploc bags and stored at temperatures of 5C and 25C. The breakage susceptib...
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