Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ali Esehaghbeygi Author-Name: Zahra Karimi Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology 84156-83111, Isfahan, Iran Title: Electrohydrodynamic, oven and natural drying of mint leaves and effects on the physiochemical indices of the leaves Abstract: Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) enhanced the thin-layer drying of mint (Mentha Spicata Huds) leaves using multiple point-to-plate electrodes. Its configurations were carried out under DC high voltage and its effects were compared to oven drying at 40 °C and open-air-drying with natural convection at 25 °C. The EHD was run in an optimum electric field of 3.2 kV.cm-1 using positive ionising conical needles to a plate electrode covered by a steel screen grid to prevent the leaves drifting. The samples subjected to the EHD and oven exhibited faster drying kinetics than natural convection. Compared to the oven drying, the EHD electrical power consumption was negligible. The EHD method developed fewer undesirable changes in the colour features and the leaves' total chlorophyll, whereas the oven-dried sample colour underwent a significant change in colour. The samples dried by EHD had lower active microorganisms. The empirical modelling, based on the maximum value of R2 and the minimum value of RMSE and SSE between the experimental and predicted moisture ratios, showed that the diffusion and logarithmic models were the best models for describing the EHD and oven drying behaviour of the mint leaves. Keywords: corona, EHD, modelling, thin layer Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 81-88 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2020 DOI: 10.17221/16/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/16/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202003-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:66:y:2020:i:3:id:16-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Chibuzo Stanley Nwankwo Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Collage of Food Technology and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria Author-Name: Chigozie Francis Okoyeuzu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria Author-Name: Ikpeama Ahamefula Author-Workplace-Name: National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria Title: Efficiency of a modified plastic tank as a bio-degradation system in Sub-Saharan African countries Abstract: The efficiency of three modified plastic digesters (3.6 m3 each) using food waste for biogas generation in cooking food was evaluated. The experiment was laid out based on a completely randomised design. A plastic tank was modified as a biodegradation system for food waste digestion to generate a biogas. The biochemical and chemical oxygen demand ranged from 44.58 to 49.62% and 130.42 to 139.20%, respectively, before digestion, but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after digestion. The pH of the fermenting slurry fluctuated (6.24-6.86) and an average biogas of 0.574 m3 (505-601 L.day-1) per day was generated from the three experimental waste proportions which would be sufficient to cook three meals per day for 3 to 4 people. The methane gas significantly increased (P < 0.05) while the carbon-dioxide significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at the peak of the biogas production. The generated biogas significantly cooked (P < 0.05) faster than kerosene, but not faster than liquefied petroleum gas. The flammable biogas generation and high significant (P <0.05) percentage change in the physico-chemical properties of the wastes after digestion implied high efficiency performance of the digesters modified from the plastic tanks. Keywords: biodigester, biogas, cassava, cow dung, methane Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 89-96 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2020 DOI: 10.17221/21/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/21/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202003-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:66:y:2020:i:3:id:21-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Farel Ahadyatulakbar Aditama Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Author-Name: Lalu Zulfikri Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Author-Name: Laili Mardiana Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Author-Name: Tri Mulyaningsih Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Author-Name: Nurul Qomariyah Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Author-Name: Rahadi Wirawan Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia Title: Electronic nose sensor development using ANN backpropagation for Lombok Agarwood classification Abstract: The aim of the present study is the development of an electronic nose system prototype for the classification of Gyrinops versteegii agarwood. The prototype consists of three gas sensors, i.e., TGS822, TGS2620, and TGS2610. The data acquisition and quality classification of the nose system are controlled by the Artificial Neural Network backpropagation algorithm in the Arduino Mega2650 microcontroller module. The testing result shows that an electronic nose can distinguish the quality of Gyrinops versteegii agarwood. The good-quality agarwood has an output of [1 -1], while the poor-quality agarwood has an output of [-1 1]. Keywords: prototype, gas sensor, arduino, quality, Gyrinops versteegii Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 97-103 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2020 DOI: 10.17221/26/2020-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/26/2020-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202003-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:66:y:2020:i:3:id:26-2020-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Oluwaseyi Kayode Fadele Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal Collage of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Author-Name: Ademola Olagoke Afolabi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal Collage of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Author-Name: Dolapo Opeyemi Oloyede Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal Collage of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Author-Name: Olufemi Olusola Adedire Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal Collage of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Author-Name: Hafsat Bankole Author-Workplace-Name: Trial Afforestation Research Station Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Author-Name: Adeniyi Adetunji Author-Workplace-Name: Vocational Studies Department, Federal Collage of Forestry Mechanization Afaka Kaduna, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Title: Specific energy consumption of a Moringa oleifera seed shelling machine Abstract: In this work, the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) and machine capacity for a Moringa oleifera seed shelling machine were determined in relation to the cylinder speed and seed sizes. A M. oleifera seed shelling machine was tested and the SEC was appraised. The SEC and machine capacity of the M. oleifera seed shelling machine were determined at five speed levels, viz. 200, 240, 280, 320 and 360 rpm using three seed sizes (viz. small, medium and large seed sizes). The SEC and machine capacity increased with the seed sizes during the shelling process. The same trend was observed for the relationship between the SEC and cylinder speed. The minimum values obtained for the SEC using the small, medium and large M. oleifera seed sizes were 31.25, 40.07 and 54.22 Wh.kg-1, respectively, at a cylinder speed of 200 rpm while the maximum values obtained for the small, medium and large seed sizes were 58.01, 74.37 and 100.63 Wh.kg-1, respectively, at a cylinder speed of 360 rpm. The optimum values obtained for the machine capacity were 14.58, 11.38 and 8.41 kg×h-1 using the small, medium and large seed sizes, respectively. Conclusively, this study shows that the SEC and machine capacity were affected by the variation in the cylinder speed and seed sizes. Keywords: power rating, cylinder speed, moringa seed, machine capacity, seed sizes Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 104-111 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2020 DOI: 10.17221/81/2019-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/81/2019-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202003-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:66:y:2020:i:3:id:81-2019-RAE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: El-Sayed Khater Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Qalyobia, Egypt Author-Name: Ramy Hamouda Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Qalyobia, Egypt Author-Name: Harby Mostafa Title: Changes of root zone temperature, growth and productivity of broccoli cultivated with coloured plastic mulches Abstract: The main aim is to find out the influence of using coloured plastic mulches (blue, white, green, red, black and white on black) compared with a mulch-free treatment on the root zone temperature, growth and productivity of broccoli. The results indicated that the highest and lowest mean root zone temperatures were recorded the in the dark-coloured mulches (blue, green, red and white on black) and in the light-coloured mulches (white), respectively, in both the winter and spring seasons. The average shoot length, leaf number and root volume of the broccoli for all the treatments was higher in the spring season compared with those of the winter season. The highest marketable head fresh weight values were 449.6 and 451.0 g found in the black mulch, while the lowest values were 391.4 and 397.5 g found in the winter and spring seasons for the red mulch, respectively. The N, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations in the broccoli heads ranged from 2.0 to 2.8%, 0.9 to 1.0%, 2.7 to 3.6%, 1.9 to 5.9% and 0.5 to 0.89%, respectively, for all the treatments. Keywords: soil cover, soil heat, plant root, nutrients uptake Journal: Research in Agricultural Engineering Pages: 112-121 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2020 DOI: 10.17221/84/2019-RAE File-URL: http://rae.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/84/2019-RAE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/rae-202003-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:66:y:2020:i:3:id:84-2019-RAE