MODULE

INTRODUCTION
TO ENGINEERING
PROPERTIES OF AB
MATERIALS
Module Overview
This module will discuss and explain the different properties of AB materials, its concept
and importance.

Module Objectives/ Outcomes: By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:
 To define properties of different AB materials
 To describe and explain the basic properties and characteristics of AB materials
 To describe each of the fundamental concepts and determine the importance of AB
materials

Lessons:
1. Importance and Significance of AB Materials
2. Properties of AB Materials

Time Frame: 2 weeks

Introduction:
This module will give information on properties of AB materials. It discusses the
importance and significance of each properties.

Activity:

Direction:
List words (as many as you can) that comes into your mind when you hear/read the word
AB materials.
From the words listed on the above activity, choose only one word and explain its
significance/applicability on AB Materials properties?
Abstraction:

LESSONS: IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF AB MATERIALS

Engineering properties are the properties which are useful and necessary in the design
and operation of equipment employed in the field of agricultural processing. They are also
useful for design and development of other farm machinery.
Unit operations such as cleaning, grading, drying, dehydration, storage, milling,
handling and transportation, thermal processing of foods is among the important operations
in agricultural processing. In these operations while handling of grains and other
commodities the properties which play and important role are physical, mechanical,
electrical and optical properties of the AB materials.
Basic information on the properties of agricultural and biological materials/products
is of great importance and help for the engineers, food scientists and processors towards
efficient process and equipment development.

LESSON 2. PROPERTIES OF AB MATERIALS

2.1. . Physical Properties

These are the properties that determine the visible appearance of materials - shape,
size, volume, surface area, density, bulk density, true density and porosity.
Determining the size and shape for instance is useful in handling, separation and
storage. In sizing grain hoppers and storage facilities, bulk density, true density and
porosity (the ratio of intergranular space to the total space occupied by the grain) can be
useful; they can also influence the rate of heat and mass transfer of moisture during
aeration and drying processes.
 The shape of product is an important parameter which affects conveying
characteristics of solid materials by air or water. Shape is also considered in calculation
of various cooling and heating loads of food materials.
The frontal area and the related diameters are essential for determination of
terminal velocity Reynold’s number and drag coefficient. The density and specific
gravity are needed for calculating the thermal diffusivity in heart transfer operations, in
determining Reynold’s number, in pneumatic and hydraulic handling of the agricultural
materials.
The surface characteristics, colour and appearance are exploited for selective
separation and storage of fruits and vegetables. Some of the important physical
properties are described below.

2.2. . Mechanical properties

These are properties that describe the behaviour of biological materials under
load (either tensile or compressive), or upon impact ion a surface. This is where you
have properties like compressive strength and tensile strength and coefficient of
restitution.
Mechanical properties of a material are useful in size reduction and conveying
operations.

2.3. . Di-electric properties

Materials' dielectric properties largely determine the materials behavior when

exposed to or microwave fields for purposes of heating or drying the materials.

Dielectric properties of a material vary with several factors. For AB materials the
amount of water is generally a dominant factor. Also depend on the frequency of the
applied alternating electric field, the temperature of the materials, and on the density
and structure of the materials.
2.4 Electrical properties
Some electrical properties which are important in agro processing are electrical
conductance, resistance, impedance.
Electrical conductance or capacitance has been used for determining the moisture
content of grain. Electrostatic separation of grains is also used for separating grains,
based on the ability of the grain to hold electrostatic charge.
Electrical conductivity of the grain decides the ability of the material to hold
electrostatic charge. Recently ohmic heating has been in use for drying, pasteurization,
blanching and other thermal processing of AB materials, based on resistance heating.
Ohmic processing, sometimes described as resistive heating, consists of passing mains
alternating current directly through a conductive food, which in turn leads to heat
generation. Because heating accompanies the current; heat distribution throughout the
product is far more rapid and even, which in turn can result in better flavor retention
and particulate integrity compared to conventional processes. The efficiency of ohmic
heating is dependent on the conductive nature of the food to be processed and hence
knowledge of the conductivity of the food as a whole and its components is essential in
designing a successful heating process.

2.5 Optical properties

Optical properties are related to consumer judgment on food appearance and
produce some kind of visual effect. The following can be defined as color, gloss and
translucency.
Light transmittance and reflectance properties of AB materials are used for
sorting, grading, maturity, surface colour and blemish determination.
The use of hyperspectral, multispectral, infrared imaging and computer vision
system have enabled even determination of moisture and other chemical composition,
contamination of agro commodities to greater satisfaction of consumer and trader and
reduced the
 manual inspection, which might be subjected to error due to fatigue. These systems
offer the potential to automate manual grading practices and thus to standardize
techniques and eliminate tedious inspection tasks. The automated inspection of
produce using machine vision not only results in labour savings, but also can improve
inspection, objectivity.

References:
Characteristics, P., Properties, M., Properties, T., & Properties, E. (n.d.). Physical , Optical and
Electrical Properties of Food material.
Luther, R., Suter, D. A., & Technology, P. E. (2005). Physical Properties of Food Materials. 23–
52.
Nelson, S. O. (1973). Electrical Properties of Agricultural Products - a Critical Review.
Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 16(2), 384–400.
https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.37527
https://steemit.com/steemstem/@sogless/properties-of-biological-materials- difference-
between-an-agricultural-engineer-a-mechanical-engineer-in- machine-design)
http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=1007
Application:

1. Sitesomesituationoroperationswerethe
properties (15points)
of ABmaterialsareconsidered.

2. What are the different properties of AB materials? Discuss each property. (15points)

MODULE ASSESSMENT

Direction: Answer the following questions. Write your answer in a clean bond paper.
Part 1: (20 points)

1. Discuss the importance of each property of AB materials in the agricultural processing

operation. How does it affect in the operation.

2. Select one operation in agricultural processing, discuss what properties of AB materials is

needed to be considered in the operation.

Part 2: Laboratory Exercise No. 1: Lab Safety and the Use of Personal Protective Equipment (120
points)