FST559

UNIT OPERATIONS

LABORATORY REPORT

TITLE OF EXPERIMENT:

EXPERIMENT 2: MEASUREMENT OF EQUIVALENT RADIUS, BULK

DENSITY AND SOLID DENSITY OF GRANULAR MATERIALS

PREPARED BY : JAZMINA BINTI AZMAN (2022912505)

GROUP PARTNERS : NUR AMELYA BINTI MOHD FAUZI

(2022745823)
: NUR AMIRA AISYA BINTI AMIR SHARIFUDIN
(2022912935)
GROUP : AS2463C

DATE OF EXPERIMENT : 21st OCTOBER 2022

DATE OF SUBMISSION : 31st OCTOBER 2022

INSTRUCTOR’S NAME : TS DR. SO’BAH BINTI AHMAD

Objectives:

1. To measure the equivalent radius, bulk density and solid density of granular
materials.

Background:

The composition of granular materials is consisting of grains of particles of solids with

interstitial spaces which is known as the spaces between the particles. The material
is categorized as a powder if the grains are small enough. The solid density (ρs) is the
density of the material in the grains, used to determine the floating or sinking of
material in water; the particle may or may not contain air. While the bulk density (ρb)
is another important property for storage and transportation, rather than a separation
process. It is defined as the mass divided by the total volume occupied by the material.
This total volume includes air trapped between particles. The volume fraction trapped
between the particles is known as the porosity,

𝜌𝑠 − 𝜌𝑏
Ɛ=
𝜌𝑠

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Methodology:

1. 400 of beans were counted and weight was recorded (M).

2. The beans were placed in 100 ml measuring cylinder (A). The reading of the
cylinder was recorded (V).
3. A certain amount of cooking oil was measured into a 50 ml measuring cylinder
(B). The initial reading of the cylinder (B) was recorded (v1).

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 4. The cooking oil was poured into the measuring cylinder (A) until all the beans
are submerged in oil. The final reading of the cylinder (B) was recorded (v2).
5. The volume of cooking oil that was poured into measuring cylinder (B), is
calculated using v = (v1-v2) ml.

Data and Analysis of Results:

Table 2.1: Data of equivalent radius, solid density, bulk density and porosity of
granular materials.

Red beans Green beans Soybeans

Weight of 400 beans, M (kg) 0.09467 0.02106 0.06806

Volume of 400 beans + Void 116 26 98

spaces, V (ml)
Initial reading of cylinder v1 50 50 50
(ml)
Final reading of cylinder v2 0 39 12
(ml)
Volume of void spaces, v = 50 11 38
v1-v2 (ml)

(V-v) × 10-6 m3 6.6 × 10-5 1.5 × 10-5 6.0 × 10-5

Equivalent radius, r (mm) 0.0034 0.0021 0.0033

Solid density, ρs (kg/m3) 1434.39 1404 1134.33

Bulk density, ρb (kg/m3) 816.12 810 694.49

Porosity, Ɛ 0.4310 0.4231 0.3878

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Calculation:

Radius of bean

Let r mm be radius of a bean, therefore

4𝜋𝑟 3
400 ( ) = (𝑉 − 𝑣) × 10−6 𝑚3
3

1. Red beans:

4𝜋𝑟 3
400 ( ) = 6.6 × 10−5 𝑚3
3

4πr3 / 3 = 6.6 × 10-5 / 400

4πr3 = 1.65 × 10-7 (3) / 4π

3
r = √3.9391 × 10−8

r = 3.4025 × 10-3 mm

r = 0.0034mm

2. Green beans:

4𝜋𝑟 3
400 ( ) = 1.5 × 10−5 𝑚3
3

4πr3 / 3 = 1.5 × 10-5 / 400

4πr3 = 3.75 × 10-8 (3) / 4π

3
r = √8.9525 × 10−9

r = 2.0764 × 10-3 mm

r = 0.0021 mm

3. Soybeans:

4𝜋𝑟 3
400 ( ) = 6.0 × 10−5 𝑚3
3

5
 4πr3 / 3 = 6.0 × 10-5 / 400

4πr3 = 1.5 × 10-7 (3) / 4π

3
r = √3.5810 × 10−8

r = 3.2961 × 10-3 mm

r = 0.0033 mm

Solid density (ρs) and bulk density (ρb) of bean

𝑀𝑘𝑔
Solid density of bean (ρs) = (𝑉−𝑣)×10−6𝑚3

𝑀𝑘𝑔
Bulk density of bean (ρb) = 𝑉×10−6 𝑚3

1. Red bean
0.09467 𝑘𝑔 0.09467 𝑘𝑔
(ρs) = 6.6×10−5𝑚3 (ρb) = 116×10−6 𝑚3

= 1434.39 kgm-3 = 816.12 kgm-3

2. Green beans
0.02106 𝑘𝑔 0.02106 𝑘𝑔
(ρs) = 1.5 ×10−5𝑚3 (ρb) = 26×10−6 𝑚3

= 1404 kgm-3 = 810 kgm-3

3. Soybeans
0.06806 𝑘𝑔 0.06806 𝑘𝑔
(ρs) = 6.0×10−5𝑚3 (ρb) = 98×10−6 𝑚3

= 1134.33 kgm-3 = 694.49 kgm-3

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Porosity

𝜌𝑠−𝜌𝑏
Porosity = Ɛ =
𝜌𝑠

1. Red bean
1434.39−816.12
=
1434.39
= 0.4310

2. Green bean

1404 − 810
=
1404
= 0.4231

3. Soybeans
1134.33 − 694.49
=
1134.33

= 0.3878

Discussion:

From this experiment, it was conducted to study the radius, bulk density and
solid density of granular materials. Firstly, 400 of red beans, green beans and
soybeans were calculated and weighed. Then, the volume of 400 beans were
measured using measuring cylinder. Next, the initial and final volume of cooking oil
used to submerge the beans were recorded, and the volume of void spaces were
obtained from the differences of final and initial reading. Equivalent radius can be
defined as the radius of a sphere-shaped particle having the same value of solution
property as that of the macromolecule under consideration. The particles have the
same settling velocity and same density for a given sedimentary particle in the same
fluid. The equivalent radius, r of beans was calculated by using the formula, 400
4𝜋𝑟 3
( ) = (𝑉 − 𝑣) × 10−6 𝑚3. Based on the table 2.1 above, the radius obtained for red
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bean, green bean and soybean are 0.0034 mm, 0.0021 mm and 0.0033 mm. Red

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bean has the largest value of radius, followed by soybean and green bean, the
smallest radius.

Next, the value of solid density for red beans, green beans and soybeans were
𝑀𝑘𝑔
calculated by applying the (ρs) = formula. Solid density is known as the
(𝑉−𝑣)×10−6 𝑚3

ratio of mass to its unit volume, it does not include the intergranular air space (air
trapped between the particles). From this experiment, red beans has the highest value
of solid density with 1434.39 kgm-3. This is because, red beans has the highest value
of difference between the final and initial reading of cooking oil which is 50 ml (volume
of void spaces, v). Next, the second parameter is bulk density. It is the weight of the
material which includes the intergranular air space (air trapped between the particles)
in unit volume or in other word, the mass or weight per unit volume. In this experiment,
𝑀𝑘𝑔
the bulk density was determined using (ρb) = formula. The largest value of
𝑉×10−6 𝑚3

bulk density obtained from the experiment is red bean with the value of 816.12 kgm-3
due to the highest value of volume, V compared to the green beans and soybeans.

Next, porosity is another parameter used in this experiment. Porosity can be

described as the ratio of the volume or air to the total volume of the food. Porosity can
be computed using the solid density and bulk density parameters by applying the
𝜌𝑠−𝜌𝑏
Ɛ= formula. Based on the results obtained, the sample that has the highest
𝜌𝑠

value of porosity or the most porous sample is red bean with 0.4310 and the lowest
value of porosity, the least porous sample is soybean with the value of 0.3878. The
bulk density is inversely proportional to the porosity. This means, the higher the value
of bulk density, the lower the value of porosity. While the solid density is directly
proportional to the porosity, as solid density increases, porosity increases.

There were few possible errors while conducting this experiment which led to
the inaccuracies in the experiment. The first error could be random error, there may
be some variability and inaccuracy when taking the reading of volume using measuring
cylinder. Another error may be due to human error such as miscalculations when
calculating the beans. Lastly is environmental error when measuring the mass of the
beans on a scale. The external condition such as laboratory may be windy causing the
scale to read inaccurately.

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 The precautions have been considered to avoid these errors. The first error can
be reduced by making sure the eyes is perpendicular to the reading scale. Another
method, multiple reading can be taken to obtain the average value. The second error
can be minimized by doing repetitive calculation of beans. The last error can be
reduced by taking multiple measurements and the average value mass of beans.

The structural properties of food material is one of an important quality

parameter to characterize and predict the quality of processed products. The structure
of food material can be analyzed by several parameters such as solid density, bulk
density and porosity. The bulk density focusses and concern more on powdered and
porous materials. It can be determined by the mass of the sample and its volume. This
parameter is widely used in granular materials. To determine the structural properties
of a material or a product, it is based on the mass, volume and true volume
determination. Mass can be obtained by measuring the sample’s weight. For the
apparent volume and true volume, several methods can be used. The method that
been used in the experiment to obtain apparent volume is buoyant force method. The
determination of apparent volume is computed by measuring the buoyant force applied
on the sample when the coated sample is submerged in a known liquid which is
cooking oil. There are various applications of solid density, bulk density and porosity
in food. One of the best examples is the determination of the amount of the powder
that can be fitted in a space such as a hopper or a blender on a capsule filler or a
tablet press.

Conclusion:

The objectives of this experiment were achieved. The experiment was conducted to
measure the equivalent radius, bulk density and solid density of three granular
materials which are red beans, green beans and soybeans. From the results gained,
the equivalent radius, r of red beans is 0.0034 mm with the solid density of 1434.39
kgm-3 and bulk density of 816.12 kgm-3. These value results in 0.4310 for porosity of
red beans. Next, the equivalent radius, r for green beans is 0.0021 mm with the solid
density 1404 kgm-3 and bulk density of 810 kgm-3 brings to 0.4231 porosity. Lastly, the
equivalent radius, r for soybeans obtained is 0.0033 mm with the solid density of
1134.33 kgm-3 and bulk density of 694.49 kgm-3 that results in 0.3878 of porosity.

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References:

Joardder, M. U. H., Kumar, C., & Karim, M. A. (2017). Prediction of porosity of food

materials during drying: Current challenges and directions. Critical Reviews in Food

Science and Nutrition, 58(17), 2896–2907. Retrieved from:

https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1345852

Qiu, J., Khalloufi, S., Martynenko, A., Van Dalen, G., Schutyser, M., & Almeida-Rivera, C.

(2015). Porosity, Bulk Density, and Volume Reduction During Drying: Review of

Measurement Methods and Coefficient Determinations. Drying Technology, 33(14),

1681–1699. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2015.1036289

Qiu, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, G. G. Z., Yu, L., & Mantri, R., V. (2016). Developing Solid Oral

Dosage Forms: Pharmaceutical Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

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