Effects of moisture content on some engineering properties of two varieties of safflower seed

The physical and engineering properties of bulk materials such as safflower are important to design the equipment for processing, transportation, sorting, separation and storing. In this study some engineering and physical properties of two varieties of safflower seed including principal dimensions, sphericity, geometric mean diameter, kernel volume, unit mass, bulk density, true density, porosity, terminal velocity and coefficient of static friction against different surfaces were evaluated as a function of moisture content in the range of 7 to 30% (w.b.). The results showed that all the physical properties of safflower seed to be dependent on their moisture content. An increasing relationship was found between principal dimensions, geometric mean diameter, unit mass, true density, porosity and moisture content in safflower seed while bulk density decreased with increase in moisture content. Terminal velocity and the coefficient of static friction increased linearly against all the tested surfaces as the moisture content increased. Individual volume and angle of repose for filling and emptying increased linearly with increasing of moisture content for both varieties. © 2007 AAAE.