Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Abstract:
The specific heat, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of doum palm fruit were determined as a function of moisture content which varies from 24.05 to 67.59%. The specific heat and thermal conductivity were found to have a range of 1496.46 - 2966.67 J/kg K and 0.1671 - 0.3338 W/mK respectively. Their values increased linearly with increasing moisture content values at 0.05 level of significance. Specific heat and thermal conductivity were found to be moisture dependent. A non-linear relationship was established between thermal diffusivity and moisture content in the above moisture range, within the temperature range of 334 - 337K. The values obtained for these thermal properties could be useful in heat treatment of doum palm fruit.

Keywords: Thermal conductivity, specific heat, moisture content, thermal diffusivity

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