MOISTURE CONTENT AND EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF AGRIC.

PRODUCTS

This standard gives data and equations on moisture relations for agricultural products. The information is
used in crop drying calculations and in design and analysis of storage systems for the products.

Wet-basis and dry-basis moisture content

Wet-basis moisture content (mwb)

mwb = ( mw/mt ) x 100 , in % where, mw = mass of water in the product

mt = total mass of the fresh product

mt = mw + md

md = mass of dry matter of product

Dry-basis moisture content (mdb)

mdb = (mw/md) x100 in %

Relationship between mwb and mdb

mwb = 100mdb/(100+mdb)

mdb = 100mwb/(100- mwb)

Moisture removal in drying

Amount of moisture removed in drying from mwb1to mwb2 is given as;

(mwb1-mwb2)/(100-mwb2) x mt

Final dried weight of the product = (100-mwb1) /(100-mwb2) x mt

Ex1.

Find the amount of moisture to be removed in drying 2000kg of maize initially at 25%
moisture content wb to 14% moisture content wb. Find also the weight of the dried maize.

Soln:

Weght of moisture in the 2000kg maize

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Mw(25%) = mwb xmt/100 = 25/100 x2000 = 500kg

Then the dry matter

md = mt-mw = 2000-500 = 1500 kg

Final quantity of moisture after drying at 14%

Mwb = mw(14%) /(mw(14%) + md) x100

mw(14%) = md xmwb/100-mwb

mw(14%) = 1500 x14/100-14 = 244kg

Total moisture to be removed = moisture weight at25% - moisture weight 14%

= 500-244 = 256kg

The weight of the dried maize = weight of dried maize + weight of moisture(14%)

1500 + 244 = 1744 kg

Use the formulae given above to calculate the same parameter.

Ex2.

A commercial bakery is mixing the dry ingredients for cake. They combine 100kg of flour at
11% mc-wb with 100kg of sugar at 0.5%mc-wb and 4.9kg of dried skimmed milk at
2.5%mc-wb. Estimate the moisture content of the blended dry ingredients.

Soln: calculate the weight of water in each ingredient

- Flour = 11/100 x100 kg = 11kg

- Sugar = 0.5 /100 x100kg = 0.5kg
- Dried milk = 2.5/100 x4.9kg = 0.1225kg

Total weight of the mixture = 100 + 100+ 4.9 = 204.9kg

Total weight of moisture calculated = 11+ 0.5+ 0.1225 = 11.6225kg

Mwb = 11.6225/204.9 x100 = 5.57%

Moisture content determination procedure

Two methods used, the primary or direct method and the secondary or indirect method.

In primary or oven method, samples are ground and dried in an air or vacuum oven at a
temperature close to boiling point of water for a prescribed time. The loss in sample weight is

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considered to be moisture. The temperature and drying time varies from material to material,
eg. Grains and livestock feed: 95 to 100 0C for 5hrs in vacuum oven or 134 to 139 oC in air
oven. Another direct methods alternative includes;

Infra-red lamp method

An infra-red lamp or a 250Watt bulb with fitting, weighing scale and can is required. The
ground sample is weighed and placed in the can underneath the lamp. The heat transmitted by
the lamp causes the water inside the product to evaporate. After 10-30minutes depending on
the product, the sample is weighed again. Then the moisture content is calculated as in the
formula above.

Oil immersion method

Vegetable oil, thermometer, container (tall with narrow opening at the top), fitted with wire
to hold the thermometer, stove and weighing balance require. Weigh 100gm of sample and
put it in the container together with the oil, a wire net above the seeds prevents them from
spilling over during boiling, use enough oil to cover the seeds. Thermometer is inserted and
the whole apparatus is weighed. The whole apparatus is then heated on a stove until the
temperature has reached 190oC. Then the whole apparatus is weighed again, the difference in
weight equal to amount of water in the product.

Secondary methods make use of such devices as electrical resistance and dielectric whose
outputs are related to the moisture content of the product being tested.

Equilibrium moisture content

The equilibrium moisture properties are importance in storage and drying. If the relative
humidity of air in contact with materials is higher than the equilibrium relative humidity of
the material at its current moisture content, the material will increase in moisture content, the
moisture content at the air relative humidity being the value approached. An air relative
humidity lower than the equilibrium relative humidity will result in loss of moisture from the
material. These properties varies with temperature and product type (fig1-2). The following
sorption isotherm equations are used in estimating the equilibrium moisture content and
relative humidity of products.

(a) Modified Henderson equation

RH = 1- exp [-A(T+C).(mdb)B]

(b) Modified Chung-Pfost equation

RH= exp[- A/T+C .exp(-B.mdb)]

( c) Modified Halsey equation

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 RH= exp[ exp(A+B.T)/(mdb)C]

Where;

T= temperature oC

RH = relative humidity , decimal

mdb = dry basis moisture content %

A,B,C are constant depending on the type of product

Table1:Isotherm equation constant for some agric. Products

Products Equation A B C
Corn
Shelled corn Henderson 6.661e-5 1.9677 42.143
Chung pfost 374.34 0.18662 31.696
Pop corn Henderson 1.5593e-4 1.5978 60.754
Chung pfost 285.67 0.14845 44.184
Ear corn Henderson 6.4424e-5 2.0855 22.15
Chung pfost 447.05 0.1872 30.445
Rice
Rough rice
Long grain Henderson 4.1276e-5 2.1191 49.828
Chung pfost 412.02 0.17528 39.016
Medium grain Henderson 3.5502e-5 2.31 27.396
Chung pfost 363.06 0.1804 26.674
Short grain Henderson 4.8524e-5 2.0794 45.646
Chung pfost 433.88 0.1686 48.282

Ex.

Determine the equilibrium moisture content of shelled corn at 30 oC and 70% RH using
Henderson and Chung Pfost equations and compare the results.

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Figure1 – Equilibrium moisture content, yellow dent corn

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Figure2 – Equilibrium moisture content, rough rice

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