Estudo experimental e da simulação da secagem de sementes de cornichão (Lotus corniculatus L.) em leito fluidizado

Abstract

The Rio Grande do Sul state has great prominence in pastoralist activities as a regional economy. This implies a growing need to use species of fodder seeds cool season in this region. Among the most adaptable forage seeds to the cold weather has the birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) a Winter forage legume, very versatile, with high tolerance to acid which is used in large scale in Rio Grande do Sul. The seed is the vehicle that leads to the farmer all the genetic potential of a cultivar with superior characteristics, and on their way, small amounts of seeds are multiplied until they are achieved high volume production, during which the quality of the seeds will be subject to a number factors capable of causing loss of the entire genetic potential. Faced with such a promising market, obtaining better quality seeds still has difficulties ranging from the production phase in the countryside where the seeds are harvested early in relation to the physiological maturation due to the natural loss process until its processing where the drying process is presented as a limiting step that requires particular attention to avoid losses in physiological final product. The drying operation applied to seeds aims to ensure the conservation of this product through reduction of water content. In this case where these are organic materials, reduction in water content must be performed in a well controlled manner requiring a study and analysis of operation applied to the material, since the same if performed in an uncontrolled manner may result in loss of material. In high quality drying seed production technology is taken with one of the most important steps, since it allows reducing the water content at appropriate levels for storage and marketing (12 to 15% humidity), preserves the seeds of physical and chemical changes induced by excess moisture, makes it possible to maintain the initial quality during storage and enables next harvest physiological ripeness. The use of fluidized bed dryer for implementation of the drying operation has been the subject of scientific investigation since this dryer has been recognized advantages ranging from high drying capacity for efficient mass transfer and energy until drying time reducing the speed of moisture removal and ease of controls. Given the above, this study aimed to mathematical modeling and drying simulation application in fluidized bed, followed by tests applied experimentally by tests carried out in a fluidized bed dryer made for this job. physical and physiological characterization studies were performed seeds; Modeling and Simulation of drying seeds birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) fluidized bed; making the fluidized bed experimental apparatus that is used in the drying process of the seed birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.); fluid dynamic characterization of the fluidized bed; Drying of the seeds birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) in a fluidized bed dryer; model behavior study simulated and adjustments to the trial held; analysis of parametric sensitivity of the model; study of the influence of the parameters of the drying process, the final moisture and overall mass transfer coefficient on the germination of seeds birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.). Drying study results were in the range from 9.00 to 10.22% over the final moisture on a wet basis. As regards the germination values found were in the range 72-78%. For these two answers the temperature was the most influential variable. The study of modeling and simulation showed to be effective in drying the seeds birdsfoot trefoil fluidized bed. The overall mass transfer coefficient influences significantly the levels of seed germination and increase its adverse physiology of seed birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus coniculatus L.).