DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF PEANUT PODS AND SEED AT 915 AND 2450 MHZ

Authors: BOLDOR, DORIN - NC STATE UNIVERSITY; Sanders, Timothy

Submitted to: International Conference on Microwave and High Frequency Heating
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2003
Publication Date: 12/31/2003
Citation: Boldor, D., Sanders, T.H. 2003. Dielectric properties of peanut pods and seed at 915 and 2450 mhz. International Conference on Microwave and High Frequency Heating.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dielectric properties of ground samples of high moisture peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) pods and seed were measured for several densities, temperatures and moisture contents at 915 and 2450 MHz. Dielectric mixture equations were used to correlate the dielectric constant and dielectric loss with density. The coefficients of the quadratic and linear dielectric mixture equations were calculated for different temperatures and moisture contents. The values of the dielectric constants and loss factors of the heterogeneous mix of air and bulk peanut pods and seed were determined by extrapolation of the first and second-order polynomials that relate the dielectric constants and loss factors with the density. Dielectric properties of peanuts were affected by both temperature and moisture content. Moisture content had a more significant effect at values above 19% while temperature seemed to be more important at lower moisture contents. An equation that determines the dielectric properties of bulk peanut pods and seed as a function of their temperature and moisture content at both frequencies was determined using multiple linear regression.