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Title: Microwave Dielectric Properties of Cereal Grains

Author
item Trabelsi, Samir
item NELSON, STUART - Collaborator

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/24/2012
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Dielectric properties of materials represent their intrinsic electrical signature. They are needed in developing indirect methods for determining physical characteristics such as moisture content and bulk density of grains and seeds. Also, they are required in RF and microwave heating applications. For cereal grains, the dielectric properties reported in the literature are very limited, in particular those above the 2.45 Gigahertz. In this paper, results of measurement of dielectric properties of five cereal grains (wheat, corn, barley, oats, and grain sorghum) at 23 degree Celsius and a broad microwave frequency range (5 GHz to 15 GHz) are tabulated for moisture level of interest to the grain industry and bulk densities close to the corresponding test weight. The data were collected with a state of the art microwave system to ensure a high level of accuracy. The data collected constitute a useful database that can be used by engineers and scientists in the development of sensing and heating applications

Technical Abstract: Dielectric properties of five cereal grains (wheat, corn, barley, oats, and grain sorghum) were 19 measured at 23 oC over broad microwave frequency range (5 GHz to 15 GHz) with a free-space-transmission 20 technique. Results of dielectric properties measurement are tabulated for each material for moisture ranges of 21 interest to the grain industry and bulk densities that are close to the corresponding test weight.