Determination of thermal properties of the Cavendish banana peel as a function of temperature and moisture

Abstract

The three most important characteristics of heat transfer in materials are thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity. The thermal conductivity of banana peel was measured with a linear heat source. The specific heat of banana peel was obtained with a calorimeter. The thermal diffusivity coefficients were obtained by using mathematical equations. The results showed that the effect of moisture content and temperature on the thermal conductivity coefficients, specific heat and thermal diffusivity coefficients was significant at 1%. By increasing temperature, the thermal conductivity coefficients have increased in all moisture content. By reducing the moisture content the thermal conductivity coefficients were reduced in all temperature level. Highest thermal diffusivity coefficients took placed in 85.39 (w.b.%) moisture content and 45˚C temperature. The lowest thermal diffusivity happened at moisture content of 65.58 (w.b.%) and 35˚C temperature. The lowest specific heat value was in moisture 65.58 (w.b.%) and the temperature 25˚C. Also increasing the moisture content and temperature has increased the thermal diffusivity coefficients.