Design of a seed extractor using the physical and mechanical properties of cucumber fruits

Abstract

Abstract

The aim of this investigation is to study some physical and mechanical properties of cucumber fruits to help the design of handling machines for seed production. The physical and mechanical properties of cucumber fruits are used to develop of a seed-extractor.

The main results in this study can be summarized as follows:

Physical properties of cucumber fruits: fruit diameter = 50 -  68, 60 - 76 and 56  - 75 mm, fruit length = 169 – 291, 230 – 315 and 180 – 295 mm, fruit mass = 210 – 540, 235 – 595 and 290 – 585 g/ fruit, number of seeds per fruit in = 350 – 580, 410 – 590 and 355 – 560, bulk density = 1.37, 1.30 and 1.40 g/cm³  and real density =   0.49, 0.44 and 0.45 g/cm³ for  “Beta-alpha”, “Hayel” and “Bahi” varieties respectively, bulb mass per fruit = 250 – 550 g/fruit, seed mass per fruit= 15 – 40 g/fruit, rind thickness = 7 – 10 mm and fruit volume = 200 – 500 cm³ for all tested varieties, .

Mechanical properties of cucumber fruits: penetration forces = 39.2 – 42.5, N, firmness = 90.1 99.1 100.9 N/cm² and axial shear-force = 41.5 - 43 N for tested “Beta-alpha”, “Hayel” and “Bahi” varieties.

The physical and mechanical properties are used to design of a seed-extractor is given also in this paper.