Engineering Properties of African Mahogany (Khaya Senegalensis) Seeds Relevant To Processing

Abstract

Khaya Senegalensis (African mahogany) seeds have been discovered to be a rich source of oil that can be used for domestic and industrial purposes. As a first step in developing processes and machine for the extraction of oil from the seeds, some physical properties namely: size, sphericity and roundness, surface area, weight, volume and density, bulk density, porosity, angle of repose and coefficient of friction (on wood and steel) and specific heat capacity were determined. The seeds which are commonly found in Adamawa state were sampled and subjected to physical property test at a moisture content of 12.20% wet basis. Major, intermediate and minor diameter varied from 14.49 to 20.59 mm, 9.47 to 13.58 mm and 0.79 to 2.60 mm respectively, while sphericity and roundness varied from 0.34 to 0.48 and 0.43 to 0.75. Volume and density values varied from 0.20 to 0.24 cm 3 and 0.56 to 1.34 g/cm 3 while the weight varied from 0.10 to 0.259. Surface area, bulk density and porosity varied from 31.41 to 66.42 mm 2 , 0.40 to 0.45 g/cm 3 and 0.42 to 0.56 respectively, while the values for coefficient of friction and angle of repose for wood and plywood varied from 0.466 to 0.601 (for plywood), 0.510 to 0.554 (steel) and 25 0 to 32 0 (plywood) and 27 0 to 29 0 C steel respectively. Specific heat value varied from 20.77 to 32.85 KJ/Kg 0 C. These results are necessary as design parameters when designing equipment for processing the seed.