Some physical properties of taro cocoyam relevant to the design of its processing machines

Information on physical properties of cocoyam is essential for efficient development of equipment / machines for its processing. In this work, some physical properties of Taro Cocoyam (Colocassia esculenta) were investigated using standard engineering principles. The results revealed that average length, width, thickness and unit mass obtained at the sample moisture content of 70.50 ± 3.8% (w.b.) were 63.67 ± 12.91 mm, 31.88 ± 5.99 mm, 34.27 ± 6.12 mm and 52.65 ± 22.59g, respectively. The values of computed geometric mean, arithmetic mean, square mean and equivalent diameters were 40.88 ± 6.55 mm, 43.27 ± 6.79 mm, 41.88 ± 6.62 mm and 42.01 ± 6.65 mm, respectively. The value of the sample distribution skewness was -0.29. The aspect ratio, sphericity, surface area, volume, solid density, bulk density, porosity and angle of repose were 0.55 ±0.13 (dec.), 65.46 ±10.26%, 5384.85 ±1646.64 mm2 , 38449.90 ±16926.30 mm3 , 0.0014 ± 0.0003 g / mm3 , 0.00085 ± 0.00015 g / mm3 , 60.7 ± 8.40% and 32.15 ± 4.510 , respectively. The coefficient of static friction on plywood, glass and galvanized iron surfaces were 0.22 ± 0.045, 0.15 ± 0.045 and 0.19± 0.046, respectively. The values of coefficient of variation for all the parameters, except unit mass, were low. This implies that the data were uniformly dispersed around their average values.