Citation :

Okorie Uche Nelson, Oluka Sylvester Ike, Ugwu Kenneth Chikwado, "Rupture Variations of Cashew Nut to Compressive Loading at Different Drying and Feed Rates," International Journal of Recent Engineering Science (IJRES), vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 52-57, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23497157/IJRES-V13I1P103

Abstract

The rupture variations of cashew nuts under uniaxial compression, considering the different methods of loading, drying, and feed rate, were investigated. Cashew nuts were conditioned by sprinkling water on the surface, separated into three parts, and later dried in an oven operating at the temperature of 121 ± 1°C and relative humidity of 40 % to moisture contents of 7.30% (w.b.), 8.45% (w.b.), and 9.60% (w.b.), respectively. Three loading orientations (longitudinal, lateral, and transverse) and three loading rates (2.5, 3.5, and 4.5mm/min) were considered at three replicates using a universal testing machine. The highest and lowest average values of rupture forces required to crack cashew nut were 322 N and 224.3N, at moisture content of 8.45% and 7.30 % with loading orientations on longitudinal and transverse. It was also shown that the highest and lowest average values of rupture forces required to crack cashew nuts were 514.3 N and 237 N, at loading rates of 4.5mm/min and 2.5mm/min, with loading orientations on longitudinal and transverse. The highest average rupture deformations, rupture energy, and young modulus are 2.62mm, 1.34J, and 159.3N/mm2 at moisture content of 8.45 %, 9.60 %, and 9.60% on longitudinal, transverse, and transverse loading, respectively. The highest average rupture deformations, rupture energy, and young modulus are 3.12mm, 1.90J, and 165.3N/mm2 at loading rates of 3.5mm/min, 4.5mm/min, and 4.5mm/min on longitudinal loadings. It was discovered that rupture variations of cashew nut were dependent on the level of drying of the nut, which showed that the cashew nut at the lowest moisture content required the highest rupture force to crack the cashew nut, and the best loading pattern for cracking the nut was longitudinal, which showed the lowest rupture force.

Keywords

Rupture, Cashew Nut, Compressive Loading, Drying, Feed rates.

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