ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF MORINGA OLEIFERA SEEDS RELATED TO AN OIL EXPELLER DESIGN

The aim of this research was to investigate some engineering properties of Moringa Oleifera seeds cultivated in Egypt. The properties were determined at a moisture content of seed 9.45 % (d. b.). Firstly the physical properties, the results showed that the mean values of the percentages by weight of seed parts to whole seed were 21.4 ± 2.4 and 78.6 ± 2.4 %, for kernels and husks respectively. The average values of length, width, thickness, arithmetic, and geometric mean diameter, sphericity, mass of individual seed, thousand seed mass, true density, bulk density, porosity, surface area and projected area were as follow: 13.8, 10.6, 10.3, 11.55, 11.45 mm, 84.9 %, 0.31 g, 290 g, 0.88 g/cm^3, 0.65 g/cm^3, 26.1%, 393 mm^2, and 91 mm^2 respectively. Secondly the mechanical properties, the results showed that the mean value of the angle of repose was 22.65ᵒ ± 1.1ᵒ, the coefficient of static friction for the stainless steel (304) structural surface had the lowest value (1.14) while the rubber structural surface had the highest value (2.05). The highest values of the rupture force, deformation ratio, hardness and the energy needed for rupture force were 67.5 N, 0.05, 89.75 N/mm and 36.5 N.mm while the lowest values were 35.2 N, 0.045, 58.51 N/mm and 25.9 N.mm, respectively.