Equilibrium moisture content of beans

THESE CROPS GAIN OR LOSE MOISTURE, DEPENDING ON THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF MOISTURE IN THEM AND IN AIR SURROUNDING THEM. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED ISOTHERM DATA FOR BEANS -- THAT IS, CURVES DESCRIBING THE EQUILIBRIUM RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF BEANS AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT A SPECIFIED TEMPERATURE. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY ARE USEFUL TO STORAGE ENGINEERS ENGAGED IN DESIGNING STORAGE STRUCTURES, AND TO MANAGERS OF SUCH FACILITIES. THE STUDY RESULTS ARE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS: THE EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT FOR BEANS INVESTIGATED DECREASES WITH AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE. THE TYPE-II ISOTHERM OR SIGMOID ISOTHERM FOR BEANS IS CONSISTENT WITH THOSE FOR OTHER GRAINS FOUND BY EARLIER INVESTIGATORS. HYSTERESIS, FOR BEANS, DECREASES WITH AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE. THE RATE OF DESORPTION FOR BEANS IS A FUNCTION OF THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE. THE RATES OF DESORPTION FOR BEANS WERE HIGHER IN THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF STORAGE. THE ISOTHERM EQUATION DEVELOPED BY CHUNG AND PFOST WILL PREDICT THE EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE OF BEANS FOR A WIDE RANGE OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT A GIVEN TEMPERATURE. THE HEAT OF DESORPTION FOR BEANS WAS FOUND TO BE GREATER THAN THAT OF THE LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION OF PURE WATER. MORE TECHNICAL FINDINGS CONCERNING ISOSTERIC HEATS OF DESORPTION AND ADSORPTION FOR BEANS ARE ALSO REPORTED.