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Modelling of rheological behaviour of macaíba pulp at different temperatures1 1 Research developed at Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil

Modelagem do comportamento reológico da polpa de macaíba em diferentes temperaturas

HIGHLIGHTS:

The rheological behaviour of macaíba pulp can be represented by the Mizrahi-Berk equation.

The fluid behaviour index (n) was below unity, characterizing a pseudoplastic behaviour for the macaíba pulp.

The effect of temperature can be evaluated using the Arrhenius-type equation for the viscous flow of the macaíba pulp.

ABSTRACT

Fruit pulps undergo temperature variations during processing, leading to viscosity changes. This study aimed to analyse the rheological behaviour of macaíba pulp at different temperatures (10 to 50 ºC, with 5 ºC increments) and speeds (2.5 to 200 rpm, totalling 17 speeds). Experimental measurements were performed in a Brookfield viscometer, fitting the Ostwald-de-Waele, Mizrahi-Berk, Herschel-Bulkley, and Casson models to the experimental data of shear stress as a function of shear rate. Among the models used, the Mizrahi-Berk model (R² > 0.9656 and average percentage deviation - P ≤ 4.1%) was found to best fit the rheogram data. Macaíba pulp exhibited a non-newtonian behaviour and was characterised as pseudoplastic. It showed fluid behaviour indexes below unity under the studied conditions, with decreases in apparent viscosity as temperature and shear rate increased. Such behaviour could be described by the Arrhenius equation. The Mizrahi-Berk and Falguera-Ibarz models (R² > 0.99 and P ≤ 10%) best fitted the data and were used to represent the viscosity behaviour of macaíba pulp. The activation energy values of macaíba pulp ranged between 17.53 and 25.37 kJ mol-1, showing a rheological behaviour like other fruit pulps.

Key words:
Acrocomia intumescens; apparent viscosity; non-newtonian fluid; pseudoplastic; Arrhenius equation

Unidade Acadêmica de Engenharia Agrícola Unidade Acadêmica de Engenharia Agrícola, UFCG, Av. Aprígio Veloso 882, Bodocongó, Bloco CM, 1º andar, CEP 58429-140, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil, Tel. +55 83 2101 1056 - Campina Grande - PB - Brazil
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