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Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version. If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options. Dielectric Properties for Prediction of Moisture Content in Vidalia OnionsPublished by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org Citation: 2012 Dallas, Texas, July 29 - August 1, 2012 121337850.(doi:10.13031/2013.41837)Authors: Murat Sean McKeown, Samir Trabelsi, Ernest W Tollner Keywords: Dielectic Properties, Vidalia Onions, Moisture, Microwave Measurements Microwave Sensing provides a means to nondestructively determine the amount of moisture in materials by sensing the dielectric properties of the material. In this study, dielectric properties of Vidalia onions were analyzed for moisture dependence at 13.36 GHz and 23C for moisture content between 6% and 92%. Dielectric properties were obtained using an open-ended coaxial-line probe connected to a network analyzer. Linear regression models were developed using the dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor, and a density-independent function. Models were evaluated for calibration effectiveness in predicting moisture content using coefficient of determination (R) and standard error of calibration (SEC). In order to validate the models, a standard error of performance (SEP) was calculated from a set of observations that were not used in the calibration. Preliminary results showed use of a density-independent function was more effective in prediction of moisture content then using dielectric properties alone. The measurements and models presented in this paper constitute the foundation for the development of a sensor for determining the degree of curing an onion has undergone. (Download PDF) (Export to EndNotes)
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