CHAPTER ONE 1.0 1.

1 INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF STUDY In industries, water absorption by agricultural products such as grains, nuts, seeds etc. is an important operation in food processing such as rice parboiling (Engels et al., 1986), fermentation of soybean paste miso (Minamiyama et al., 2003) and fermented maize products such as ogi and kenkey (FAO, 1992). The soaking process is basically an imitation of nature since the natural germination of these crops is as a result of the moisture absorbed by plant roots when it rains. The water uptake of maize grains is mainly expressed as a percentage increase in weight of the dry maize. The soaking times can vary from a couple of hours to 24 h depending on the hardness and density of the seed. Water absorption in foods follows the mechanism of diffusion. But, variations occur in different grains, nuts seeds etc. which are functions of the food compositions such as protein, fat and oils, carbohydrate contents for example, protein which is hydrophilic expected to absorb water than lipids which are hydrophobic. Hence foods with higher protein content should have higher absorption capacity than others with higher lipids content (Gen et al., 1998-2001). Thus, the water absorption rate and characteristics shown by maize may vary in different maize varieties and other influential factors such as temperature which also determine the absorption rate by maize grains. To predict the water uptake of maize grains during soaking, a tool is needed to replace the laboratory experiment. A mathematical model is one tool that can serve this purpose. If

adequate and proper information are provided, simulations of models can provide a forecast of future states of soaking process. Considerable research was reported in the literature to develop an understanding of the mechanism of moisture movement in natural products, but findings are not yet conclusive (Bello et al., 2009). This study sought to access and models the effect of temperature on six varieties of maize during soaking.

1.2 Aim and objectives

1.2.1 Aim The aim of this research is to develop a mathematical model to predict the effect of temperature on the water uptake of six varieties of maize during soaking.

1.2.2 Objectives To achieve the aim stated above, the following specific objectives were followed: Development of a mathematical model representing water absorption of maize. Determination of the effect of temperature and variety on water absorption of maize. Determination of the applicability of Ficks equation in modeling of water absorption of maize. 1.3 Significance of study Absorption processes is important in the processing operations undergone in the process industries where wet milling is usually adopted for industrial products like starch and corn-oil.
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Therefore there is need for the understanding of the mechanism involved in this soaking process as it governs the quality of the final products.

1.4

Scope of study

A mathematical model is to be developed which represents water uptake of six varieties of maize and the effect of temperature on the absorption rate.

CHAPTER TWO 2.0 2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW A Brief Overview of Maize Maize (zea mays L.), a crop known in some English speaking countries as corn (meaning grain) is a large grain cultivated in different countries such as Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Mesoamerica etc. the leafy stalk produces ears which contain the grain, which are seeds called kernels. Technically a grain, maize kernels are important multipurpose cereal crop which are used in cooking as food, fodder, fuel and in the manufacturing of industrial products (Clark 1977; Lui et al. 2001). The sugar-rich varieties called sweet corn are usually grown for human consumption, while the field corn varieties are used for animal feed and as chemical feedstock. In the United States, it is used for producing corn ethanol. As food grain, it plays a significant role throughout the world most especially in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan, India etc. its flour is used in the preparation of nutritious and tasty meals such as snacks, cakes, bread, and as a source of dextrose. Its bran has been found very effective in decreasing faecal transit times (Bressani and Elias, 1983). In order to make maize suitable for food and industrial product like starch, corn-oil, and animal feeds, wet milling is desirable (Burge and Dunsing, 1989). However, to make it fit for human consumption, it must be cooked. During cooking heat gelatinizes starch making it susceptible to starch dissociating enzymes of digestive system. Starch is used by paper and textiles industries in sizing, surface coating and adhesive application. Special starch is used in oil research for drilling mud which cools superheated drills. It is also used as anti-caking mould release, dusting powder and thickening agent (Fasasi et al. 2005).

Maize can be processed into wide varieties of foods and beverages which can be consumed as breakfast meals. For example in Nigeria, it is used as food such as ogi which is commonly fed to infants as a weaning food. It is prepared by soaking maize in water for 1 day (24 h) after which it is washed and milled. Water is then added to the milled dough and left for another 24 h for fermentation to occur. The fermented dough is then sieved to separate the liquid and the slurry which is left behind is allowed to settle. The slurry can be used to make ogi by mixing a portion of it with boiling water and other ingredients to sweeten it such as sugar, milk etc. before consumption. 2.2 The anatomy of maize The maize kernel is classified botanically as a caryopsis. In consequences it is a fruit composed by one seed and the remnants of the seed coat and nucleus and is permanently enclosed in a pericarp. The kernel is attached to the air by the pedicel which remains attached to the base of the kernel.

Fig. 2.1 Anatomy of Maize Seed Source: http://www.masish.uab.cat/masish/

Pericarp The pericarp consists in the transformed ovary wall that covers the seed and act as a protection for the embryo and endosperm. Endosperm The endosperm forms most of the volume and weight of the kernel. It can be divided into three part; starchy endosperm, aleurone layer and basal transfer layer. Embryo The embryo is located in one face of the basal part of the kernel. Mature embryo is composed by a central embryo axis and the scutellum.

2.3

Different varieties of corn Different varieties of maize exist, six of which are: Dent corn: this has kernels which have an indentation on their tops and contains soft, starchy corn under their dented tops. Flint corn: this is also known as Indian corn. They have very hard kernels that when dried are tough to grind. Different colours dominate the kernels in each cob and these are usually dark brown, orange, and yellow due to open pollination. They are used for decorative purposes when harvested. Flour corn: this has soft kernels that are very easy to grind

Pop corn: this kernels burst open when heated. They are harvested for these kernels that are removed from the cob; they are dried and packaged for popping. Pod corn: this is not well known and is seldom grown today, they produce tiny husks on which grow multicoloured kernels. It is only of ornamental significance. Sweet corn: this is the kind of corn in which most people are familiar with, it differs from the other types of corn because its kernels lack the ability to convert sugar to starch, and hence it retains its sweet taste for a short period of time after it is harvested.

Fig. 2.2 maize cob Source: http://www.masish.uab.cat/masish/

2.4

Health benefits of maize Maize is a high nutritional food which is rich in dietary fibers. It delivers several

benefits to consumers which include controlling diabetes, prevention of heart ailments, lowering of hypertension and prevention of neural-tube defects at birth. Corn or maize is one of the most popular cereals in the world and provides health benefit not only in the amount of calories for metabolism, but also rich source of vitamins A, B, C and other minerals. Its high fiber content helps in preventing digestive ailments such as constipation as well as colorectal cancer. It also consists of anti-oxidants which act as anti-cancer agents and prevent Alzheimers. The following are some of the benefits of maize: Rich Source of Calories: corn is a rich source of calories and forms a part of the diets among many populations. The calorific content of corn is 342 calories per 100grams, among the highest in cereals (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Prevention of Hemorrhoids and Colorectal cancer: the fiber content of corn is 18.4% of the daily recommended amount. This aids in alleviating digestive problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Rich Source of Vitamins: corn is a rich source of vitamin B constituents, especially Thiamin and Niacin. Thiamin is essential for maintaining nerve health and cognitive function. Niacin deficiency leads to pellagra (a disease characterized by diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis) and is commonly observed in malnourished individuals. Corn is also a good source of pantothenic acid which is a vitamin necessary for carbohydrate as well as protein and lipid metabolism in the body. Other vitamins are vitamin A which is

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essential for maintenance of vision and skin, vitamin E, a natural antioxidant essential for growth (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Provides Necessary Minerals: corn contains abundant phosphorous (which aids maintenance of normal growth, bone health and kidney functioning.), magnesium (which enhance normal heart rate and for bone strength), manganese, zinc, iron and copper. Trace minerals such as selenium is also present (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Antioxidant Property: according to studies carried out at Cornell University, corn is a rich source of antioxidants which fight the cancer causing free radicals. Hence it is effective in fighting against breast and liver cancer (Rui Hai Lui, 2002) Cardio Protective Attributes: researchers has made it known that corn oil has proven to be effective as anti-atherogenic effect on the cholesterol level thereby preventing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Prevents Anaemia: The presence of vitamin B12 and folic acid made it effective in preventing anaemia (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Protection against Diabetes and Hypertension: consumption of kernels helps in the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and also effective against hypertension due to the presence of phenolic phytochemicals in the whole corn (Tripurasundari et al., 1999). Cosmetic Benefits: Corn can be used to soothe skin rashes and irritations; hence it is used in the manufacture of cosmetics (Tripurasundari et al., 1999).

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2.5

Absorption characteristics of agricultural materials Water absorption may be defined as the amount of water absorbed by a composite

material when immersed in water for a stipulated period of time under specified conditions. All organic polymeric materials will absorb moisture to some extent resulting in swelling, dissolving, leaching, plasticizing, and/or hydrolyzing, events which can result in discoloration, loss of mechanical and electrical properties, lower resistance to heat, and stress cracking. The amount of water absorbed by seeds during soaking is affected by different factors such as the initial moisture content, variety of the seeds, soaking duration, and temperature and acidity level of the water (Hsu et al., 1983; Karapantsios et al., 2002; Laria et al., 2005). Water absorption is expressed as increase in weight percent.
( )

.2.1

2.6

Water absorption of maize Water absorption is the most important event for ensuring nutrient supply to the

germinating embryo and to generate energy for the commencement of active germination and seedling growth (Abebe and Modi, 2009), this is because the water absorbed by the seed activates enzymes and facilitates metabolism of the stored starch and protein in seed (Kikuchi et al., 2006). During the process of water uptake the cell wall enlarges and seed coat becomes softened allowing oxygen diffusion in seed respiration. The amount of water to be absorbed for seed germination depends on variety or species. The water needed for maize may be around 34% (McDonald et al., 2006). The rate of absorption increases with increase of temperature in many crop seeds such as sorghum (Kader and Jutzi, 2002), cowpea (Captso et al., 2008).
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The absorption of water in maize occurs based on the mechanism of diffusion mass transfer. In industries which make use of maize, soaking is a preliminary step in wet milling processes and this has made soaking to be a center of attention in absorption processes. The major objective of soaking is usually to soften the grains of the crop, but other beneficial nutritional effects can be achieved such as the reduction of toxic substances naturally present in the crop. However, this same process which has proven to be of benefit also has its own negative effects such as the loss of nutrients (mostly water soluble ones) through diffusion. The nutrients which are commonly affected are pigments, sugar, amino acids, water soluble vitamins and mineral elements (Bressani et al., 1990). Protein which is hydrophilic is the major component absorbing water in seeds. Therefore, it is expected that seeds with high composition of protein will possess high absorption capacity and the present of lipids which are hydrophobic in nature can reduce absorption rate unless the relative humidity of the surrounding is sufficiently high (Walters and Hill, 1998). Priming of seed is done by soaking of seed in water for a certain period of time (Harris et al., 2001b). But the length of soaking time for maize and chickpea seeds under variable temperatures and soaking conditions have not yet been established. Therefore, it is essential to know the duration of priming in relation to temperature to devise good priming protocol for successful establishment of maize and chickpea in the drought-prone areas of Bangladesh. The present study was therefore, undertaken with a view to determine the soaking duration of maize seed (BARI hybrid maize-5) and chickpea seed (BARI chola-5) under variable soaking conditions and temperatures.

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Extensive research work has been done on the absorption rate of water by different grains. As studied by Muthukumarappan and Ganesekaran (1990); Steffe and Singh (1980); Walton et al., (1988), diffusion of moisture is generally a function of temperature of the medium. According to Md. Moshiur et al., (2011). Water absorption rate of maize and chickpea seeds were influenced significantly by soaking condition. The amount of water absorption was significantly higher in anaerobic condition than the aerobic condition at each time of measurement for both in maize and chickpea. This might be related to the fact that the seed under this condition was kept under water which allowed the water to come in contact with the embryo and seed surface and thus facilitated the rapid water entry into the seed. On the other hand, in the present study under aerobic condition seed was placed on the kitchen towel saturated with water. This system allowed moisture entry into the seed through the portion of seed that was in touch with the kitchen towel. Also, different temperature level showed significant effect on water absorption in maize at every hour interval. The present study showed that water absorption increased with increase in soaking temperature. Similar increase of water absorption with increase of temperature was reported in different legumes by Seyhan-Gurtas et al., (2001). 2.6.1 Effect of grain composition Any food grain that is rich in carbohydrate and protein will retain more water than those rich in fats. This is due to the hydrophobic nature of fats which are repulsive to water while the carbohydrates proteins absorbed more water as they are hydrophilic (Gen et al., 1998-2001). 2.6.2 Effect of temperature Not only will temperature affects energy required for absorption of water, it also has effect on the partial pressure of water vapour of pure water. Hence variation in temperature will have a significant effect on the absorption rate of water (Oyelade, 1997).
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2.7

Importance of soaking Either for the purpose of feeding or extraction of the oil, most cereals are initially soaked

in water. This hydration of cereals is an important step in the production of traditional food Nelson et al., (1976). The saturation process makes the extraction of protein easy. The texture change known to be resulting from the absorption of water during hydration which also affects softening of the hard pit to facilitate grinding (Lui, 1995). Also, soaking reduces cooking time and improves product quality (Wang et al., 1979). This is because it is good to reduce cooking time in order to obtain better quality protein. However, soaking of agricultural products is time consuming process. For instance, corn kernels are soaked for about 72 h before milling (Ji et al., 2004.). Soaking grains is very beneficial to our health, primary because it helps the digestion process. This is because they consist of enzymes inhibitors which makes it difficult to digest and less nutritious. Grains also contains phytic acid, which prevents the body from fully absorbing the nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc etc. However, soaking grains will mitigate the effects of these socalled anti-nutrients. Grains cook faster after they are soaked and will taste fresher and lighter. Several studies have also demonstrated that legumes require hydration to thoroughly eliminate anti-nutritional factors, to improve protein digestibility, and to reduce cooking time (Eiienrieder et al., 1981; Siiva et al., 1981; Kochhar, 1986). 2.8 Modeling of water absorption in maize Scientific modeling is the process of generating abstract, conceptual, graphical or mathematical models. Science offers a growing collection of methods, techniques and theory
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about all kinds of specialized scientific modeling. Modeling is an essential and inseparable part of all scientific activity, and many scientific disciplines have their own idea about specific type of modeling. Modeling involves abstraction, simplification and formalization, in light of particular method and assumptions, in other to better understanding a particular part or feature of the word, and to potentially intervene. A model is a set of mathematical equation describing a bio-chemical system (in this case plant-atmosphere). Grain model predict the response of grain to temperature and management by simulating the effect of temperature on soaking. A scientific model seeks to represent empirical objects, phenomena and physical processes in a logical and objective way. All models are in a simplified reflection of reality, but despite their inherent falsity, they are nevertheless extremely useful. Models are typically used when it is either impossible or impractical to create experimental conditions in which scientist can directly measure outcomes. Direct measurement of out comes under controlled condition will always be more reliable than modeled estimate of outcomes. Mathematical modeling of hydration process is known to be important for the design and optimization of food process operation. These models can be classified to empirical and analytical model.

2.8.1 Empirical models Despite the widespread application of computers and their associated software, empirical equations are still extensively used in view of their simplicity and ease of computation (Turhan et al., 2002; Sopade et al., 2007). One of the popular empirical non exponential models used is

16

the Pelegs equation and some of its parameters are of immense practical significance in hydration kinetics that applied to weight gain during rehydration (Peleg, 1988; Singh and Kulshrestha, 1987; Turhan et al., 2002; Sopade et al., 2007; Cunningham et al., 2007). However, other empirical models such as the Arrhenius model, Singh-Kulshresthas model and Pilosofs model have also been used. According to the experiment performed by Kashiri et al., (2010) on sorghum kernel, it was shown and concluded that Pelegs equation successfully represented the water absorption behavior of sorghum kernels during the soaking process at different temperatures and could be used to estimate the moisture content at given soaking time and temperature within the experimental condition considered. The Peleg constants K1 and K2 were a function of

temperature for sorghum and decreased with increase in soaking temperature. Also, previous studies by Shittu et al., (2007) on the study of water absorption process during soaking of African breadfruit seeds at five different temperatures followed on exponential increase with increase in temperature. The experimental data were fitted to three empirical equations (Singh-Kulshresthas model, Pilosofs model and Arrhenius model) and all these equations were able to explain most of the experimental data. The predicted water absorption capacity (Me) was not significantly affected by temperature changes. In terms of residual moisture plots, Singh-Kulshresthas model gave a more random distribution at all soaking temperatures, making it a better fitting equation. Abbay et al., (2005) in their research on water absorption of paddy, brown rice and husk during soaking concluded that rate of moisture gain increased with increase in soaking temperatures and it was in the second falling rate period. The diffusion coefficients for paddy,

17

brown rice and husk at different temperatures followed Arrhenius-type relation and the activation energy was estimated using parameter Ea/R of the Arrhenius equation. Medeni (2001) in his research on the effect of processing on hydration kinetics of three wheat products of the same variety compared experimental data obtained with Peleg and Arrhenius model. He concluded that the application of Pelegs model to analyze wheat soaking was demonstrated. This study has shown that Pelegs model adequately described the rate of water absorption of the cereals studied in the soaking temperature range of 20-70oC. the proposed water absorption model could also be used in engineering calculations. In the study done by Bello et al., (2009) on water uptake in a cereal grain during soaking, the diffusion equation for sphere that swells uniformly during hydration process was derived by means of landau transformation that transform the problem of diffusion with moving boundary, into one with fixed domain of integration. The resulting equation, that includes an explicit term for the rate of swelling of solid boundary, was numerically solved to simulate hydration of maize assume volume additive for water and solid are taken into consideration the variation of the diffusion coefficient with moisture concentration. Although different empirical models of absorption have been developed, ranging from Pelegs model, Pilosofs model, down to the Arrhenius model. The equivalence of these models has also been demonstrated by experiments. However, Pelegs model is more used (Quicazan et al., 2012). 2.8.1.1 Pelegs model Peleg (1988) proposed a two-parameter sorption equation tested its prediction accuracy during water adsorption of food products. The original form of Peleg model is as shown below
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It follows that the absorption rate at the beginning of soaking process is expressed subsequently as showing that K1 is linked to water absorption rate, R0 (Peleg 1988).

The Peleg capacity constant, K2 relates to maximum attainable moisture content. As t , the equation below gives the relation between equilibrium

Moisture contents (Me) and K2

Where: M: % grain moisture content, dry basis t: soaking time k1: Pelegs constant (time-1 %-1 w.b) k2: Pelegs constant (%-1 w.b) A plot of t/(M-Mo) against time (t) gives a straight line, where k1 is the intercept on the ordinate and k2 is the slope of the line. The rate of hydration (W) is given by:

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2.8.1.2

Arrhenius model The Arrhenius equation is as given below

Where: E: the activation energy of diffusion T: absolute temperature R: gas constant K1: Arrhenius constant ` K0: Arrhenius constant

2.8.2 Analytical model Extensive research have been made on absorption models and these are not limited to empirical models only but also to the areas of analytical mathematical models such as the Ficks model equation. Ficks second law for diffusion was used by various investigators to describe water absorption in grains and legumes, accepting the hypothesis that the resistance to water flow is distributed throughout the material and that this does not swell during process (Becker, 1960; Fan et al., 1965; Engels et al., 1986; Patil, 1988; Thakur and Gupta, 2006). Others solutions have been formulated considering variable diffusion coefficient but neglecting shrinking (Chu and Hustrulid, 1968; Aguerre et al., 1985; Dutta et al., 1988; Tolaba et al., 1997; Landman and Please, 1999). However, swelling of biological products during soaking takes place simultaneously with water diffusion and thus may affect the water absorption rate. Hence, a study of the swelling phenomena is of importance for better understanding of the soaking process. Consideration of

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swelling in soaking process is generally difficult because of the lack of information about swelling velocity and its relationship with water diffusivity. A mathematical expression of Ficks second law for drying of an infinite slab that shrinks unidirectionally was formulated by Viollaz and Suarez (1984) assuming volume additivity for water and dry solid. Gekas and Lamberg (1991) derived relationships for the diffusion coefficient in systems where volume changes occur during drying. A mathematical model was developed by Hawlader et al., (1999) to describe heat and mass transfer within materials undergoing shrinking during drying. In the study of maize and other seeds, the application of Ficks law to understand the phenomenon has been tried (Fan et al., 1965; Turhan et al., 2002). Some models consider that the diffusion coefficient is independent of temperature and that transfer surface resistance is negligible (Abu-Ghannam and Mckenna, 1997b). According to the research done by Tolaba et al., (1997), a diffusion equation for shrinking and non-shrinking sphere was used to describe the isothermal absorption of water in a spherical solid and this is represented in the equation below: { ( ) }

The differential expansion of the equation above yield ( ) ( , we have { ( ) } ( ) )

By substituting

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And applying LHopital rule to the resulting equation at the centre since it is undefined at this centre (at z=0), the obtained equation was
( )

Where: A= local volumetric concentration of water D= diffusion coefficient (a function of A) t=time r= radius of sphere R= radius at the surface 2.8.2.1 Ficks model A widely accepted analytical model or mechanism for the diffusion of agricultural products is the Ficks second equation (Crank, 1975; Bakshi and Singh, 1980; Muthukumarappan and Gunasekaran, 1994 a-c), and this is described by the equation below ( )

Where: t= time (sec) x,y,z =locations within the object at time (t)
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M= mass of moisture (g) D= diffusion coefficient (m2sec-1) Based on the literature, the basic principles of absorption processes are unique but what happens in one food material is very different from another. Soaking common beans has already been evaluated (Abu-Ghanam and Mckenna, 1997a), as has wheat (Roman-Gutierrez et al., 2002 and other food materials. The transformations that occur in seeds during soaking as time elapse have been examined by many studies (Bayram et al., 2004; Nashed et al., 2003). Maize is known to be composed of food contents such as fats, protein, vitamin, fiber, carbohydrate which makes it a beneficial nutritious source. The water uptake of maize is affected by many factors such as temperature, diffusion coefficient e.t.c.

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CHAPTER THREE 3.0 3.1 METHODOLOGY MATERIALS The six maize varieties selected for this study are dent, pod, flint, flour, pop and sweet corn. Other materials used are desiccators, tongs, moisture dishes, oven, spatula, weighing balance, weighing boats, funnels, beaker, filter paper, tissue paper, stop watch, distilled water, thermostatically controlled water bath. 3.2 Determination of moisture contents It is important to determine the moisture content before carrying out any analysis because the result of many analyses is more reliable when reported on a dry basis, using moisture content to convert results to dry basis figures. The initial moisture content of each maize sample was determined by first preheating the oven at a temperature of 1300C. The six samples of the maize varieties were weighed (about 10 grams each) and each was placed in the oven and left for about 16 h after which the final weight of each sample was obtained. The moisture content was computed thus:
( )

... 3.1

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3.3

Determination of weight of maize grain Since the grain is small and there is variation in grain size within a variety, one or two

seeds cannot be used. Hence in the establishment of weight of grain, 100 grains of maize were manually counted and weighed in a dish. The average weight of the 100 grains was used to represent the weight of each grain. 3.4 Determination of water absorption 5 gram samples of each grain variety were weighed into the weighing boats and recorded. The boats were filled with enough water to cover the grains and the stop watch was started immediately for 30 mins. The funnel was placed over the beaker and a piece of fluted filter paper was inserted. After 30 mins, the samples were tipped into the funnel, drained and the spread on a six layer stack of tissue paper to dry. After 5 mins, each sample were transferred into dry weighing boats and then re-weighed. This procedure was repeated at different time intervals. Thus the percentage of water absorbed by the grain over time can be calculated. 3.5 Mathematical Model formulation Water uptake of maize during soaking was theoretically considered to follow the principle of diffusion mass transfer and thus was consequently modeled using Ficks law. 3.6 Assumptions The model development approach for water uptake of maize during soaking depends on the validation of the following assumptions: The water flow is considered to be only inward and no reverse or outward flow occurs. The temperature of the system is maintained within 50C of the testing temperature.

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Water transport is by molecular transfer only. The process is independent of the structure of maize. The fluid exist in a single phase (liquid only), gas phase is considered negligible.

3.7

Water uptake equation

Y X

X X

Y X

Fig. 3.1 control volume of maize in x, y plane

From the continuity equation,

. 3.2

Rearranging equation (3.2) gives

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 Where

..3.3

Considering a two dimensional flow in x, y planes of the control volume Where 3.4 are mass flow rates in x, y directions respectively

Given that the volume of the control volume is:

Dividing equation (3.3) by

gives:

.3.5

Substituting equation 3.4 in equation 3.5 gives ( ) .. 3.6

Expanding equation (3.6) gives

.3.7

But, by definition of flux ,

( )( )

.3.7a

Therefore,

3.7b

3.7c are mass fluxes in x, y directions respectively.

Where

Also, by definition of mass concentration ,

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..3.7d Therefore, .3.7e Hence, substituting equations 3.7b, 3.7c and 3.7e in 3.7 above yield .. 3.8 Since water absorbed is by molecular diffusion, it is considered to follow Ficks law equation given below: .. 3.9 Combining equations (3.8) and (3.9) gives ( ) ( ) ..3.10

Hence the water uptake of maize during soaking can be represented as 3.11 ( Where: ( ( ) ( ) ( ( ) ( )
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) . 3.12

) ( )

3.8

Numerical solution In simulating the model, implicit finite difference schemes are used to solve the partial

differential equation. 3.8.1 Implicit finite difference formulation 3.8.1.1 Forward difference Using the forward difference approximation to equation 3.12

.. 3.12a

3.8.1.2 Central difference

. 3.12b

. 3.12c

Substituting equations 3.12a, 3.12b, 3.12c in equation 3.12

. 3.13

Expanding equation 3.13

) ( )

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Let . 3.15

. 3.16

Substituting equation 3.15 and 3.16 in equation 3.14 ( ) ( ) ( ) 3.17

3.8.2 Boundary conditions In order to investigate the solution of the equation 3.16 above, the boundary conditions in which Dirchlet condition chosen are stated below: 3.8.2.1 Initial boundary value condition ( ) ( , ( ) )

I.e. for t=0, ( )

3.8.2.2 Boundary value condition ( I.e. for ( And for

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( Where

L and W are length and width in meters respectively.

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