Thermal Conductivity of Feed Pellets

Application of feed pellets in animal and aquatic farming industries has grown because of both the physical and the nutritional benefits it provides. Development of feed pellets manufacturing industry is also considerable. Steam conditioning process, which plays an important role in pelleting production, includes heating feed particles, adding moisture, and mixing the mash. Pellets cooling and drying processes are also involved in heat transfer phenomena. In this study, thermal conductivity of feed pellets was determined at different temperatures ranging from 25 to 85°C and moisture contents of 11.8 to 18.2% wb. It was measured by the transient technique using the line heat source method assembled in a thermal conductivity probe. It turned out that decreasing moisture contents from 18.2 to 11.8% (wb) produced non-linear reduction in thermal conductivity. The average values of thermal conductivity changed from 0.1509 to 0.2143 W m-1 °C-1 at different moisture contents. Tests conducted on two pellet size categories (based on nominal diameter) revealed a significant difference in thermal conductivity between these categories. The thermal conductivities of the first category (minor than nominal dia.) appeared to be 8.5% higher than those of the second category (superior to nominal dia.). Average values of thermal conductivity changed from 0.1538 to 0.2333 W m-1 °C-1 for the first category and from 0.1235 to 0.2456 W m-1 °C-1 for the second category (in 25°C). In addition, some empirical models were developed to express thermal properties as a function of moisture content and temperature.