Measurement of Water Diffusivities in Barley Components Using Diffusion Weighted Imaging and Validation with a Drying Model

Abstract

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine water diffusion coefficients (D) in hull-less barley kernel components (endosperm and embryo) at 20.5±0.5°C. The D values in barley components were time-dependent and restricted in nature as indicated by the decrease in the apparent diffusion coefficient with increasing diffusion time (from 3 to 25 ms). A four-parameter Padé approximation model was used to estimate D and pore geometry (pore surface area–to-volume ratio, pore size, porosity, electrical conductivity and permeability of water) of the barley components after long diffusion time (t → ∞) using data obtained during a relatively short period of diffusion. The D of embryo and endosperm were 2.2±0.07 × 10⁻⁵ mm ² /s and 1.0±0.10 × 10⁻⁵ mm ² /s, respectively. These D values were used to simulate moisture and temperature patterns during the drying of a barley kernel using a two-dimensional simultaneous heat and moisture transfer model and compared with literature D values for validation purposes. Based on the comparison, the D values of barley components obtained from our study can be used to develop realistic models of water transport in barley during different postharvest processing operations (e.g., drying, kilning, steeping).

Keywords:

• Barley
• Magnetic resonance
• Modeling
• Pore geometry
• Restricted diffusion
• Water mobility

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was financially supported by the Canada Research Chairs program and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada.