The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air flow on the drop in static pressure in granular masses of the quinoa cultivar Real, with different levels of impurity and adjust the mathematical models to the obtained experimental data selecting those that best represent the phenomenon. The product was initially free of impurities and with moisture content of 17% on dry weight basis. To check the influence of impurities on resistance to air flow, additions of these impurities were made at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%. Using a piece of equipment duly designed and built and air flows ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 m³ s-1 m-2, the static pressures of clean quinoa and quinoa with impurities were determined. The equations commonly used to describe the phenomenon were adjusted to the experimental data of pressure drop. The results permit to conclude that: a) static pressure in a column with quinoa grains increases with the increase in air flow; b) increase in the level of impurity lead to a reduction in the static pressure drop; c) the equations that best represent the experimental data of pressure drop inside the bed with quinoa grains, with and without impurities, were the Shedd and Guimarães equations, respectively.
Chenopodium quinoa Willdenow; air flow; impurities; resistance to air flow
