A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1992

Specific heat, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of melons were determined experimentally. In addition, the thermal diffusivity was also determined by a numerical computation procedure. The specific heat of melons using the meth o d of mixtures varied from 3.48 - 4.29 k1T/kg °C with a mean value of 3 . 926 1T ~g °C in the temperature range of 10 to 45 °C . It was to und to be increasing 1inearl y w:i U1 an :in crease :in the sample temperature. Thermal conductivity values of melon based o n t h e transient line heat source technique varied from 0 .481 to 0 . 623 W/m °C with a n aver age value of O. 59 W/m°c in the sample temperature range of 5 t o 45 °C. A linear increase in the thermal conductivity values with sample temperature was also observed. Techniques based o n Fourier's analysis were used in the thermal diffusivity determination of melons. Thermal diffusivity was computed directly from experimentally determined specific heat, density and thermal conductivity values. The thermal diffusivity values determined by direct computation showed the mean value of 1. 57 x 10- m' /s . When using Fourier' s analysis in the heating of melon , the mean value of thermal diffusivity was determined to b e 1 .44 x 10- m2/s.