Finite Element Analysis and Three-Point Bend Testing of Indian Rice Grains with Fissure Effects

In today’s world, one of the major problems faced by the rice-milling industries is breakage of rice during processes like de-husking/de-hulling, whitening, and polishing. For designing of milling machinery and for reducing the breakage of different rice varieties while processing, it is important to understand the rupture force of rice kernels of different varieties under the three-point breaking test. In this study, the different varieties of rice grains with different fissure conditions were investigated. The rupture force investigated by using three-point breaking test which is conducted on Instron UTM with specially designed adjustable support fixture, in which span can be adjusted for different varieties of rice grains. Five brown rice varieties—Rashi Poonam, Kolam, Komal, Basmati, and Daptari tested at a rate of 1 mm/min. The finite element analysis has helped to validate the result of the flexural stresses in the rice grain induced during test and then the crack propagation is simulated in the analysis. It was seen that out of the five rice varieties under tests, Rashi Poonam has the highest average rupture force of value 32.29 N. The results obtained from this test and computational analysis can help for developing methods and types of equipment used for whitening and polishing processing of rice with different varieties.