Bulk materials of plant origin, both agricultural and forestry-based, play a key role in human and animal nutrition as well as in the energy sector. They are used as raw materials for the production of feed, food, biofuels, and other industrial products. Their quality and functional properties depend on various environmental and process-related factors. These materials are particularly sensitive to surrounding conditions, and parameters such as load, granulometric composition, and internal structure affect their durability, storage capability, and processing efficiency. Changing conditions can lead to mechanical and biochemical transformations that influence the quality of the final product.
At the Laboratory of Granular Materials, research is conducted on their mechanical properties under variable conditions using both experimental and numerical methods. Additionally, the impact of physical and biological processes on the profile of volatile organic compounds is analyzed during the harvesting, transport, storage, and processing of these materials.
Research profile:
- Mechanical characteristics of plant materials
- Physical properties of bulk raw materials and food products relevant to storage and handling processes
- Experimental and numerical modelling of physical processes occurring in bulk materials during technological operations
- Identification and analysis of volatiles as a function of changes in the physicochemical state of plant raw materials
Analysis:
- Determination of mechanical parameters of granular materials
- Determination of parameters of bulk materials for proper design of mechanical processes
- Analysis of volatile matter emissions of plant materials during storage
