Author(s)

Dieunedort Ndapeu^1,2, Jean Bosco Kuate Yagueka^1,2, Francis Tamwo², Bernard Morino Ganou Koungang³, Médard Fogue^1,2, Ebenezer Njeugna³

¹Research Unit of Industrial and Systems Engineering Environment (UR-ISIE), IUT/FV Bandjoun, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
²Research Unit of Mechanics and Modeling of Physical System (UR-2MSP), University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
³Laboratory of Mechanics and Adapted Materials (LAMMA), ENSET, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.

Moisture diffusion during soaking of palm kernel shell (Elaeis guineensis) aggregate concerning DURA variety of Cameroon was studied. Parameters like percentage of water gain at the saturation point and the effective moisture diffusivity were the main purposes. The knowledge of the behavior of those shells in presence of the liquid during the realization of the composite materials is important. Gravimetric method with discontinuous control of the mass of sample after immersion at the ambient temperature was used. Palm kernel shell aggregate of two origins and two considerable sizes respectively in mm: Sizes ≥ 16 and 12.5 ≤ Sizes < 16 were used. The rate of water absorption was found to be [6.18% and 11.74%] respectively for Tombel PKS and Bafang PKS and moisture diffusivity of [5.19 × 10^-8 and 7.90 × 10^-9 m²/s] was also determined according to their irregular shapes by fitted soaking data in Becker’s model.

Palm Kernel Shell (PKS), Absorption, Moisture, Diffusivity

Ndapeu, D. , Yagueka, J. , Tamwo, F. , Koungang, B. , Fogue, M. and Njeugna, E. (2020) Experimental and Analytical Study of Water Diffusion in Palm Kernel Shell of Cameroon. Materials Sciences and Applications, 11, 733-743. doi: 10.4236/msa.2020.1111049.