UENF/CCTA- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Produção Vegetal.

ABSTRACT: Derivation of density-independent dielectric functions for moisture determination in grains is important for the implementation of on-line sensors in automated driers. The object of this study was to investigate the Meyer and Schilz function [(ε’–1)/ε”] for indirect and non-destructive water content measurement of seeds of common bean by radiofrequency, where ε ’ and ε ” are the relative permittivity and the dielectric loss factor, respectively. Samples consisted of common bean seeds variety Campeão-3 at moisture contents ranging from 11.5 to 20.6 % w.b., and bulk densities from 756 to 854 kg m-3, performing dielectric measurements in a room at 20 ± 1ºC and 66 ± 2 % relative humidity. The model could estimate common bean seed moisture content with a standard error of the estimate, and maximum error of 0.5 and 1.0 percentage point in moisture, w.b., respectively