This investigation explores the effectiveness of hot air-drying and ambient ventilation techniques in enhancing the storage quality of Khao Dok Mali 105 paddy rice within small-scale barns in Northeast Thailand. Through comprehensive analysis of moisture and temperature dynamics, the research revealed that an optimized main air pipe system significantly reduces moisture content from 25% db to a desirable 16% db, outperforming alternative systems. Spatial assessments within the barn highlighted the importance of placement, showing that front sections achieved lower moisture levels. This underscores the need for uniform moisture distribution and temperature management to prevent quality degradation. Notably, after 84 h of drying, variations in moisture content across different barn locations emphasized the critical role of environmental control. These insights pave the way for advancing grain storage practices, focusing on strategic ventilation and environmental monitoring to ensure rice quality over time. This study not only challenges traditional methods but also offers significant practical implications for optimizing small-scale rice storage, providing a pathway towards sustainable post-harvest processing in resource-constrained environments.

The problematic cohesiveness of food powders can commonly be solved using pulsed fluidized-bed agglomeration. However, progressively larger granules may result in unstable fluidization. The aims of this research study were to investigate fluid bed expansion as affected by particle enlargement and to control its stability using an image-processing technique. Instant riceberry powder (IRP) was agglomerated using varied air pulsation frequencies (1, 2.5, and 4 Hz). Bed expansion captured by image processing revealed that expanded bed height decreased with agglomeration time. The results showed an enlargement of agglomerated IRP, expressed in D₁₀, D₅₀, and D₉₀, with narrower distribution presented by span, and an improvement in bulk and reconstitution properties. The reduced Carr index (22–27%) and Hausner ratio (1.28–1.38) presented fair flowability and intermediate cohesiveness, respectively. Additionally, airflow during agglomerate growth was progressively adjusted using the image-processing method to enhance bed hydrodynamic stability, leading to improved process efficiency and product quality. This proposed approach has potential applications in the food powder manufacturing industry, particularly by enhancing the fluidization of cohesive particles with cracks and channels.

Fine soy protein isolate (SPI) powders exhibit poor handling and reconstitution properties, while excessive liquid loading can destabilize fluidized-bed agglomeration. This study evaluated an outlet-air relative humidity (RH)-triggered binder-diversion strategy during pulsed fluidized-bed agglomeration of SPI. Atomization pressure (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 bar), nominal binder pump setting (3.8, 4.7, and 5.6 mL·min⁻¹), and operating mode (continuous spraying or RH-triggered control at a 70% set point) were investigated. Under continuous spraying, outlet RH showed an overall increase throughout the 30 min process. RH-triggered operation maintained outlet RH near the set point after threshold attainment by reducing the spray duty cycle to 0.67–0.96. This corresponded to 102.6–131.0 mL of sprayed water per run, approximately 4–33% less than continuous spraying at the same nominal pump setting. Compared with continuous spraying, RH-triggered operation produced a lower mean final moisture content in all nine conditions, a higher mean process yield in seven conditions, higher D₅₀ values in all conditions, and a lower mean particle size span in seven conditions. Agglomeration reduced the packing-derived CI and HR and shortened wetting time relative to raw SPI, whereas the effects of RH-triggered operation on flow indices, wetting time, and dispersibility depended on atomization pressure and effective binder delivery. Because the feedback action changed both cumulative binder addition and spray history, the observed product differences represent the performance of the complete RH-triggered control strategy rather than an independent effect of RH stabilization. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of outlet-RH-based adaptive binder delivery during pulsed fluidized-bed agglomeration of SPI.