Measurement method for detecting expansion rate of sorghum through particle volume method and drying correlation method

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for detecting the expansion rate of sorghum by combining a particle volume method with a drying correlation method, and the particle volume method is used for measuring the total volume of soaked sorghum through an immersion method and calculating the average volume of a single grain. The kerosene is used as a medium, so that the measurement result can be effectively stabilized, and the absorption interference of sorghum on test liquid can be reduced. According to the water absorption correlation rule, the water content of the soaked (moistened) and expanded sorghum is accurately measured by utilizing a rapid moisture meter, after the water absorption of the dry sorghum is deducted, the net mass of the sorghum before expansion is obtained through reduction, and the net mass of the sorghum before expansion is obtained by utilizing the characteristic that the density of the dry sorghum is relatively stable (the density of the same batch of sorghum raw materials is constant). The density of the dry sorghum is also accurately measured by adopting the particle volume method, the net mass, measured by adopting the drying method, of the sorghum before expansion is converted into the accurate volume of the dry sorghum, the volume before expansion is obtained, a calculation formula of the expansion rate is finally obtained, and the expansion rate of the sorghum is calculated. The volume of sorghum difficult to measure is converted into mass, operation is easy, experimental equipment is simplified, the experimental process is easy to operate, detection time is short, efficiency is high, and accuracy is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for measuring sorghum expansion rate by combining a particle volume method with a drying correlation method, and belongs to the field of sorghum expansion rate measurement. Background Art

[0002] Grain conditioning is a crucial step in the baijiu (white liquor) brewing process. During this process, sorghum absorbs water and expands, gradually gelatinizing its starch. This process influences subsequent saccharification and fermentation, and is crucially impacting the nutrient composition, yield, and flavor development of the liquor. Ensuring sufficient water absorption and uniform starch gelatinization requires the development of appropriate conditioning methods and precise control of process parameters. It is generally believed that amylopectin, with its highly branched molecular structure, readily absorbs water and expands, facilitating microbial decomposition and utilization, making it more readily converted into ethanol and various flavor compounds. Amylose, on the other hand, resists swelling and is less susceptible to gelatinization. Therefore, the swelling rate is a key indicator of sorghum's water absorption and other raw material quality indicators. Specifically, the sorghum swelling rate refers to the increase in volume of sorghum kernels after absorbing water. The formula is: Swelling rate = (volume after swelling - volume before swelling) / volume before swelling × 100%. However, it is difficult to measure the volume of sorghum grains because sorghum grains are very small, especially glutinous sorghum. The mass of every 100 sorghum grains is about 1.9 grams, that is, each sorghum grain weighs about 0.019 grams, and each sorghum grain has a diameter of about 3 mm.

[0003] Existing methods for measuring expansion rate include the graduated cylinder method, the thousand-grain weight method, the sonic pulse method, the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) prediction method, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphological analysis method, and the laser diffraction particle size analysis method. The graduated cylinder method has the disadvantage that it measures the apparent volume, which includes the spaces between sorghum grains and differs significantly from the actual volume and does not fully reflect the expansion of sorghum after absorbing water. The thousand-grain weight method, due to the uneven size of sorghum grains, can cause measurement results to be affected by the sample collected, resulting in low reproducibility. The sonic pulse method, the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) prediction method, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphological analysis method, and the laser diffraction particle size analysis method require specialized instrumentation or are overly idealistic, making them difficult to implement. Consequently, current industry methods for measuring sorghum expansion rate suffer from time-consuming and poor stability, making them unable to meet the needs for measuring and evaluating sorghum expansion rate during the grain conditioning process in the production of sauce-flavored liquor.

[0004] To address the above issues, the present invention proposes a method for measuring the expansion rate of sorghum by combining the grain volume method and the drying correlation method. The experimental equipment is simplified, the experimental process is easy to operate, the detection time is short, the efficiency is high, and the accuracy is high. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a method for measuring sorghum expansion rate using a combined grain volume method and a drying correlation method. This method converts the difficult-to-measure volume of sorghum into mass, is easy to operate, requires simplified experimental equipment, and offers a short detection time, high efficiency, and high accuracy.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0007] A method for detecting sorghum expansion rate using a grain volume method combined with a drying correlation method, the method being carried out according to the following steps:

[0008] (1) Soak sorghum in water and then wash away the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, namely product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air;

[0009] (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 200-400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 200-400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B.

[0010]

[0011] The ρkerosene is the density of kerosene;

[0012] (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the moisture meter, set the temperature to 100-120℃, set the drying time to 15-25 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is:

[0013]

[0014] (4) The sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded is taken as blank sorghum. First, the blank sorghum is weighed to obtain the mass m6. Then, it is placed in a moisture meter. The temperature is set to 100-120°C and the drying time is set to 15-25 minutes. The moisture meter is started. When the set time is reached, the instrument automatically stops heating. The mass after drying, m7, is recorded. The water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is calculated. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is:

[0015]

[0016] (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is:

[0017]

[0018] The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion;

[0019] (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside.

[0020] (7) Immerse the empty basket in 200-400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 200-400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρdry sorghum. The calculation formula for ρdry sorghum is:

[0021]

[0022] According to the calculation formula of ρdry sorghum, the calculation formula of sorghum volume V1 before expansion is inferred to be:

[0023]

[0024] (8) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (7), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

[0025]

[0026] In the aforementioned step (1), the amount of sorghum used is 5-10 g.

[0027] In the above step (2), the volume of kerosene in the beaker is 300 mL of kerosene.

[0028] In the aforementioned step (6), the volume of kerosene in the beaker was 300 mL of kerosene.

[0029] In the aforementioned steps (2) and (6), the U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance includes an electronic balance, a U-shaped bracket, a tripod, a beaker and a mesh basket; when in use, the weighing pan of the electronic balance is first removed, and the support base at the lower end of the U-shaped bracket is fixed to the balance sensor of the electronic balance, a winding wheel is fixed to the upper end of the U-shaped bracket, and a hanging rope is wound around the winding wheel. The mesh basket is suspended below the winding wheel of the U-shaped bracket through the hanging rope of the U-shaped bracket, and the height of the mesh basket is controlled by the winding wheel; the tripod is placed in the center of the electronic balance, and a beaker filled with kerosene is placed on the tripod. The height of the tripod is higher than the support base, and the tripod does not contact the U-shaped bracket and the balance sensor.

[0030] Specifically, the aperture of the aforementioned mesh basket is smaller than the particle size of sorghum, and the mesh basket is made of stainless steel.

[0031] Specifically, the measurement accuracy of the aforementioned electronic balance reaches 1 mg.

[0032] In the above step (3), the temperature is set to 110° C. and the drying time is set to 20 minutes.

[0033] In the above step (4), the temperature is set to 110° C. and the drying time is set to 20 minutes.

[0034] Beneficial effects of the present invention

[0035] 1. Immersion detection enables the mass signal detector to reflect volume parameters: Archimedes' principle states that objects immersed in a liquid are subject to an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the liquid displaced by the object. Its mathematical expression is F = ρgV. This formula reflects the buoyancy, that is, the weight of the object after subtracting the buoyancy. The buoyancy is directly related to the volume of the object: the larger the volume of the object immersed in the liquid, the greater the buoyancy it experiences. Based on Archimedes' principle, an effective method for detecting solid substances has been discovered, and a high-precision balance can be used to achieve high-accuracy gravimetric detection of minute volumes. The present invention utilizes Archimedes' principle to convert volume parameters into mass parameters. A high-precision analytical balance is used to accurately calculate the minute mass, resulting in precise sorghum grains. This method has the technical advantages of a short process flow, efficient and simple operation, low equipment investment, and safety and stability.

[0036] 2. Drying Correlation Method: A halogen moisture meter is used to accurately measure the change in moisture content of sorghum before and after soaking for different periods of time. If the pre-soaking sorghum sample is unknown, the drying correlation method is used to calculate the volume of the sorghum kernels, which is known to have expanded. This can be used to infer the pre-swelling volume. A linear regression model between water absorption and expansion can be used to quickly infer expansion from water absorption.

[0037] 3. Simplified experimental equipment and simple operation: only basic experimental equipment (beaker, analytical balance, constant temperature water bath, etc.) is required, without relying on high-precision instruments such as spectral analysis, and it is suitable for conventional laboratory and production workshop configurations. For the first time, a measuring tool for measuring the weight of solid matter in liquid was proposed. This balance acts on the electronic balance sensor through a U-shaped bracket. Only the weight of the solid matter in the liquid is weighed, and the tripod does not contact the U-shaped bracket and the electronic balance sensor. Therefore, the liquid in the beaker will not interfere with the weighing, and the weight of the solid matter in the liquid can be effectively measured, solving the technical difficulties that ordinary balances cannot solve. It has the advantages of efficient and simple operation, low equipment investment, and safe and stable technology. In addition, a standardized operating process is adopted, and personnel can complete the test independently after a short period of training, without the need for a professional technical team. The results are interpreted through visual indicators (such as volume / weight changes) to reduce subjective errors.

[0038] 4. Short testing time, high efficiency, and high accuracy: By converting the difficult-to-measure sorghum volume into mass for measurement, a single test can be completed in under an hour. Kernel volume can be measured in under 10 minutes, and the drying method for sorghum moisture content can be tested in under 20 minutes. Testing requires only a trace amount of sorghum sample and conventional reagents such as kerosene, eliminating the need for expensive consumables and meeting cost control requirements. The balance used can be accurate to 0.1 mg, resulting in high measurement precision and significant potential for process optimization, improving raw material processing efficiency and economic benefits.

[0039] 5. Optimal Measuring Medium: Experiments comparing the mass changes of sorghum in different solutions (methanol, ethanol, kerosene, n-butanol, hexanediol, and pure water) and the impact of bubble adhesion on measurement results revealed that kerosene, due to its low polarity, low solubility, and stable physical properties, effectively inhibited sorghum's liquid absorption and expansion and reduced bubble interference, ultimately determining it as the optimal measuring medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 : Schematic diagram of U-shaped bracket;

[0041] Figure 2 : U-shaped bracket assembly electronic analytical balance diagram;

[0042] Figure 3 : Schematic diagram of U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance;

[0043] Figure 4 : Relationship diagram between actual expansion rate and actual water absorption rate;

[0044] Figure 5 : Linear relationship diagram of swelling rate and water absorption rate of Renhuai sorghum;

[0045] Figure 6 : Difference diagram between actual expansion rate and calculated expansion rate;

[0046] Figure 7 : Comparison of sorghum swelling in different production areas. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the examples, but they are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0048] Example 1: Making a U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance

[0049] Ordinary balances can only measure the mass of an object in air. This method of measuring expansion requires immersing the sorghum in a liquid and measuring its mass. Therefore, an instrument that can respond to and detect the mass of solid matter in an object in a liquid is required. By appropriately modifying an ordinary electronic balance, it can be equipped to measure the mass of an object immersed in a liquid. The details are as follows:

[0050] 1. Assemble the U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance

[0051] 1) Select an electronic analytical balance with an accuracy of 1 mg and a maximum weighing range of 200 g. Remove the weighing pan of the electronic analytical balance and assemble the U-shaped bracket (the U-shaped opening is set horizontally). Insert the support base at the lower end of the U-shaped bracket accurately into the position corresponding to the original weighing pan to ensure a stable connection (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0052] 2) Securely hang the basket below the U-shaped bracket winding wheel, using the rope to form a suspension structure that precisely matches the balance sensor. The basket aperture should be smaller than the particle size of the sorghum to be measured to prevent the sorghum from leaking out of the basket.

[0053] 3) Place a tripod in the center of the electronic balance, that is, above the U-shaped bracket support. The tripod plays the role of stably supporting the beaker, which is the object to be weighed. The tripod is higher than the U-shaped bracket support and does not contact the U-shaped bracket and the balance sensor. Then place a beaker (500mL) on the platform to hold liquid (the liquid can be kerosene, water or other solvents) (see after all the assembly is completed) Figure 3 ).

[0054] Example 2: Measuring Sorghum Expansion Rate

[0055] (1) Soak 5g of sorghum in water, then wash off the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, namely product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air;

[0056] (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 300 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 300 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B.

[0057]

[0058] The p 煤油 is the density of kerosene;

[0059] (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 110°C, set the drying time to 20 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is:

[0060]

[0061] (4) Take 5g of sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded as blank sorghum. First weigh the blank sorghum to obtain the mass m6, then put it into the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 110℃, set the drying time to 20 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m7 and calculate the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is:

[0062]

[0063] (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is:

[0064]

[0065] The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion;

[0066] (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside.

[0067] (7) Immerse the empty basket in 300 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the value. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in the beaker containing 300 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρ. 干高粱 ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula is:

[0068]

[0069] According to ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion is inferred to be:

[0070]

[0071] (7) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (6), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

[0072]

[0073] Example 3: Measuring Sorghum Expansion Rate

[0074] (1) Soak 10g of sorghum in water, then wash off the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, namely product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air;

[0075] (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 200 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 200 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B.

[0076]

[0077] The p 煤油 is the density of kerosene;

[0078] (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 100°C, set the drying time to 25 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is:

[0079]

[0080] (4) Take 10g of sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded as blank sorghum. First weigh the blank sorghum to obtain the mass m6, then put it into the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 100℃, set the drying time to 25 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m7 and calculate the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is:

[0081]

[0082] (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is:

[0083]

[0084] The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion;

[0085] (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside.

[0086] (7) Immerse the empty basket in 200 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in the beaker containing 200 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρ. 干高粱 ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula is:

[0087]

[0088] According to ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion is inferred to be:

[0089]

[0090] (7) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (6), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

[0091]

[0092] Example 4: Measuring Sorghum Expansion Rate

[0093] (1) Soak 7g of sorghum in water, then wash off the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, namely product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air;

[0094] (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B.

[0095]

[0096] The p 煤油 is the density of kerosene;

[0097] (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 120°C, set the drying time to 15 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is:

[0098]

[0099] (4) Take 7g of sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded as blank sorghum. First weigh the blank sorghum to obtain the mass m6, then put it into the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 120℃, set the drying time to 15 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m7 and calculate the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is:

[0100]

[0101] (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is:

[0102]

[0103] The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion;

[0104] (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside.

[0105] (7) Immerse the empty basket in 400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in the beaker containing 400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρ. 干高粱 ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula is:

[0106]

[0107] According to ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion is inferred to be:

[0108]

[0109] (8) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (6), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

[0110]

[0111] The present invention has carried out a lot of experimental studies to prove the effect of the present invention. The following are the results of the experimental studies of the present invention:

[0112] 1. Measuring Sorghum Kernel Volume by Water Soaking Method

[0113] Sorghum is difficult to measure due to its small size. Based on current technology and application, sorghum grain mass can be measured using a high-precision scale (such as an analytical balance) with an accuracy of 0.1 mg. While measuring the mass of a single grain of sorghum is easy and convenient, measuring the volume of individual grains is less convenient.

[0114] In order to easily and accurately detect the volume of sorghum grains, we thought of Archimedes' principle. Archimedes' principle is an important principle of fluid statics, a law summarized by the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes. It states that objects immersed in liquid are subject to an upward buoyant force, the magnitude of which is equal to the weight of the liquid displaced by the object, and its mathematical expression is F = ρgV. Based on Archimedes' principle, we have discovered an effective method for detecting solid substances, and through high-precision balances, we can achieve high-accuracy gravimetric detection of tiny volumes. To this end, I first used water as the solution, modified an ordinary electronic balance, and made it capable of detecting the mass of solid particles immersed in liquid. Then I took dry sorghum and conducted the following experiment:

[0115] ① First, randomly take 5-10g of sorghum and weigh its mass using a balance (normal weighing method) to obtain the mass data of sorghum in the air.

[0116] ② Place a beaker filled with water on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance (same as Example 1), put in the net basket, and immerse it in water. After the data displayed on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance stabilizes, it can be recorded as a blank value and subsequently deducted, or directly press the tare key to clear it.

[0117] ③Put the sorghum whose mass was measured in ① above into the net basket, and use a U-shaped electronic analytical balance to measure the mass of the sorghum in water. Note the reading on the balance, which is the mass of the sorghum in water.

[0118] ④ According to the calculation formula, calculate the measured volume of sorghum = (m in air - m in water) ÷ ρ 水 See Table 1 below:

[0119] Table 1. Sorghum grain volume measured by water immersion method

[0120]

[0121]

[0122] During testing, it was discovered that sorghum absorbs water and interferes with its performance. Air bubbles adhere to the surface of the sorghum when it enters the water, making it difficult to drain away. Consequently, the sorghum density measured in the table above fluctuates significantly, indicating that this method suffers from significant systematic errors and requires further refinement. Considering that sorghum's tendency to absorb air bubbles is likely related to the polarity of the solvent, the following solvent screening tests were conducted.

[0123] 2. Solvent screening test

[0124] Weigh six portions of sorghum weighing about 1g, prepare 50ml each of methanol, ethanol, kerosene, n-butanol, hexanediol and pure water, soak the six portions of sorghum in the six liquids for 2.5h respectively, then wipe off the surface moisture with absorbent paper, weigh and record the data.

[0125] Use absorbent paper to gently wash off the surface water of the sorghum, then use a hair dryer to blow dry, and weigh it again after drying. Record the data. The results are shown in Table 2 below:

[0126] Table 2. Solubility absorption rate of sorghum in different solvents

[0127]

[0128] Based on these experiments, this study systematically examined the mass changes of sorghum in six different solutions and evaluated the influence of bubble adhesion on the measurement results. By comparing and analyzing the experimental data under different media conditions, it was found that kerosene, due to its low polarity, low solubility, and stable physical properties, effectively inhibited sorghum's expansion and reduced bubble interference, ultimately becoming the optimal measurement medium.

[0129] 3. Using kerosene as a medium to measure sorghum expansion rate

[0130] The particle volume method determines the total volume of soaked sorghum by immersion and calculates the average volume of a single grain. Using kerosene as a medium can effectively stabilize the measurement results because it can reduce the absorption interference of sorghum on the test liquid. The water absorption rate correlation rule uses a rapid moisture meter to accurately determine the moisture content of sorghum that has been soaked (moistened) and expanded. After deducting the water absorption rate of dry sorghum, the net mass of sorghum before expansion is restored. Then, taking advantage of the relatively stable density of dry sorghum (the density of sorghum raw materials in the same batch is constant), the density of dry sorghum is also accurately measured using this particle volume method. The net mass of sorghum before expansion measured by the drying method is converted into the precise volume of dry sorghum, that is, the volume before expansion is obtained. Finally, the calculation formula for the expansion rate is obtained, and the sorghum expansion rate is calculated. The formula for calculating the volume of sorghum expansion rate is as follows:

[0131]

[0132] In the above formula: V2 is the volume of sorghum after expansion, and V1 is the volume of sorghum before expansion.

[0133] What needs to be calculated for the above formula is the value of V2 and V1.

[0134] 3.1. Instruments: U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance (Example 1), halogen moisture analyzer (model SN-DHS-20A, maximum weighing: 110g, accuracy 0.001g).

[0135] 3.2. Measurement method:

[0136] (1) Soak 5g of sorghum in water, then wash off the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, namely product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air;

[0137] (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 300 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 300 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B.

[0138]

[0139] The p 煤油 is the density of kerosene;

[0140] (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 110°C, set the drying time to 20 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is:

[0141]

[0142] (4) Take 5g of sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded as blank sorghum. First weigh the blank sorghum to obtain the mass m6, then put it into the halogen moisture meter, set the temperature to 110℃, set the drying time to 20 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m7 and calculate the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is:

[0143]

[0144] (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is:

[0145]

[0146] The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion;

[0147] (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside.

[0148] (7) Immerse the empty basket in 300 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the value. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in the beaker containing 300 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove the air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρ. 干高粱 ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula is:

[0149]

[0150] According to ρ 干高粱 The calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion is inferred to be:

[0151]

[0152] (8) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (6), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

[0153]

[0154] According to the above method, three groups of parallel samples of water absorption and expansion were made, and each group of parallel samples was measured three times. A blank sample was also made simultaneously. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0155] Table 3 Sorghum expansion rate test results

[0156]

[0157] 4. Measuring the Expansion Rate of Renhuai Sorghum at Different Soaking Times

[0158] Taking Renhuai sorghum as an example, 10 groups of approximately 5 grams of sorghum were collected. The volume of each sorghum grain was first measured using a U-shaped electronic analytical balance. The sorghum was then removed and gently blotted with absorbent paper to remove any kerosene adsorbed on the surface of the grains. The sorghum was then poured into a beaker and soaked in 100 grams of water. The sorghum was timed and removed after the desired time. The sorghum was gently wiped dry with absorbent paper and the volume of the grains was immediately measured using the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. The results are shown in Table 4 below:

[0159] Table 4 Volume changes of Renhuai sorghum before and after moistening

[0160]

[0161] According to the above table, the expansion rate of sorghum can be calculated and the change curve can be drawn, see Table 5. Figure 4 .

[0162] Table 5 Changes in the expansion rate of Renhuai sorghum after different grain moistening times

[0163]

[0164] Depend on Figure 4 It can be seen that the water absorption rate and expansion rate of the sorghum have an obvious positive correlation. The water absorption rate can be used as the vertical axis and the expansion rate as the horizontal axis to draw Figure 5 , find the linear equation.

[0165] Since we simultaneously counted the number of sorghum grains in the above experiment, we can calculate the average volume of each sorghum grain. In this way, when it is impossible to obtain the same sample of sorghum before and after expansion, we can use the grain count to indirectly calculate the sorghum expansion rate, see below Figure 6 It can be seen that the expansion rate calculated according to the number of particles fluctuates greatly, but basically fluctuates around the actual expansion rate.

[0166] In order to further test the reliability of this method, we once again selected sorghum produced in Duyun for the experiment. The results are shown in Figure 7 .

Claims

1. A method for detecting sorghum expansion rate using a particle volume method combined with a drying correlation method, characterized in that: The method is carried out according to the following steps: (1) Soak the sorghum in water, then wash off the water with absorbent paper to obtain the sorghum that has expanded after absorbing water, which is product A. Weigh product A to obtain the mass m2 of the expanded sorghum in air; (2) Immerse the empty mesh basket in 200-400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product A into the mesh basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 200-400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped stand electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, then weigh it to obtain the mass m3 of the sorghum in the kerosene after expansion. Calculate the volume V2 of the sorghum before expansion. Remove the sorghum from the kerosene and wipe off the kerosene adsorbed by the sorghum with absorbent paper to obtain product B. The ρkerosene is the density of kerosene; (3) First weigh product B to obtain the mass m4, then place product B in the moisture meter, set the temperature to 100-120℃, set the drying time to 15-25 minutes, start the moisture meter, and the instrument automatically stops heating when the set time is reached. Record the mass after drying m5 and calculate the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of expanded sorghum is: (4) The sorghum that has not absorbed water and expanded is taken as blank sorghum. First, the blank sorghum is weighed to obtain the mass m6. Then, it is placed in a moisture meter. The temperature is set to 100-120°C and the drying time is set to 15-25 minutes. The moisture meter is started. When the set time is reached, the instrument automatically stops heating. The mass after drying, m7, is recorded. The water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is calculated. The calculation formula for the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum is: (5) Based on the water absorption rate of the expanded sorghum and the water absorption rate of the blank sorghum, the mass m of the dry sorghum before expansion is calculated and restored. Then the volume V1 of the sorghum before expansion is calculated. The calculation formula of V1 is: The p 干高粱 is the density of dry sorghum before expansion; (6) Weigh the dry sorghum to obtain the mass m0 of the dry sorghum in air, which is product C and set aside. (7) Immerse the empty basket in 200-400 mL of kerosene. After the data displayed on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance stabilizes, press the tare key to reset the data. Then put product C into the basket and immerse it in a beaker containing 200-400 mL of kerosene on the U-shaped electronic analytical balance. Stir the sorghum to remove air bubbles adsorbed by the sorghum, and then weigh it to obtain the mass m1 of the dry sorghum in the kerosene. This is used to calculate ρdry sorghum. The calculation formula for ρdry sorghum is: According to the calculation formula of ρdry sorghum, the calculation formula of sorghum volume V1 before expansion is inferred to be: (8) Based on the calculation formula for the volume V2 of sorghum before expansion in step (2) and the calculation formula for the volume V1 of sorghum before expansion in step (7), the volume calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate can be converted into the weight calculation formula for the sorghum expansion rate as follows:

2. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (1), the amount of sorghum used is 5-10g.

3. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (2), the volume of kerosene in the beaker is 300 mL of kerosene.

4. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (6), the volume of kerosene in the beaker is 300 mL of kerosene.

5. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the steps (2) and (6), the U-shaped bracket electronic analytical balance includes an electronic balance, a U-shaped bracket, a tripod, a beaker and a mesh basket; when in use, the weighing pan of the electronic balance is first removed, and the support base at the lower end of the U-shaped bracket is fixed to the balance sensor of the electronic balance; a winding wheel is fixed to the upper end of the U-shaped bracket, and a hanging rope is wound around the winding wheel, and the hanging rope suspends the mesh basket located above the beaker, and the height of the mesh basket can be controlled by the winding wheel and the hanging rope; the tripod is placed in the center of the electronic balance, and a beaker filled with kerosene is placed on the tripod. The height of the tripod is higher than the support base, and the tripod does not contact the U-shaped bracket and the balance sensor.

6. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The aperture of the mesh basket is smaller than the particle size of sorghum, and the mesh basket is made of stainless steel.

7. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The measurement accuracy of the electronic balance reaches 1 mg.

8. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (3), the temperature is set to 110° C. and the drying time is set to 20 minutes.

9. The method for detecting sorghum expansion rate by combining the particle volume method with the drying correlation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (4), the temperature is set to 110° C. and the drying time is set to 20 minutes.

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