Microwave Convective Drying of Plant Foods at Constant and Variable Microwave Power

Microwave convective drying of plant foods is a promising process due to the shorter drying time and better product quality. High microwave power decreases the drying time but causes charring of the product. In this work, microwave drying under constant and variable microwave power were compared. Temperature-sensitive products, such as plant foods, are especially affected by microwave power during the final drying period. Therefore, drying at variable microwave power was found to be a more suitable drying process. Air (temperature and velocity) has an important role during microwave drying, not only as carrier of evaporated moisture but also as it contributes to a more homogeneous and faster drying.     

Studies on the Microwave Freeze Drying Technique and Sterilization Characteristics of Cabbage

The vacuum freeze-drying (FD) technique used in the food industry can yield a high-quality product, but it is very expensive and requires a long processing time. Besides, the quantity of microorganisms in FD products can often exceed the required standard. As a result, it will be important to develop a new freeze-drying technique. In this article, cabbage was used as a model material, and the microwave field was used as a heat source to supply sublimation heat so that the drying time was shortened greatly. The effect of the microwave sterilization during the drying process was evaluated. Effects of the pressure, thickness of material being dried, and the input microwave power on such indices as drying time and the microorganism number were studied. Compared with the method of ordinary freeze drying, microwave freeze drying (MFD) can greatly reduce the drying time and has a notable sterilization effect.     

Studies on the Microwave Freeze Drying Technique and Sterilization Characteristics of Cabbage

The vacuum freeze-drying (FD) technique used in the food industry can yield a high-quality product, but it is very expensive and requires a long processing time. Besides, the quantity of microorganisms in FD products can often exceed the required standard. As a result, it will be important to develop a new freeze-drying technique. In this article, cabbage was used as a model material, and the microwave field was used as a heat source to supply sublimation heat so that the drying time was shortened greatly. The effect of the microwave sterilization during the drying process was evaluated. Effects of the pressure, thickness of material being dried, and the input microwave power on such indices as drying time and the microorganism number were studied. Compared with the method of ordinary freeze drying, microwave freeze drying (MFD) can greatly reduce the drying time and has a notable sterilization effect.     

Microwave Freeze Drying of Apple Slices Based on the Dielectric Properties

Freeze drying (FD) yields the best quality of dried apple slices but requires a long drying time and is not cost-effective. To mitigate these problems, a microwave freeze drying (MFD) technique was developed to dry apple slices. The relationship between corona discharge and microwave power at various pressures and initial moisture content conditions was studied to avoid the possibility of corona discharge during MFD. It was found that with change of moisture content and temperature of samples during MFD, the dielectric property also changed, which resulted in dynamic microwave dissipation. Based on the dielectric property of samples, a changed microwave loading scheme can lead to perfect product quality and greatly reduce the drying time; thus, MFD can be used to replace the traditional FD technique.     

Microwave Freeze–Drying Characteristics and Sensory Quality of Instant Vegetable Soup

Instant vegetable soup mix was dehydrated in a microwave freeze dryer to study the drying characteristics and sensory properties of the dried product. The mix was dried at different microwave power levels, material thicknesses, and material loads. As expected, microwave power significantly influenced the total drying time and sensory quality of the final product. The total drying time increased with the increase of material thickness and load. A material layer that is too thin causes the product quality to deteriorate.     

Drying of a Slip Casting for Tableware Product Using Microwave Continuous Belt Dryer

To demonstrate the potential of microwave drying in the ceramic industry, microwave demolding of tableware product by a continuous microwave belt drier has been investigated. This study focuses on the investigation of the effects of the irradiation time, sample size, microwave power and location of magnetron on overall drying kinetics. The results show that microwave drying has several advantages over the conventional method such as shorter processing time, volumetric dissipation of energy throughout a product, high energy efficiency, reduced amount of mold usage, and offering product quality. Further quantitative validation of experimental data could be very useful, especially in providing information for processing high-performance microwave drying for developing the ceramic industry in Thailand.     

Drying of a Slip Casting for Tableware Product Using Microwave Continuous Belt Dryer

To demonstrate the potential of microwave drying in the ceramic industry, microwave demolding of tableware product by a continuous microwave belt drier has been investigated. This study focuses on the investigation of the effects of the irradiation time, sample size, microwave power and location of magnetron on overall drying kinetics. The results show that microwave drying has several advantages over the conventional method such as shorter processing time, volumetric dissipation of energy throughout a product, high energy efficiency, reduced amount of mold usage, and offering product quality. Further quantitative validation of experimental data could be very useful, especially in providing information for processing high-performance microwave drying for developing the ceramic industry in Thailand.     

Effective Diffusivities and Energy Consumption of Whole Fruit Chinese Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller) in Microwave Drying

Microwave drying of whole fruit Chinese jujube was performed at 45, 90, and 135 W. Ten commonly used mathematical models of thin-layer drying were compared. The Midilli model was best in describing drying time dependency of product moisture ratios. The initial drying rate and drying rate constant are linearly proportional to microwave power level. An effective diffusivity model was presented and validated with the Renka-Cline algorithm. The model has very high predictive precision, suggested by the relative percentage error of 3.734% on average between the model and the Renka-Cline algorithm. The effective diffusivity was proved to be a linear function of microwave power level and a quadratic function of moisture content. Energy consumption in microwave drying of Chinese jujube decreased as microwave power increased from 45 to 135 W, but 90 W was adequate for high-quality products with less energy consumption.     

Microwave Drying of Wood Strands

Characteristics of microwave drying of wood strands with different initial moisture contents and geometries were investigated using a commercial small microwave oven under different power inputs. Temperature and moisture changes along with the drying efficiency were examined at different drying scenarios. Extractives were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that the microwave drying process consisted of three distinct periods (warm-up period, evaporation period, and heating-up period) during which the temperature, moisture change, and drying efficiency could vary. Most of the extractives were remnant during microwave drying. It was observed that with proper selections of power input, weight of drying material, and drying time, microwave drying could increase the drying rate, save up to 50% of energy consumption, and decrease volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions when compared with the conventional drying method.     

Optimizing Drying Conditions for Vacuum-Assisted Microwave Drying of Green Peas (Pisum sativum L.)

Green peas were dried in a vacuum-assisted microwave drying system. The effects of microwave power levels (100–300 W) and system vacuum (50–400 mm Hg) on drying parameters (viz. drying efficiency and drying time) and some quality attributes (viz. linear shrinkage, apparent density, green color, rehydration, and sensory attributes) of dehydrated peas were analyzed by means of response surface methodology. A face-centered central composite design was used to develop models for the responses. Analysis of variance showed that a second-order polynomial model predicted well the experimental data. The system microwave power level strongly affected quality attributes of dehydrated peas and drying parameters. A higher vacuum during drying resulted in a better quality product. Microwave power of 237.31 W and a 360.22 mm Hg vaccum were found to be optimum drying conditions for vacuum-assisted microwave drying of green peas.     

Optimization of the microwave drying process for potato chips based on the measurement of dielectric properties

A microwave drying system with functions of automatic power and temperature control was developed to dry potato chips. The mass and moisture content of the sample are available online. The dielectric properties of the samples were measured during microwave drying, during which the microwave absorption capacity of the samples was analyzed. Afterward, a reasonable power and temperature control scheme was formulated. The enhanced microwave drying technology of potato chips is found by comparing product quality under different schemes. Results show that the change in the dielectric properties of materials during microwave drying is closely related to moisture and temperature variations. A three-stage different temperature control with predefined variable power profiles resulted in the best product quality.     

Microwave Drying of Wood Strands

Abstract

Characteristics of microwave drying of wood strands with different initial moisture contents and geometries were investigated using a commercial small microwave oven under different power inputs. Temperature and moisture changes along with the drying efficiency were examined at different drying scenarios. Extractives were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that the microwave drying process consisted of three distinct periods (warm-up period, evaporation period, and heating-up period) during which the temperature, moisture change, and drying efficiency could vary. Most of the extractives were remnant during microwave drying. It was observed that with proper selections of power input, weight of drying material, and drying time, microwave drying could increase the drying rate, save up to 50% of energy consumption, and decrease volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions when compared with the conventional drying method.     

Modeling of Combined Microwave and Convective Drying of Wood: Prediction of Mechanical Behavior via Internal Gas Pressure

The impact of microwave drying on the quality of dried wood remains unclear. Particular attention should be paid in order to optimize the combined microwave and convective drying process. In this study, a comprehensive internal heat and mass transfer model was developed and numerically implemented in order to simulate and understand the physical phenomena occurring inside Jack pine wood during a combined microwave and convective drying process. The model was validated on the basis of the average moisture content curves for drying scenarios at various microwave power levels. According to the simulations results, an increase in microwave power significantly decreases the drying time of Jack pine wood and increases its internal gas pressure, which increases the risk of cracking. However, compared to purely conventional convective drying, combined microwave and convective drying at medium microwave power and air temperature significantly reduces the drying time and maintains the internal gas pressure at reasonable values. At these conditions, the risk of cracking will be diminished. This last result was checked via experimental measurements of the sample strength dried at different microwave power levels. From this study, we can consider that for Jack pine wood, combined microwave and convective drying is a more efficient technology compared to classical convective drying.     

Shrinkage Characteristics of Potatos Dehydrated Under Combined Microwave and Convective Air Conditions

A study of the pysical structure and quality potatoes during microwave and air drying war undertaken. The effect of various experimental variables on volumetric shrinkage including microwove power levels, air temperature and velocity as well as sample geometry was investigated. In both microwave and air drying, the shrinkage of potatoes showed a linear behaviour in relation to different moisture content levels. Experimental data showedthat air velocity and microwave power had a major effect on the degree of shrinkage, also the shrinkage behaviour was independent of sample geometry and air temperature. The use of microwave produced smaller changer in volume (less shrinkage) and henee a better quality finished product.     

The Effect of Glass Transition Temperature on the Procedure of Microwave–Freeze Drying of Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

Freeze drying (FD) yields the best quality of dried mushroom but at the cost of a long drying time and high overall cost. Air drying (AD) gives an unacceptably poor quality product. To achieve faster drying along with a high-quality product, a microwave–freeze drying (MFD) technique was developed to dry mushrooms. The relationship between dried mushroom quality and the glass transition temperature during the MFD process was studied to optimize the MFD process. According to the change tendency of the glass transition temperature of mushroom during MFD, a step-down microwave loading scheme for the MFD process was developed to obtain good product quality.     

柳树河油页岩微波干燥特性及干燥模型

干燥预处理对油页岩的利用具有重要的意义,微波干燥是一种快速、高效和节能的干燥方式。在家用微波炉改造基础上搭建了微波干燥实验台,研究了不同微波功率对柳树河油页岩微波干燥特性的影响。并采用单项扩散模型等13个薄膜干燥模型等对微波干燥分别进行动力学分析,结果表明：微波干燥所需的时间远小于传统干燥所需的时间;微波干燥速率要远大于传统干燥干燥速率;油页岩微波干燥过程适用于双项扩散的半经验模型,油页岩微波干燥机理为湿分（液体或蒸气）双项扩散控制过程;300、400和550 W三个功率干燥时能耗相差不大。为了以较少的能耗达到相同的干燥效果,对于柳树河油页岩,以功率550 W干燥为佳。     

TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE CHANGES DURING MICROWAVE DRYING OF SLICED FOOD

Microwave drying characteristics of sliced foods were investigated using potatoes (Solarium tuberosum) as a test model. Sliced samples were dried to 7-10% moisture content at microwave power levels between 2.2 W/g and 3.6 W/g (raw material). Moisture and temperature changes during drying were monitored. Semi-empirical models were developed that followed temperature and moisture changes during microwave drying. Sliced potatoes experienced three distinct periods: a warming-up period with little removal of moisture; a constant temperature period in which most of the drying took place; and a heating up period in which the drying rate decreased and sample temperature increased rapidly, often causing partial charring. Product temperature during the second period of microwave drying increased with sample thickness and microwave power. Drying rates were not affected by slice thickness, but increased with the microwave power/mass ratio. Product charring towards the end of drying may be avoided by reducing microwave power and increasing ambient air velocity.     

Shrinkage Characteristics of Potatos Dehydrated Under Combined Microwave and Convective Air Conditions

ABSTRACT

A study of the pysical structure and quality potatoes during microwave and air drying war undertaken. The effect of various experimental variables on volumetric shrinkage including microwove power levels, air temperature and velocity as well as sample geometry was investigated. In both microwave and air drying, the shrinkage of potatoes showed a linear behaviour in relation to different moisture content levels. Experimental data showedthat air velocity and microwave power had a major effect on the degree of shrinkage, also the shrinkage behaviour was independent of sample geometry and air temperature. The use of microwave produced smaller changer in volume (less shrinkage) and henee a better quality finished product.     

Study on a Combination Drying Technique of Sea Cucumber

To develop a highly efficient drying technique for sea cucumber, the effects of different drying methods on the drying procedure and product quality were investigated. FD could lead to the best quality but took the longest time, and AD product quality was too poor. VMD was introduced to combine with FD to get acceptable quality and reduce drying time. In order to get optimal technique parameters, an RSA experiment was carried out. The optimal technique parameters of combination drying of FD-VMD were 45% conversion point, 20-30 kPa chamber pressure, and 350-450 W microwave power. Compared with Freeze Drying (FD), Air Drying (AD)-Vacuum Microwave Drying (VMD) could reduce the drying time to half and maintain good product quality.     

Studies on Hot Air and Microwave Vacuum Drying of Wild Cabbage

Wild cabbage was dehydrated by a combination of hot-air drying and microwave vacuum drying. It showed that the total drying time was reduced by about half while the retention values of the nutrient components and chlorophyll were improved significantly. Microwave/vacuum-dried products had a more porous texture. Finally, microwave drying showed effective bactericidal action in the product with acceptable quality of dried product.