Experimental Study on Energy Consumption of Combined Conventional and Dehumidification Drying

Conventional drying, dehumidification drying, and combined conventional-dehumidification drying of wood were experimentally studied in this article. The results showed that the energy consumption in the dehumidification drying is the least but its drying time is the longest. The energy consumption in the combined drying is more than that in the dehumidification drying but less than that in the conventional drying, and the drying time is half of that in the dehumidification drying. The advantages of the combined conventional and dehumidification drying are discussed from the experiments results.     

太阳能-除湿-常规分段组合木材干燥工艺优化

为降低木材干燥能耗,通过对杨木进行太阳能-除湿-常规分段组合干燥,即含水率40%以上采用太阳能进行预干,25%—40%采用除湿干燥,25%以下采用常规干燥,并与常规干燥进行干燥能耗和木材质量的对比。结果表明,分段组合干燥比常规干燥节能19%左右,而且干燥质量和常规干燥基本一致。分段组合干燥充分利用了三者各自的优势,从而达到节能的目的。     

Energy Consumption in Industrial Drying of Radiata Pine

This article reports the results of an exploratory study designed to reduce heat and electricity consumption in industrial drying of radiata pine. The experiments were performed with slight modifications of the standard drying schedules used by the sawmill to dry radiata pine in 100-m³ industrial kilns. The heat and electricity consumption were determined with data collected during the drying runs and calculations based on mathematical models. The results showed that depending on the case, heat and power consumption were respectively reduced by up to 14 and 35%.     

污泥热泵干燥速率及能耗的实验研究

利用小型热泵干燥试验台，对污泥干燥过程含水率、空气参数（温度、相对湿度）及热泵参数（制冷工质参数、排水量、能耗等）的变化进行了试验测试，并着重对干燥速率、能量回收率及影响因素进行了分析。试验显示，依靠外热源预热后，污泥干燥过程仅依靠热泵回收的排气余热供热，干燥箱内平均温度可达63℃，最高迭71℃。干燥箱内温度的高低取决于受制冷工况影响的热泵供风温度。污泥干燥速率随空气温度升高和相对湿度的降低而增大，湿基含水率从42．6％到18．74％的平均干燥速率为0．123％／（m·min）。热泵干燥回收排气余热的节能效果显著，并随热泵排水量的增加而增大。平均能量回收率为39．1％，最大值为48．9％和最小值为23．6％，分别发生在热泵排水量最大和最小的阶段。     

Recent Research and Development in Wood Drying Technologies in China

This article reviews research and application in applied wood drying technologies in China during the last two decades. It covers four areas including texts, manuals, and standards; predrying treatments; drying techniques and equipment; and energy conservation. The predrying treatments section includes presoaking, presteaming and preheating, end coating, and warp control. Drying techniques and equipment discussed involve predrying and redrying, conventional drying, high-temperature drying, vacuum drying, dehumidification drying, and press drying. The energy conservation section describes electricity conservation and heat conservation. Finally, some suggestions and remarks are given on the past experience and perspective for future research and development.     

Recent Research and Development in Wood Drying Technologies in China

This article reviews research and application in applied wood drying technologies in China during the last two decades. It covers four areas including texts, manuals, and standards; predrying treatments; drying techniques and equipment; and energy conservation. The predrying treatments section includes presoaking, presteaming and preheating, end coating, and warp control. Drying techniques and equipment discussed involve predrying and redrying, conventional drying, high-temperature drying, vacuum drying, dehumidification drying, and press drying. The energy conservation section describes electricity conservation and heat conservation. Finally, some suggestions and remarks are given on the past experience and perspective for future research and development.     

Energy Consumption and Product Quality Interactions in Flame Spray Drying

The work presents the comparison of two spray drying techniques: conventional concurrent spray drying and novel spray drying technique; that is, flame spray drying (FSD) in terms of energy consumption and quality of final product. The amount of energy consumed to dry maltodextrin solutions showed that for similar moisture evaporation rate and equivalent operating parameters of the drying process, energy consumption was 5 to 30% lower in the FSD process. FSD produced lower bulk and apparent densities of maltodextrin powder and, due to shorter drying time, lower content of fractured particles in comparison with the classical spray drying process.     

Dehydration of Concentrated Ganoderma lucidum Extraction by Combined Microwave-Vacuum and Conventional Vacuum Drying

Combination of microwave-vacuum drying and conventional vacuum drying was investigated as a potential method for drying concentrated Ganoderma lucidum extraction. The Ganoderma lucidum was extracted by hot water (60-65°C) and then concentrated to moisture of about 70% (wet basis) in a rising-film evaporator. The concentrated sample was dried by microwave-vacuum until the moisture content reached 10% (wet basis), and then by conventional vacuum drying at the temperature of 55-60°C to final moisture content about 6% (wet basis). The retention of polysaccharide and triterpenes of Ganoderma lucidum dried by this method were evaluated and compared with those dried by freeze drying and conventional vacuum drying alone. The comparison showed that the quality of extraction dried by the current method was close to that of freeze-dried extraction and much better than that of conventional vacuum-dried ones.     

Dehydration of Concentrated Ganoderma lucidum Extraction by Combined Microwave-Vacuum and Conventional Vacuum Drying

Combination of microwave-vacuum drying and conventional vacuum drying was investigated as a potential method for drying concentrated Ganoderma lucidum extraction. The Ganoderma lucidum was extracted by hot water (60–65°C) and then concentrated to moisture of about 70% (wet basis) in a rising-film evaporator. The concentrated sample was dried by microwave-vacuum until the moisture content reached 10% (wet basis), and then by conventional vacuum drying at the temperature of 55–60°C to final moisture content about 6% (wet basis). The retention of polysaccharide and triterpenes of Ganoderma lucidum dried by this method were evaluated and compared with those dried by freeze drying and conventional vacuum drying alone. The comparison showed that the quality of extraction dried by the current method was close to that of freeze-dried extraction and much better than that of conventional vacuum-dried ones.     

Freeze Drying of Apple Slices with and without Application of Microwaves

In this study, Fuji apple slices were dehydrated using freeze drying (FD) combined with microwave assisted with vacuum drying (VMD). The optimal parameter for the diversion point of moisture content from FD to VMD process was at the moisture level of 21%, and for VMD the optimal parameter for vacuum pressure was at 9.15 kPa and microwave power density was at a level of 3.18 w/g. The results show that the two-step technique can significantly reduce total FD time required by up to 40%, while the nutritional value of the dried apple chips remained unchanged compared to FD used alone.     

Energy and Quality Attributes of Combined Hot-Air/Infrared Drying of Paddy

The kinetics of combined hot-air/infrared thin-layer drying of paddy was studied. The mechanical quality aspects of paddy kernels dried at different drying conditions were evaluated in terms of percentage of cracked kernels and also required failure force obtained from bending tests. The well-known Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling technique was applied to predict the drying time, variations in paddy moisture content, the percentages of cracked kernels, and the values of required failure force of paddy at different drying conditions. The best ANN topologies, transfer functions, and training algorithms were determined for prediction of the mentioned parameters. In addition to the product quality aspects, the specific energy consumption (SEC) was estimated for all drying conditions. The results indicated that application of a low-intensity IR radiation (2000 W/m²), together with lower values of inlet air temperature (30°C) and moderate values of inlet air velocity (0.15 m/s), can effectively improve the final quality of paddy (as a heat-sensitive product) with a reasonable SEC.     

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.     

Combined Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) and Vacuum Freeze Drying of Sea Cucumber

A combination of electrohydrodynamic drying (EHD) and vacuum freeze drying (FD) is examined as an improved method for dehydrating sea cucumbers. The energy consumption, shrinkage and rehydration ratio, protein content, and sensory properties, such as the color and trimness, of the dried product in the EHD–FD method are measured. Compared with FD, the combined process consumes less drying time and has lower energy consumption than EHD drying alone. Also, the product processed by combined drying displays lower shrinkage, higher rehydration rate and higher protein content, along with better sensory qualities.     

干燥机单位热耗和干燥能力折算的研究

热耗和生产能力是粮食干燥机试验的重要指标,但是由于试验时环境条件、粮食条件和干燥介质条件的多变性,试验结果往往没有可比性,因此必须将干燥机的性能试验数据折算到一个公认的标准条件才能进行比较和标定。本文以粮食干燥机的试验数据为基础,参考国内外粮食干燥机试验标准,对粮食干燥单位热耗和生产能力折算系数进行了研究和探索;总结了四种折算方法,分析了粮食干燥机在不同的环境和谷物条件下折算系数的计算方法和步骤,阐述了各种方法的优缺点,提出了折算方法的初步的建议,为干燥机试验数据的可比性和完善干燥机试验标准提供了依据。     

污泥干燥焚烧系统能耗的影响因素分析

介绍了一种污泥干燥焚烧处置系统,分析了影响干燥焚烧系统能耗的因素。分析结果表明,污泥干燥机入口温度越高、污泥初始含水率越低、污泥干燥后含水率越高,污泥干燥焚烧系统能耗就越少,装机容量就越小,设备的外形尺寸就越小,干燥焚烧系统的一次性投资就越低。     

Hybrid Drying of Red Bell Pepper: Energy and Quality Issues

The research presented in this article is aimed at elaboration of possibly best drying technology for the red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum) with the use of convective (CV), microwave (MW), and infrared (IR) heat sources applied separately and in different combinations. Six drying schedules were arranged and tested experimentally to find the best drying kinetics, at which the best quality of the products is attained by minimum energy consumption. Quality was judged through colorimetric measurements with the use of Konica Minolta CR400 colorimeter, and through sensory assessment. The energy consumption was measured with the use of electrical network analyzer MPR53 s (Entes). As expected, the purely convective drying was proved to be a long-lasting and a high-energy-consuming process as well as negatively affecting the quality of dried products. A combination of several drying technologies positively influenced both the time of drying and the product quality as well as the energy consumption.     

Drying of Mushroom Slices Using Hot Air Combined with an Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Drying System

In this study, hot air combined with EHD drying is examined as an improved method for drying mushroom slices. The effects of three levels of voltage (17, 19, and 21 kV) and electrode gap (5, 6, and 7 cm) on the drying kinetics, time, effective water diffusion coefficient, and energy consumption of the EHD, pure hot air (provided within a chamber), and hot air combined with EHD drying systems were investigated. ANOVA showed that there were significant differences between EHD treatments and control (pure hot-air-drying treatment) for all of the investigated responses. Voltage and electrode gap factors had significant effects on all investigated responses. The results confirmed that the combination of EHD and hot air can significantly reduce the drying period, resulting in a greater effective water diffusion coefficient and drying rate and reduced energy consumption. As such, this technique offers a promising solution to the considerable energy consumption of the drying industry.     

炼油厂含油污泥干化焚烧及能耗分析

日益严格的环保要求促使环保投资的增大,压缩了炼油企业的利润空间,因此,环保设施的节能降耗成为重要的研究课题。某炼油厂采用"干化-焚烧"工艺处理含油污泥,该工艺成熟稳定,适合长周期运行,最大程度地实现减量和无害化,同时回收部分焚烧的热量作为干化单元的热源。结合该处理流程对设施能耗进行分析,提出两个节能降耗的措施。结果表明:设计工况下,该设施单位能耗为14 180.67 MJ/t污泥(含水率80%),通过调整操作控制含油污泥的含水率,可以将单位能耗降低4.7个百分点;在长周期运行条件及环保条件满足要求的情况下,改造或停用烟气再热器(GGH),可以将单位能耗降低3.1个百分点;若两种方法相结合,理论上单位能耗可以降低至13 070.03 MJ/t污泥,减少7.8个百分点。     

Dehydration of Garlic Slices by Combined Microwave-Vacuum and Air Drying

Combination of microwave-vacuum drying and air drying was investigated as a potential mean for drying garlic slices. The sample was dried by microwave-vacuum until the moisture content reached 10% (wet basis), and then by conventional hot-air drying at the temperature of 45°C to final moisture content less than 5% (wet basis). Pungency, color, texture, and rehydration ratio of garlic slices dried by this method were evaluated and compared with those dried by freeze drying and conventional hot-air drying. The comparison showed that the quality of garlic slices dried by the current method was close to that of freeze dried garlic slices and much better than that of conventional hot-air dried ones. The lab microwave-vacuum dryer which the materials to be dried could be rotated in the cavity was developed by the authors.