An Effective Moisture Diffusivity Model Deduced from Experiment and Numerical Solution of Mass Transfer Equations for a Shrinkable Drying Slab of Microalgae Spirulina

From experimental data, Spirulina effective moisture diffusivity was analytically estimated by considering two diffusion regions and the product shrinkage. Then, the moisture diffusivity was deduced from the numerical solutions of mass transfer equations by minimizing the difference between experimental and simulated drying curves and by taking into account the slab thickness variation. The range of moisture diffusivity used for simulations was estimated from minimal and maximal values of experimental effective diffusivities and calculation started with the mean value of experimental effective diffusivities. Identified effective diffusivities ranged from 1.79 × 10^?10 to 6.73 × 10^?10 m²/s. These diffusivities increased strongly with drying temperature and decreased slightly with moisture content. A suitable model correlating effective diffusivity, temperature, and moisture content was then established. Effective diffusivities given by this model were very close to experimental ones with a relative difference ranging from 0.5 to 24%.     

Chemical Pretreatments Affecting Drying Characteristics of Chilli (cv. Huarou Yon)

One- (70°C) and two-temperature regimes (70 and 50°C) were used to dry chilli (Capsicum annuum cv. Huarou Yon) using a laboratory tray dryer compared to conventional sun drying. A pretreatment was done by soaking chilli in antibrowning solutions before drying. It was found that the drying rate of chilli soaked in chemical solutions was increased and the drying period of chilli was decreased. Page's model was found to fit well with the experiment for one- and two-temperature drying using least squares analysis. The highest value of the coefficient of determination (R² > 0.99), the lowest value of standard error of estimation (SEE < 0.00031), and the lowest value of the mean relative deviation (P < 10%) were obtained. The effective moisture diffusivities of chilli drying at 70°C and two-stage drying were between 6.01–7.22 × 10^?10 m²/s and 3.16–3.89 × 10^?10 m²/s, respectively. In contrast, the lowest value of effective moisture diffusivity of chilli was obtained by the conventional sun-drying method (0.597 × 10^?10 m²/s). The highest value of moisture diffusivity was observed for chilli soaked in sodium metabisulfite (NaMS) mixed with CaCl₂ solution for both one- and two-temperature regimes. The color of chilli was improved by using chemical pretreatments, in particular, chilli soaked in NaMS mixed with CaCl₂ solution.     

CONVECTIVE-AIR DRYING KINETICS OF OSMOTICALLY PRE-TREATED BLUEBERRIES

Abstract

The second stage convective drying behavior of osmo-dehydrated blueberries was evaluated in a forced-air cabinet dryer (temperature: 50°C, relative humidity: 14%, air velocity: 0.6 m/s) with a cross-flow tray arrangement. Fick's second law of unsteady state diffusion was used to model the air drying kinetics. The results showed that the convective-air drying of the blueberries occurred in two falling rate periods. The effective diffusion coefficients, D_eff, during the first falling rate period ranged from 1.19 × 10^?10 m²/s to 2.14 × 10^?10 m²s and ranged from 4.04 × 10^?11 m²/s to 1.32 × 10^?10 m²/s during the second falling rate period. Among the pre-treatment conditions, the temperature and sucrose concentration during osmotic dehydration significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the air drying time, while the effect of contact time was not significant (p > 0.05).     

EFFECT OF INITIAL MOISTURE CONTENT ON THE THIN LAYER DRYING CHARACTERISTICS OF HAZELNUTS DURING ROASTING

ABSTRACT

Effect of initial moisture content on the thin layer drying characteristics of hazelnuts during roasting was described for a temperature range of 100-160°C, using several thin layer equations. The effective diffusivity varied from 2.8×10^?7 to 21.5×10^?7m²/s over the temperature and moisture range. Temperature dependence of the diffusivity coefficient was described by Arrhenius-type relationship. The activation energy for moisture diffusion was found to be 2703 kJ/kg, 2289 kJ/kg and 2030 kJ/kg for the initial moisture content of 12.3% db, 6.14% db, and 2.41% db, respectively. Two-term equation gave better predictions than Henderson and Pabis and Thompson equations, and satisfactorily described thin layer drying characteristics of hazelnut roasting. A generalised mathematical model with the linear temperature dependence for moistured, non-treated and pre-dried hazelnuts were also developed.     

DIFFUSIONAL MODEL WITH AND WITHOUT SHRINKAGE DURING SALTED FISH MUSCLE DRYING

Abstract

The drying process of salted pieces of shark muscle (Carckarhinus limbatus) was accomplished using three air conditions (20 ^°C -40 %RH; 30 ^°C - 30 %RH; 40 ^°C - 45 %RH) and two air velocities (0.5 m/s; 3.0 m/s). Shrinkage of material during drying was correlated as a linear function between linear dimension and moisture content. The experimental drying data were obtained using both the diffusional model with moisture content parameter (considering no shrinkage) and the diffusional model with moisture concentration parameter (considering shrinkage). The values of effective diffusivity varied between 1.50×l0^?10m²/s and 2 85×l0^?10m²/s for drying process considering no shrinkage and between 0.87×l0^?10m²/s and 1.61×l0^?10m²/s for process considering shrinkage. The activation energy was calculated assuming an Arrhenius' type equation. The values were 17.94 KJ/mol with the air velocity of 0.5 m/s and 21.94 kJ/mol with the air velocity of 3,0 m/s for effective diffusivity without shrinkage. The values were 2.04 kJ/mol with the air velocity of 0.5 m/s and 16.12 kJ/mol with the air velocity of 3.0 m/s for effective diffusivity with shrinkage. These low activation energy values, calculated considering the shrinking effect, show that the side effects during drying reduces the effective diffusivity dependence on temperature     

OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION KINETICS OF BLUEBERRIES

Abstract

The kinetics of moisture loss and solids gain during osmotic dehydration of blueberries under different conditions of temperature (37°C - 60°C), concentration of the sucrose solution (47°Brix - 70°Brix) and contact time between fruit and sucrose solution (0.5 h - 5.5 h) were studied, and modeled based on Fick's law of unsteady state diffusion. The study showed that all factors influenced moisture loss and solids gain (p<0.001), both generally increasing with temperature (T) and sucrose concentration (C). Based on the diffusion model, the calculated effective moisture diffusivity (D_m) ranged from 1.98 × 10^?10 to 5.10 × 10^?10 m²/s and the effective solids diffusivity (D_s) ranged from 2.54 × 10^?11 to 2.22 × 10^?10 m²/s. Both D_m and D_s showed increasing trends with temperature and sucrose concentration, and could be modeled as quadratic functions of T and C.     

Characterisation of industrial tomato by-products from infrared drying process

The thin-layer infrared drying behaviour of industrial tomato residues, peels and seeds, was experimentally investigated in the temperature range from 100 °C to 160 °C. The drying rate was found to increase with temperature, hence reducing the total drying time. In particular, as drying temperature was raised from 100 °C up to 160 °C, the time period needed to reduce the moisture content of the sample from 236.70 wt% down to 5.26 wt% (dry basis) was observed to decrease from 99.5 min to 35 min.Using a non-linear regression (Marquart's method) together with a multiple regression analysis, a mathematical model for the thin-layer infrared drying process of industrial tomato residues was proposed. The effective moisture diffusivity is dependent on moisture content; the average values for the diffusivity coefficients at each temperature were obtained using Fick's second law of diffusion, and varied from 5.179 × 10^?9 m²/s to 1.429 × 10^?8 m²/s over the temperature range. The temperature dependence of the effective diffusivity coefficient was described following an Arrhenius-type relationship. Activation energy for the moisture diffusion was determined as 22.23 kJ/mol.     

The Diffusion of Moisture in Paddy During Hydration and Dehydration Processes

Hydration and dehydration behavior and the effective diffusivity of paddy during the process of parboiling were studied. Hydration of three different paddy samples (Sherpa low and high head rice yield and Reiziq) were performed below (60°C) and above (90°C) the gelatinization temperature. The hydration period ranged from 5 to 300 minutes at 60°C and 5 to 90 minutes at 90°C. All of the paddy samples showed different hydration behavior below and above the gelatinization temperature, discerned with two different stages at 60°C and three stages at 90°C. Dehydration was carried out at 40°C just after hydration (without tempering the kernel), which mostly took place at the falling rate period. The hydration and dehydration pattern was not different between the high HRY and low HRY paddy, indicating a limited contribution of microfissures to the diffusion rate in the paddy. Five commonly used semi-empirical models were used to predict the hydration and dehydration behavior of paddy and, among them, the Page model was found to be the most suitable. The effective diffusivity during hydration was dependent on the temperature of hydration, which was 1.83 × 10^?11 to 2.11 × 10^?11 m²/s at 60°C and 6.68 × 10^?11 to 7.94 × 10^?11 m²/s at 90°C. The effective diffusivity during dehydration depended on the soaking temperature and period of soaking; it was lower for high-temperature-hydrated samples than low-temperature-hydrated samples. The study concluded that the mass water diffusivity was not affected by the microfissures within the paddy kernel, and the hydration pattern was strongly dependent on whether the temperature was above or below the gelatinization temperature.     

STUDY OF THIN-LAYER DRYING OF GRAPE WASTES

The effect of drying temperature on grape wastes, the solid wastes of the wine and raki production processes, was investigated in a cabinet dryer. Drying experiments were performed three air temperatures of 70°, 90,° and 110°C, at constant air velocity of 1.2 m/s, and initial thickness of 1.8 cm for grape marc and 2.0 cm for grape pulp. Experimental data were fitted to Henderson and Pabis, Page, and logarithmic models, respectively. The performance of these models is evaluated by comparing coefficient of determination and reduced chi-square between the observed and predicted moisture ratios. The statistical analysis concluded that the best model was the logarithmic model. The effective moisture diffusivity varied from 8.55 × 10^?10 to 3.32 × 10^?9 m²/s over the temperature range. Temperature dependence of the diffusivity was well documented by an Arrhenius-type relationship. The activation energies for grape marc and grape pulp were calculated as 25.41 and 13.74 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Effect of high pressure pretreatment on drying kinetics and oleoresin extraction from ginger

The present study reports for the first time the effect of high pressure pretreatment (100–400?MPa, 10?min) on drying kinetics of ginger and its oleoresin extraction. High pressure pretreated samples were dried, powdered and solvent extracted. The increase in drying temperature (55–85°C) increased the moisture diffusivity (2.03–4.87?×?10^?9?m²/s) but resulted in decrease in 6-gingerol (53.98%) and oleoresin yield (57.31%). However, high pressure pretreatment followed by dehydration (55°C) resulted in higher moisture diffusivity (2.84–6.09?×?10^?9?m²/s) as well as enhanced extraction yield of 6-gingerol (34.05%) and oleoresin (28.29%).     

SINGLE-LAYER DRYING BEHAVIOR OF MEXICAN TEA LEAVES (CHENOPODIUM AMBROSIOIDES) IN A CONVECTIVE SOLAR DRYER AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING

Single-layer solar drying experiments were conducted for Mexican tea leaves (Chenopodium ambrosioides) grown in Marrakech. An indirect forced convection solar dryer was used in drying the Mexican tea leaves at different conditions such as ambient air temperature (21° to 35°C), drying air temperature (45° to 60°C) with relative humidity (29 to 53%), airflow rate (0.0277 to 0.0556 m ³/s), and solar radiation (150–920 W/m²). The experimental drying curves showed only a falling rate period. In order to select the suitable form of drying curves, 14 mathematical models were applied to the experimental data and compared according to their statistical parameters. The main factor in controlling the drying rate was found to be the temperature. The drying rate equation was determined empirically from the characteristic drying curve. The diffusion coefficient of the Chenopodium ambrosioides leaves was estimated and varied between 1.0209 × 10^?9 and 1.0440 × 10^?8 m ²·s^?1.The activation energy was found to be 89.1486 kJ·mol^?1.     

Drying with Chemical Reaction in Cocoa Beans

Desirable flavor qualities of cocoa are dependent on how the cocoa beans are fermented, dried, and roasted. During fermentation and drying, polyphenols such as leucocyanidin and apecatechin are oxidized by polyphenols oxidase to form o-quinone, which later react nonenzymatically with a hydroquinone in a condensation reaction to form browning products and moisture. The objective of this article is to model the cocoa beans drying together with the browning reaction. A Luikov drying model for the moisture and a simple Fick's law diffusion model combined with first-order reactions for both the enzymatic oxidation and nonenzymatic condensation reactions were constructed. Both models were used to identify moisture diffusivity coefficient and total polyphenols diffusivity in cocoa beans from experimental drying and polyphenols degradation data and published kinetic data of the reactions. The theoretical drying model fitted the experimental cocoa bean drying curves with low mean square of residuals. The polyphenols diffusion and reaction model also fitted the experimental polyphenols degradation curves with minimum mean residual squares. The rate of polyphenols degradation in the cocoa beans increases at higher temperature and higher relative humidity. This is because the increasing reaction rate of polyphenols oxidation reaction as well as higher moisture diffusion at higher relative humidity and temperature. The effective moisture diffusivity in cocoa beans is estimated to be between 8.194 × 10^?9 and 8.542 × 10^?9 m²·s^?1, which is of the same order of magnitude as published data. The effective total polyphenols diffusivity is estimated to be between 8.333 × 10^?12 to 1.000 × 10^?11 m²·s^?1 with minimum mean residual squares. It is three orders of magnitude less than the estimated moisture diffusivity because of the larger polyphenols molecules. The estimated polyphenols diffusivity is very close to those published in the literature for sorption and ultrafiltration processes.     

Drying characteristics and modeling of yam slices under different relative humidity conditions

The drying characteristics of yam slices under different constant relative humidity (RH) and step-down RH levels were studied. A mass transfer model was developed based on Bi-Di correlations containing a drying coefficient and a lag factor to describe the drying process. It was validated using experimental data. Results showed that the drying air with constant RH levels of 20, 30, and 40%, temperature of 60°C, and air velocity of 1.5 m/s had an insignificant effect on drying time. This phenomenon was likely attributed to the fact that higher RH led to a rapid increase in sample’s temperature. The higher sample temperature could provide an additional driving force to water diffusion and thereby promote the moisture movement, which could minimize the negative effect of lower the drying rate in the initial drying stage. Applying air with 40% RH for 15 min in the initial stage achieved the desired color and reduced the drying time by 25% compared to the drying time under continuous dehumidification from an initial RH of 40%. Using the developed Bi-Di correlation, the estimated Biot number, effective moisture diffusivity, and mass transfer coefficient ranged from 0.1024 to 0.1182, 1.1133 × 10^?10 to 8.8144 × 10^?9 m²/s, and 1.8992 × 10^?9 to 1.7364 × 10^?7 m/s, respectively. A rather high correlation coefficient of determination (R² between 0.9871 and 0.9971) was determined between the experimental and predicted moisture contents. The present findings contribute to a better understanding of the effect of relative humidity on drying characteristics. The developed Bi-Di correlation provided a new method to determine the effective diffusivity of moisture in drying.     

Experimental modelling of infrared drying of industrial grape by-products

The thin-layer infrared drying behaviour of industrial grape by-products was experimentally investigated in the temperature range from 100 to 160 °C. The drying rate was found to increase with temperature, thus reducing the total drying time. In particular, as drying temperature was raised from 100 °C up to 160 °C, the time period needed to reduce the moisture content of the sample from 204.32% down to 38.89% by weight (dry basis) decreased from 60.5 to 21 min.Using a non-linear regression (Marquart's method) together with a multiple regression analysis, a mathematical model for the thin-layer infrared drying process of wet grape residues was proposed. The values for the diffusivity coefficients at each temperature were obtained using Fick's second law of diffusion. They varied from 11.013 × 10^?9 to 26.050 × 10^?9 m²/s along the temperature range. The temperature dependence of the effective diffusivity coefficient was expressed by an Arrhenius type relationship. Activation energy for the moisture diffusion was determined as 19.27 kJ/mol.     

Drying Characteristics and Moisture Diffusivity of Distillers' Spent Grains Dried in Superheated Steam

Distillers' spent grain pellets were prepared from material with an initial moisture content of 25% (wb). These pellets were dried in pairs using superheated steam at 120°C in two orientations, horizontal and vertical. The drying characteristics, modeled by the Page equation, showed that there was a significant difference between orientations. The overall moisture diffusivity was calculated using a finite cylinder model based on Fick's law of diffusion accounting for a change in dimensions over the course of drying. The overall diffusivity values ranged from 4.08 × 10^?10 to 1.48 × 10^?8 m²/s.     

Thin-Layer Drying of Green Peas and Selection of a Suitable Thin-Layer Drying Model

The thin-layer drying of three varieties of green peas was carried out in hot air-drying chamber using an automatic weighing system at five temperatures (55–75°C) and air velocity of 100 m/min. The green peas were blanched and sulphited before drying. The variety Pb-87 dried at 60°C was judged to be best for quality on the basis of sensory evaluation and rehydration ratio. The Thomson model was found to represent thin-layer drying kinetics within 99.9% accuracy. The effective diffusivity was determined to be 3.95 × 10^?10 to 6.23 × 10^?10 m²/s in the temperature range of 55 to 75°C. The activation energy for diffusion was calculated to be 22.48 kJ/mol. The variation in shrinkage exhibited a linear relationship with moisture content of the product during drying. The Dincer number at drying air temperature 60°C and drying air velocity 100 m/min was determined to be 2,838,087. The difference between temperatures of drying air and that of green pea kernels was found to decrease with drying time for all the drying temperatures taken for investigation.     

WATER ADSORPTION AND DRYING CHARACTERISTICS OF OKRA Hibiscus Esculentus L

ABSTRACT

Moisture adsorption characteristics of okra were evaluated at 10, 20, 30° C. Isotherms were found to be of type III. Monolayer moisture contents were evaluated with GAB model. Drying was carried out at 60, 70, 80° C and drying data were analysed to obtain diffusivity values from the period of first felling drying rate. Effective diffusivity increased with increasing temperature. Calculated values of the effective diffusivity showed an Arrhenius type temperature dependence.     

Estimation of Effective Moisture Diffusivity of Okra for Microwave Drying

The effect of microwave output power and sample amount on effective moisture diffusivity were investigated using microwave drying technique on round okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.). The various microwave output powers ranging from 180 to 900 W were used for the determination of effective moisture diffusivity for constant sample amount of 100 g okra. To examine the effect of sample amount on effective moisture diffusivity, the samples in the range of 25–100 g were dried at constant microwave output power of 360 W. By increasing the microwave output powers and decreasing the sample amounts, the effective moisture diffusivity values ranged from 20.52 × 10^?10 to 86.17 × 10^?10 and 34.87 × 10^?10 to 11.91 × 10^?9 m²/s^?1, respectively. The modeling studies were performed to illustrate the relationship between the ratio of the microwave output power to sample amount and effective moisture diffusivity. The relationship between drying constant and effective moisture diffusivity was also estimated.     

Kinetics and Mass Transfer during Atmospheric Freeze Drying of Red Pepper

Drying is applied for moisture removal to allow safe and extended storage. Red pepper (Capsicum annum) samples were heat pump dried in fluidized bed at different air temperatures. A slightly modified solution of the diffusion equation was used to describe the kinetics and drying rates of red pepper. The model well described the low- and medium-temperature drying processes. The determined effective mass diffusivities varied from 0.7831 to 4.0201 × 10^?9 m²/s and increased consistently with drying air temperature. The mass diffusivity was correlated to temperature by linear regression with coefficient of determination equal to 0.999 and negligible standard error.     

Experimental determination of effective moisture diffusivities of whole- and cut-rosehips in convective drying

Average effective moisture diffusivities for both the whole- and cut-rosehips were obtained during convective drying. The effects of process variables such as air temperature, air velocity and air absolute humidity on effective moisture diffusivity were studied. The average effective moisture diffusivity in rosehip ranged between 1.45 × 10^?10 and 10.3 × 10^?10 m²/s for whole-rosehip and between 1.44 × 10^?9 and 5.13 × 10^?9 m²/s for cut-rosehip at the temperatures studied. Activation energies for convective drying were found to be 62 kJ/mol for whole-rosehips and 58 kJ/mol for cut-rosehips.