Drying Potential Of Humid Air - A Thermodynamical Anlysis

Theoretical analysis of thermodynamical potentials relevant for water vapour transfer processes in the system: wet material - moist air, pertormed in the paper. leads to the conclusion that masimal possible isothermal decrease of chemical potential of water vapour in the moist air might be considered as the measure of humid air afinity to unbound water vapour. The concept developed provides better estimation of the drying ability of humid air of different states, as well as tracing Lines of equal values of humid air drying potential into psychrometric charts and constructing several new types of diagrams for convective drying processes in which air is used as the drying medium.     

DETERMINATION OF MOIST AIR DRYING ABILITY USING CHEMICAL POTENTIAL OF WATER VAPOUR

ABSTRACT

A thermodynamically simple method for calculation of chemical potential of water vapour, contained in the unsaturated moist air used as a drying medium in convective dryers, is developed. The introduced concept enables determination of the moist air drying potential for different patterns of air state change in convective drying processes and tracing new lines in psychrometric and similar diagrams that enables prediction of the optimal drying process. The proposed method also facilitates the evaluation of air consumption and efficiency of the specific drying process.     

DETERMINATION OF MOIST AIR DRYING ABILITY USING CHEMICAL POTENTIAL OF WATER VAPOUR

A thermodynamically simple method for calculation of chemical potential of water vapour, contained in the unsaturated moist air used as a drying medium in convective dryers, is developed. The introduced concept enables determination of the moist air drying potential for different patterns of air state change in convective drying processes and tracing new lines in psychrometric and similar diagrams that enables prediction of the optimal drying process. The proposed method also facilitates the evaluation of air consumption and efficiency of the specific drying process.     

Some Considerations In Simulation Of Superheated Steam Drying Of Softwood Lumber

ABSTRACT

A mathematical model for high-temperature drying of softwood lumber with moist air has been modified and extended to simulate wood drying with superheated steam. In the simulation, differences between the two types of drying are considered, these include: external heat and mass transfer processes and calculation of equilibrium moisture content. The external mass transfer coefficient in the perheated steam drying was found to be much higher than that in the moist air drying, however, the heat ransfer coefficients for these two cases were of the same order. The predicted drying curves and wood temperatures from the superheated steam drying model were compared with experimental data and there was close agreement. Further studies will apply the model to development of commercial drying schedules for wood drying with superheated steam.     

DRYING RATE AND TEMPERATURE PROFILE FOR SUPERHEATED STEAM VACUUM DRYING AND MOIST AIR DRYING OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER

Abstract

Two charges of green radiata pine sapwood lumber were dried, either using superheated steam under vacuum (90°C, 0.2 bar abs.) or conventionally using hot moist air (90/60°C). Due to low density of the drying medium under vacuum, the circulation velocity used was 10 m/s for superheated steam drying and 5.0 m/s for moist air drying, and in both cases, the flow was unidirectional. In drying, stack drying rate and wood temperatures were measured to examine the differences between the superheated steam drying and drying using hot moist air.

The experimental results have shown that the stack edge board in superheated steam drying dried faster than in the hot moist air drying. Once again due to the low density of the steam under vacuum, a prolonged maximum temperature drop across load (TDAL) was observed in the superheated steam drying, however, the whole stack dried slower and the final moisture content distribution was more variable than for conventional hot moist air drying. Wood temperatures in superheated steam drying were lower.     

Thermophysical Characteristics of Potatoes,Vegetables and Fruits

ABSTRACT

The main objective in this work is to study and deduce a governing equation for net mass transfer in moist air and turbulent flow. Development of simple and reliable steady state models for turbulent moist air-drying has been considered to be quite well covered in literature. However, the lack of necessary background information concerning classical drying models is now being rectified through research carried out with new approaches, which are initiated by advancement in laboratory equipment.

The known and trusted models are combined with coupled momentum, heat and mass transfer equations creating a reliable governing mass transfer equation for use in turbulent moist air drying processes, i.e. the advanced drying model (ADM). The ADM is a relatively user friendly and robust model, and it is well-suited for identifying transfer coefficients from boundary layer measurements, for example in modem high intensity paper drying machines.

The advanced drying model is analysed and verified with the specially designed experimental apparatus described in this article. The deduced mass transfer equation is then presented and experimentally verified to clarify why the use of Stefan's diffusion equation should be avoided when calculating high drying intensities in turbulent flow.

Finally, when applied to a wide drying range, the classical drying models require parameters which have been experimentally verified. Therefore, a comprehensive knowledge of governing mass transfer mechanisms will also reduce the large number of necessary drying experiments. The advanced drying model, which includes variable physical properties and transport coefficients, allows the simulation of many geometrical shapes and drying configurations and therefore provides a tool for optimising drying processes in a new manner.     

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF VAPOUR DIFFUSION AND CONVECTTVE FLOW IN MODELLING OF SOFTWOOD DRYING

ABSTRACT

The influence of vapour diffusion on the drying rate of a softwood board has been examined for drying temperatures varying from 60°C to 140°C. It is found that for very low temperature drying a model which considers both vapour convective and diffusion in wood predicts dry-rate curves matching the experimental data closely. For high temperature drying, both of the above drying model and a drying model which considers only vapour convective flow give predictions in agreement with the observed data. This illustrates that the diffusion of vapour and air is important in low temperature drying panicularly during the late stages of drying. However, for high temperature drying, the convective flow of moisture vapour is dominant and the diffusion component is negligible. The observation provides evidence for simplifying a drying model for high temperature drying without reducing its credibility in predicting drying rate curves.     

THE INFLUENCE OF THE DRYING MEDIUM ON HIGH TEMPERATURE CONVECTIVE DRYING OF SINGLE WOOD CHIPS

ABSTRACT

High temperature convective drying of single wood chips with air and superheated steam respectively is studied theoretically. The two-dimensional model presented describes the coupled transport of water, vapour, air and heat. Transport mechanisms included are the convection of gas and liquid, intergas as well as bound water diffusion. In the initial part of the drying process, moisture is transported to the surface mainly due to capillary forces in the transversal direction where evaporation occurs, As the surface becomes dry, the drying front moves towards the centre of the particle and an overpressure is simultaneously built up which affects the drying process

The differences between drying in air and steam respectively can be assigned to the physical properties of the drying medium. The period of constant drying rate which does not exist (or is very short) in air drying becomes more significant with decreasing amounts of air in the drying medium and is clearly visible in Dure superheated steam drying. The maximal drying rate is larger in air drying, and shorter drying times are obtained since the heat flux to the wood chip particle increases with increasing amounts of air in the drying medium. The period of falling drying rate can be divided into two parts: in the first, the drying rate is dependent upon the humidity of the drying medium whereas in the second, there is no such correlation.     

Experimental determination and mathematical modeling of the drying kinetics of a single droplet of colloidal silica

ABSTRACT

Colloidal silica has been used frequently as a model material of drying in the past two decades. Several models of single droplet drying have been validated against the sole experimental evidence by Ne?i? and Vodnik (Kinetics of droplet evaporation. Chemical Engineering Science 1991, 46(2), 527–537), in which relatively scattered experimental data on drying of single droplet of colloidal silica were provided. Due to the importance of this sort of data, the drying of single droplet of colloidal silica was determined more accurately under more extensive conditions in this work. The effect of air temperature on the drying of single droplet of colloidal silica was probed as well as the evolution of particle morphology. The droplet of colloidal silica was found to shrink irregularly during drying due to uneven exposure of droplet surface to air stream. The moisture within the droplet appears to transfer freely to the surface, keeping the surface highly moist. For a large part of drying process, drying of single droplet of colloidal silica is similar to the evaporation of water droplet, which can be predicted well using a simple mathematical model.     

HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN THE SHORT-TERM CONTACT OF THE MOIST MATERIALS WITH THE HEATING SURFACE

Abstract

Compounded boundary-valued problem of the diffusion-filtering heat and mass transfer with arbitrary dimensions of the transfer potential vector was raised and solved based on the theory of short-term contact between the moist material and heat-transfer surface.

The boundary lines of the application of the short-term contact models were established.

The solution of the problem allows to select the directions of the intensification of the drying processes with short-term contact of the phases and to calculate various technological characteristics of the drying processes.     

SIMULATION OF WATER TRANSFER IN SPRAY DRYING

ABSTRACT

A drying method by desorption in a water activity meter (Aw-meter) was used to simulate the conditions of spray drying and to determine the water transfer inside the dairy concentrate to the surface (first transfer) and from the surface to the drying air (second transfer). A limitation in the first transfer decreased the second transfer. The percentage of bound or unbound water was determined as a function of the nature of concentrates (milk concentrate, high protein milk concentrate, native casein suspension, caseinate dispersion, ) before drying. The water transfer in the different dairy concentrates during drying was shown as a function of the environment of their water content and the nature of the constituents. The percentage of bound or unbound water and the drying behavior of any dairy concentrate could be determined in 4 to 6 hours and might predict spray drying behavior in an industrial tower.     

Drying Technologies of Foods -Their History and Future

ABSTRACT

For this combined drying process the fundamental characteristics were determined using a unique facility in which air convection drying of paper could be investigated over the full range from pure impingement to pure through drying. As well as light weight paper the program tested heavier sheets, of printing paper grammage, which are not currenfly dried industrially by either impingement air or through air drying.

Analysis is complicated by the two component processes becoming nonadiabatic when carried out simulianeously. Relative to pure impingement drying, for the combined process the water removal rates in the impingement exhaust are sensitively reduced by through flow. Through flow exhaust water removal rate curves are strikingly different from pure through air drying by the addition of a new rate period, termed the secondary increasing rate period, when the paper temperature is driven up by the falling rate period of impingement water removal. Parameters of the models for the combined process were related to     

METHODS FOR EFFECTIVE FLUIDIZATION OF PARTICULATE FOOD MATERIALS

ABSTRACT

Depending on the size and shape of the materials, methods employed to achieve effective fluidization during fluid bed drying varies from use of simple hole distributors for small, light weight materials to special techniques for larger and/or moist materials. This paper reviews common air distributors used in fluidized bed drying of food particulates. Also it reviews special methods of fluidizing larger irregular food particulates.     

DRYING WOOD: A REVIEW - PART I

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the technology of wood drying and recent developments in the field. The importance of drying is reviewed first. Then the fundamentals of wood properties as they relate to drying are discussed, including how water is held in wood, how it moves through wood, and how drying stresses that lead to drying defects develop. Traditional drying technology for lumber, veneer, and heavy timbers is then presented. With this background, the discussion moves to recent developments in drying technology that have been implemented commercially, such as high-temperature drying, low-temperature drying, continuously rising temperature drying, vacuum drying, and advances in process control. Finally, a discussion is presented on drying technology of the future. This topic describes processes that offer potential improvements in drying technology, but are still in the research and development stage.     

Effect of Humidity on NPK Fertilizer Drying

ABSTRACT

The drying process within rotary coolers during the manufacture of granular NPK fertilizer plays an important role in the production of fertilizer granules possessing both a low moisture content and low caking propensity. A theory for fertilizer drying has been developed which takes into account the low critical relative humidity of complex fertilizer found at high temperature. The theory proposes that the gradient between the partial vapour pressure of moisture in the air and the vapour pressure moisture adjacent to the surface of the fertilizer granule, is the rate controlling stage in the drying of hot granular fertilizer rather than the internal diffusion of moisture within the particle.     

PROPOSAL FOR A UNIFIED NOMENCLATURE FOR DRYING LITERATURE

ABSTRACT

In general, drying processes are described by the quantity of air humidity of the exiting gases. This approach is not possible however by the drying medium of water in steam drying, since the air humidity naturally possesses a constant value of 100%. This paper presents a model which represents the drying processes on the basis of the observation of temperature profiles of the material and energetic balancing of all components involved as well as the wall of the apparatus. The modeling differentiates three intervals: the condensation phase, the 1st drying period and the 2nd drying period. In addition, a validation of the model on the basis of experiments in an experimental plant DN100 belonging to the university is dealt with. The satisfying concurrence of the theoretical and practical results shows that, with the help of the theoretical model, discontinuous steam drying processes can be theoretically described with sufficient accuracy.     

IMPROVING MDF FIBRE DRYING OPERATION BY APPLICATION OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL

Fibre drying is an important process in production of medium density fibreboard (MDF) which consumes a large amount of energy, affects product quality and, without appropriate control, causes environmental concerns. Based on fundamental knowledge of wood fibre-water relationships and heat/mass transfer, a mathematical model has been developed to simulate the MDF fibre drying processes. The model is able to predict fibre moisture content, air temperature and air humidity along the dryer length. After validation against the measured air temperature and humidity, the model has been extended to include both fibre drying and fibre conditioning, the latter occurring in the dry fibre conveyers. Due to potential benefits in reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and in improving panel quality, lower drying temperatures are more desirable than higher temperatures. However, in order to achieve the target moisture content after drying, a higher air velocity is needed or a second-stage dryer is added. The model was employed to determine the air velocity required and to assist in designing a second dryer for further drying and recovery of moist vapour and heat. A further study was undertaken to investigate fibre drying or fibre conditioning in the fibre conveyers and, once again, the fibre drying model was used to determine the air conditions.     

IMPROVING MDF FIBRE DRYING OPERATION BY APPLICATION OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL

Fibre drying is an important process in production of medium density fibreboard (MDF) which consumes a large amount of energy, affects product quality and, without appropriate control, causes environmental concerns. Based on fundamental knowledge of wood fibre-water relationships and heat/mass transfer, a mathematical model has been developed to simulate the MDF fibre drying processes. The model is able to predict fibre moisture content, air temperature and air humidity along the dryer length. After validation against the measured air temperature and humidity, the model has been extended to include both fibre drying and fibre conditioning, the latter occurring in the dry fibre conveyers. Due to potential benefits in reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and in improving panel quality, lower drying temperatures are more desirable than higher temperatures. However, in order to achieve the target moisture content after drying, a higher air velocity is needed or a second-stage dryer is added. The model was employed to determine the air velocity required and to assist in designing a second dryer for further drying and recovery of moist vapour and heat. A further study was undertaken to investigate fibre drying or fibre conditioning in the fibre conveyers and, once again, the fibre drying model was used to determine the air conditions.     

CHANGES OF RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF APPLE TISSUE UNDERGOING CONVECTIVE DRYING

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to investigate rheological properties of apple cubes undergoing convective drying. Compression-relaxation test was used to follow changes of properties under investigation.

Raw apple appeared to be very heterogeneous material from the rheological point of view. The relationship between stress and strain was concave downwards and the concavity increased until water content of 2·5 g/g d.m. was reached. Then the relationship begun to straighten and for dry material developed stress was linearly dependent on strain. The resistance of deformation decreased with decreasing water content. Analysis of relaxation showed that the rate of relaxation increased with decreasing water content and the unrelaxed stress was smaller the lower was the water content.

Apple cubes undergoing drying are pictured as material composed of three compartments with different rheological properties. The outer layer is dry, inelastic and difficult to deform. Underneath is moist material with no turgor and relatively easy to compress, and the core with properties of raw apples. During drying the second layer grows in expense of the core and porous structure with many voids filled with air is formed. Share of each compartment in the volume of apple cube undergoing drying affects average rheological properties of the material.     

STEAM STREAM DRYING

ABSTRACT

Steam stream drying is minimized energy expenditure for water removal. A fast moving steam stream at low pressure and moderate superheat is charged with moist material. Heat is added to the stream at a rate equal to the desuperheating flux caused by the suspended moist material as it dries. Rapidly dewatered macerial is separated from the transport steam via a cyclone or baghouse. Steam generated from material moisture is continuously relieved, and the remaining steam is recycled to the moist material charge point.