Evaluation of new parboiled rice process using humidified hot air fluidized bed drying

This study aims to experimentally investigate the drying characteristics and quality of a paddy dried by hot air (HA) and humidified hot air (HHA) fluidization technique. Qualities such as head rice yield (HRY), white belly, degree of gelatinization (DSG), and color of dried paddy were evaluated. A paddy with an initial moisture content of 14% d.b. was soaked in hot water at a temperature of 70?°C for 5?h then dried at a temperature of 130,150, and 170?°C, relative humidity in the range of 0.3–12%, an air velocity of 3.9 m/s, and a bed height of 10?cm. The results showed that the drying time of the paddy in the HHA condition took longer than the HA drying condition. Because HHA provided a higher grain temperature and a slow rate of drying, the degree of starch gelatinization was significantly higher when compared to HA. The subsequent HRY was relatively higher than using HA drying. However, the color of the sample obtained from the HHA condition was relatively browner, but the parboiled rice product still had a light brown color for the drying temperature range used in this study. To produce parboiled rice, HHA could be operated up to the temperature of 170?°C, relative humidity of 6%, and DOM of 10%.     

Drying kinetics using superheated steam and quality attributes of dried pork slices for different thickness, seasoning and fibers distribution

Drying pork slice by superheated steam was proposed in this study. Sirloin muscle pork meat was sliced parallel and perpendicular to the fiber direction with thicknesses of 1 and 2 mm. The sliced samples were divided into two groups; unseasoned and seasoned pork, and were dried by superheated steam at a temperature of 140 °C. The experimental results showed that thicker pork slice needed more drying time, which led to more shrinkage, darker and redder dried product as compared to the thinner pork slice. Seasoning also extended the drying time of the seasoned pork slice and made the dried seasoned pork slice darker and yellower, but less in the values of hardness, toughness and shrinkage. Slicing directions did not have any significantly effect on drying time and color of dried pork slice. The parallel slice, however, lowered the values of hardness, toughness and shrinkage of dried pork.     

A full-wave rectifier using a current conveyor and current mirrors

The realization of a full-wave rectifier using a current conveyor and current mirrors is presented. The proposed rectifier is composed of a voltage-to-current converter, a current mode full-wave rectifier, and a current-to-voltage converter. A voltage input signal is changed into a current signal by the voltage-to-current converter. The current mode full-wave rectifier rectifies this current signal resulting in the current full-wave output signal that is converted into a voltage full-wave output signal by one grounded-resistor. The theory of operation is described. The simulation and experiment results are used to verify the theoretical prediction. Simulated results show that the proposed rectifier yields the minimum voltage rectification to 94µV. Experimental results demonstrate the performance of the proposed rectifier for 50mV_peak signal rectification.     

A Comparative Study of Pork Drying Using Superheated Steam and Hot Air

Drying with superheated steam and hot air were comparatively studied for pork. Transport, physical, and chemical properties, i.e., effective diffusivity, color, microstructure, and rehydration ability, were investigated. The experimental results have shown that the decrease of pork moisture content in an early drying time was more rapid in superheated steam than in hot air and appeared to be lower in a latter time. The pork surface as examined by SEM was noticeably different for the samples dried by superheated steam and hot air. The fewer pores at the surface of superheated steam-dried pork caused a slower water penetration into the interior during rehydration, in addition to the lower drying rate. The color of the product from superheated steam was a relatively more intense brown than that obtained from hot air as presented by a lower L? value and a higher a? value.