Final Drying of Whole Milk Powder in Vibrated-Fluidized Beds

Vibro-fluidized beds are widely used in drying sticky powders and agglomerated materials as milk powder. Using a vibro-fluidized laboratory scale dryer, this work is aiming at analyzing preliminarily the effect of its operational variables on the drying kinetics and characteristics of whole milk powder. The full-factorial design technique with three replications at the central point has been employed to generate data and correlations to quantify the effect of inlet air temperature, air flow rate, and vibration bed amplitude on the drying curves and the milk powder properties related to its faster reconstitution in water (as tapped density, Hausner cohesion ratio, agglomerate size distribution, and internal pore concentration). Results obtained are analyzed and discussed to identify the adequate operation condition for final drying whole milk powder in vibro-fluidized beds, assuring a high product quality.     

Effect of the Treatment Temperature on the Surface Drying Set of Sugi Boxed-Heart Square Timber

High-temperature and controlled humidity treatment before drying has proven to be highly effective in preventing surface checks by forming drying sets in the surface layer of boxed-heart square timber in Japan. In this study, we examined the differences of the surface drying sets on sugi timber under different treatment temperatures. As a result, the width of a surface check after drying was much smaller at a treatment temperature of 120°C than at 80°C, and this indicates that the drying set with 120°C treatment would be larger than that with 80°C treatment. Also we observed that treatment temperature had a greater effect on the drying set as the drying advanced.     

Multistage Zeolite Drying for Energy-Efficient Drying

This work discusses the potential of three multistage zeolite drying systems (counter-, co-, and cross-current) with a varying number of stages. The evaluation showed that for 2-4 stages with heat recovery the efficiency of the systems ranges between 80 and 90%. Additionally, by introducing a compressor, the latent heat in the exhaust air from the regenerator is recovered and used to heat the inlet air for an additional drying stage. As a result, for the counter-current drying system and compressor pressure 1.5-2 bar, a maximum energy efficiency of 120% is achieved, which results in halving the energy consumption compared to conventional drying systems.     

Drying of Uncoated Paper with Gas-Fired Infrared Emitters—Optimum Emitters' Location Within a Paper Machine Drying Section

This article theoretically investigates the drying of uncoated paper with gas-fired infrared (IR) emitters installed within the drying section of a given commercial paper machine. Specifically, it presents the ideal location of two opposing IR emitters within the drying section. The ideal location of the two opposing IR emitters corresponds to the highest machine speed with specified average moisture content of paper sheet at the end of the drying section. This article also presents the average evaporation rate, temperature, and moisture content of the paper sheet as it travels through the drying section with the two opposing IR emitters operating at the optimum location. In addition, the temperature and moisture profiles in the sheet thickness direction, before and after the IR emitters, are provided. This article is not concerned with the potential effects of drying with IR emitters on paper sheet properties and machine runnability issues.     

Experimental results of a solar assisted heat pump rice drying system

In the last rice harvest season, experimental results have been obtained on the efficiency and drying quality of a solar assisted heat pump drying prototype system. The system has been operated as a solar and heat pump system and drying curves for the different options have been obtained. The advantage of the low temperature and better control in the drier shows that the heat pump assisted solar drying system is an excellent alternative to traditional drying systems.     

Development of Solar Drying

Importance of Solar Drying is increasing worldwide, especially in areas where the use of the abundant, renewable and clean solar energy is essentially advantageous. In the developing countries and in rural areas the traditional open-air drying methods should be substituted by the more effective and more economic solar drying technologies.

R&D needs should be considered in the basic research and experimental fields; in performance measurement; in the modelling-simulation-design and testing. The international co-operation of experts should be improved and more efforts would be needed in the policy and in the public information.     

Comparison of Two Drying Schedules for European Hophornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.) Lumber

Two types of conventional kiln-drying schedules (mild and harsh) based on moisture content (MC) were compared with regard to time, drying quality, and energy cost. The results were evaluated according to the classification of the European Drying Group. Proper drying periods of mild and harsh schedules were found to be 550 and 514 h, respectively. Evaluations in terms of drying quality indicated that better results were achieved with the mild schedule, especially when comparing drying defects and final MC. From an energy efficiency point of view, the harsh schedule, by saving 36 h of drying time, reduced electricity by 594 KWh and was therefore found to be $65 more profitable in this trial.     

Drying Characteristics of Barley Grain Dried in a Spouted-Bed and Combined IR-Convection Dryers

A study was performed to determine the drying characteristics and quality of barley grain dried in a laboratory scale spouted-bed dryer at 30, 35, 40, and 45°C and an inlet air velocity of 23 m/s^-1, and in an IR-convection dryer under an infrared radiation intensity of 0.048, 0.061, 0.073, and 0.107 W cm^-2 at an air velocity of 0.5 m/s^-1. The results show that the first, relatively short, phase of a sharp decrease in the drying rate was followed by the phase of a slow decrease. The time of barley drying depended on temperature of inlet air in a spouted-bed dryer and on radiation intensities in an IR-convection dryer. Barley drying at 45°C in a spouted-bed dryer was accompanied by the lowest total energy consumption. The average specific energy consumption was lower and the average efficiency of drying was higher for drying in a spouted-bed dryer. The effective diffusivities were in the range 2.20-4.52 × 10^-11 m² s^-1 and 3.04-4.79 × 10^-11 m²/s^-1 for barley dried in a spouted-bed and in an IR-convection dryer, respectively. There were no significant differences in kernel germination energy and capacity between the two drying methods tested.     

Prediction of cracking within early-age concrete due to thermal, drying and creep behavior

To predict potential early-age cracking after concrete placing, a numerical simulation procedure has been completed based on a micromechanical model and empirical formulas on the property development of young concrete. The numerical model could account for the effects of hydration, moisture transport and creep. Environmental influences, such as removal of formworks, curing conditions and variations of surrounding temperature and relative humidity, have been investigated. In calculating stress field with age caused by these synthetic physical-mechanical processes, three-dimensional finite element and finite difference (3D-FE-FD) methods are combined together.     

Energy Saving in Industrial Wood Drying Addressed by a Multiscale Computational Model: Board, Stack, and Kiln

This article proposes a multiscale computational model able to calculate energy consumption in a batch lumber kiln. A dual-scale computational model of wood drying deals with the boards/stack interaction and serves as a basis for the present work. A new module was added here that calculates heat losses through kiln walls (convection, condensation) and the energy used by each kiln component (fans, heating elements, humidifier, vacuum pump, etc.). The corresponding mathematical formulation is presented and then theoretical results are compared to those collected in an industrial vacuum kiln. As application example, the effect of air reversal, air velocity, and kiln insulation are exhibited, which depicts the great potential and prospects of this new tool for energy savings in relation to the product quality.