Thin layer mathematical modelling of white maize in a mobile solar-biomass hybrid dryer

Joseph Oppong Akowuah, Ato Bart-Plange and Komla Agbeko Dzisi
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Ato Bart-Plange: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Komla Agbeko Dzisi: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Research in Agricultural Engineering, 2021, vol. 67, issue 2, 74-83

Abstract: Performance of a tractor mounted solar-biomass hybrid dryer which utilise combined energy of solar and biomass was investigated. Drying behaviour of maize grains in the dryer was also investigated using 10 thin-layer mathematical models. The models were compared based on coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) values between experimental and predicted moisture ratios. Moisture content (MC) of grains in the dryer reduced from 19 ± 0.86% to 13 ± 0.4% (w.b.) in 5 h, compared to grains dried in open-sun which reached same MC in 15 hours. This resulted in average drying rate of 1.2 %.h-1 compared to 0.4 %.h-1 for grains dried in the open-sun leading to net savings in drying time of 67%. Overall mean temperature, 41.93 ± 2.7 °C in the dryer was 15.3 °C higher than the ambient temperature. Midilli Kucuk model was best to describe the thin-layer drying kinetics of maize in the dryer. It showed a good fit between the predicted and experimental data. The effective moisture diffusivity of grains dried in the dryer ranged between 1.45 × 10-11 m2.s-1 - 3.10 × 10-11 m2.s-1. An activation energy of 96.83 kJ.mol-1 was determined based on the Arrhenius-type equation.

Keywords: drying rate; coefficient of determination; drying kinetics; effective moisture diffusivity; activation energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlrae:v:67:y:2021:i:2:id:56-2020-rae

DOI: 10.17221/56/2020-RAE

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