Experimental Testing of a High Performance Dehydrator for High Moisture Content Agricultural Crop Samples
Authors: Onoroh, F.
DOI Info: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12600859
ABSTRACT
This research developed an innovative agricultural produce dehydrator that uses biomass or natural gas as source of heat. The dehydrator consist of the drying cabinet, dual combustion chamber with integrated air heater and a blower. The cabinet has an inbuilt air plenum to ensure even distribution of heat across the surface of the drying trays to enhance uniform drying. The air heater is a five pass heat exchanger to ensure optimum absorption of heat from the combustion chamber. The dehydrator was tested by simultaneously drying Dioscorea rotundata (yam), Musa paradisiaca (plantain) and Zea mays (corn) at the bottom, middle and topmost trays respectively while monitoring the air velocity, temperatures and relative humidity of inlet and outlet air. The maximum temperatures recorded for the inlet air, bottom tray, middle tray , topmost tray , and the exit air are 191.2 oC, 106.4 oC, 99.6 oC, 100.8 oC, and 81.4 oC, respectively at a speed of 3 m/s, dehydration rate of 0.3, 0.18, 0.092 kg/h and diffusion coefficient of 14.8x10-8, 17.97x10-8 and 17.90x10-9 m2/s. The developed dehydrator offers a sustainable, faster and energy-efficient solution for drying high moisture contents crops.
Affiliations: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Keywords: Dehydrator, Diffusivity, Temperature, Relative Humidity, Drying Rate, Crop Samples
Published date: 2024/06/30
