Drying of soybean seeds in fluidized bed: Experimental and scale-up simulation in continuous operation mode

Abstract

The drying curve of the soybean seed (Xin 0.4 kg/kg dry base) was obtained experimentally by fluid bed dryer. The experimental works was performed by varying inlet air temperature (°C): 35; 40; 45, bed mass of particles (kg): 0.2; 0.3; 0.4 and superficial air velocity (m/sec): 7.6; 8.4; 9.1. The drying rate curves as a function of moisture content showed only the decreasing rate period. Among the variables examined, only temperature had a significant influence on the soybean seed drying in fluidized bed. The normalized drying curve of the single particles as well as the critical moisture content (Xcr 0.5) was derived. A simulated continuous fluidized bed dryer for soybean with capacuty 500 kg/h seed had been successfully designed by scale-up method. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2014.