Numerical investigation of intermittent drying of a corn for different drying conditions

Abstract

In this study, intermittent drying process of corn was studied numerically for various intermittent periods and drying air temperatures. An Arrhenius type diffusion coefficient D=e(-b/T) · 10-9 m2 s-1 was proposed for the moisture diffusion inside the corn. Numerical simulations were performed by choosing the suitable value for drying constant b that yields the best agreement with experimental drying rates. The experimental results were obtained via an experimental setup for intermittent periods of 30 and 60 min. and drying air temperatures of 40°C, 50°C, 60°C and 70°C. The results show that overall agreement between the experimental and theoretical prediction is good. On the other hand, the theoretical results overestimate the moisture ratio at the initial stage and underestimate it at the later stage of drying.