Simulation of the thin-layer drying of corn by means of the diffusional model

The thin-layer drying of corn at 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C was investigated. Simulation of the experimental data was performed by means of Fick's second law for diffusion out of sphere, with constant diffusivity. An accurate fitting of the experimental drying curves was obtained assuming that the su...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Tolaba, M.P., Suárez, C.
Formato: JOUR
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00236438_v21_n2_p83_Tolaba
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Sumario:The thin-layer drying of corn at 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C was investigated. Simulation of the experimental data was performed by means of Fick's second law for diffusion out of sphere, with constant diffusivity. An accurate fitting of the experimental drying curves was obtained assuming that the surface moisture content remains constant during drying period. It was found that the values of surface moisture content calculated from Fick's equation are greater than equilibrium moisture contents determined from the desorption isotherms. An Arrhenius temperature dependence of moisture diffusivity was found with the activation energy 6.6 kcal/g mol. © 1988 Academic Press Limited.