The dehydrator parameters for convective drying of food products

Abstract

When developing dehydration processes, special attention should be paid to the latest achievements in the field of equipment for drying agricultural products, as well as energy-saving processes used in this area. The article presents the parameters of the drying cabinet operation obtained by the authors and data on the time and efficiency of drying products of the agro-industrial complex. The material in the article may be of interest to specialists involved in drying food products, as well as to those designing and developing systems for drying. The research focuses on a RAWMID drying cabinet and samples of the extra class bananas. The research was carried out at the “Scientific and Educational Center of Refrigeration, Cryogenic Equipment, and Technology” of Kemerovo State University. The research resulted in thermograms of temperature changes in the working volume of the drying cabinet, as well identifying the temperature and mass of the dried product. The velocity field in the working volume of the dehydrator was also determined, which was found out to have a significant degree of unevenness. The results make it possible to significantly optimize the drying process, as well as to obtain a dried product of a more stable quality.