Relationship modelling between moisture content of flour and variables of two-cycle drying process of cassava flourusing pneumatic dryer

Abstract

Moisturecontent (MC) is the most important variable in evaluating material drying performance, so the ability to predict MC in drying process is really important. This research aims to formulate the mathematic relationship between drying process variable pneumatically and moisture content of cassava flour in drying process 1 and 2 by applying dimensional analysis. In this research, there has been a design of pneumatic drying equipment and test using various treatments such as input capacity, drying air temperature, and drying air velocity. Based on the data analysis, the relationship between MC and drying process variables are as follow: Drying cycle 1: MC = (5,794287E − 22). (ρpr·Dpr3/Qi·θ)1,4085 (Tu/Tbo)-2,2504 (Vu·θ/Dpr)5,863 MC = ( 5,794287E − 22 ). ( ρ pr . D pr 3 Q i .θ ) 1,4085 ( T u T bo ) −2,2504 ( V u .θ D pr ) 5,863 $$MC\, = \,\left( {5,794287E\, - \,22} \right).\,{\left( {{{{\rho _{pr}}\,.\,D_{pr}^3} \over {{Q_i}.\theta }}} \right)^{1,4085}}\,{\left( {{{{T_u}} \over {{T_{bo}}}}} \right)^{ - 2,2504}}\,{\left( {{{{V_u}.\theta } \over {{D_{pr}}}}} \right)^{5,863}}$$ Drying cycle 2: MC = (2,36831E − 10). (ρprDpr3/Qi·θ)1,059 (Tu/Tbo)-4.808 (Vu·θ/Dpr)3,709 MC = ( 2,36831E − 10 ). ( ρ pr D pr 3 Q i .θ ) 1,059 ( T u T bo ) −4,808 ( V u .θ D pr ) 3,709 $$MC\, = \,\left( {2,36831E\, - \,10} \right).\,{\left( {{{{\rho _{pr}}\,D_{pr}^3} \over {{Q_i}.\theta }}} \right)^{1,059}}\,{\left( {{{{T_u}} \over {{T_{bo}}}}} \right)^{ - 4,808}}\,{\left( {{{{V_u}.\theta } \over {{D_{pr}}}}} \right)^{3,709}}$$ The equations have determination coefficient value 0.85, so it has big possibility to use it as alternative to predict moisture content of dried flour.

Keywords

• cassava flour
• pneumatic drying
• dimensional analysis
• moisture content