Modeling for Drying of Thin Layer of Native Cassava Starch in Tray Dryer

Purpose: The drying of a thin layer of native cassava starch in a tray dryer was modeled to establish an equation for predicting the drying behavior under given conditions. Methods: Drying tests were performed using samples of native cassava starch over a temperature range of $40-60^{\circ}C$. We investigated the variation in the drying time, dynamic equilibrium moisture content, drying rate period, critical moisture content, and effective diffusivity of the starch with temperature. The starch diffusion coefficient and drying activation energy were determined. A modification of the model developed by Hii et al. was devised and tested alongside fourteen other models. Results: For starch with an initial moisture content of 82% (db), the drying time and dynamic equilibrium moisture content decreased as the temperature increased. The constant drying rate phase preceded the falling rate phase between $40-55^{\circ}C$. Drying at $60^{\circ}C$ occurred only in the falling rate phase. The critical moisture content was observed in the $40-55^{\circ}C$ range and increased with the temperature. The effective diffusivity of the starch increased as the drying temperature increased from 40 to $60^{\circ}C$. The modified Hii et al. model produced randomized residual plots, the highest $R^2$, and the lowest standard error of estimates. Conclusions: Drying time decreased linearly with an increase in the temperature, while the decrease in the moisture content was linear between $40-55^{\circ}C$. The constant drying rate phase occurred without any period of induction over a temperature range of $40-55^{\circ}C$ prior to the falling rate period, while drying at $60^{\circ}C$ took place only in the falling rate phase. The effective diffusivity had an Arrhenius relationship with the temperature. The modified Hii et al. model proved to be optimum for predicting the drying behavior of the starch in the tray dryer.