• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.296-302
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• 2008

The effective moisture diffusivity and its dependence on drying temperature during drying of rapeseed were experimentally investigated. The data were recorded from thin layer drying experiments at nine different combinations of drying air temperatures of 40, 50, and $60^{\circ}C$ and the relative humidities of 30, 45, and 60%. The moisture diffusion equation was analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Effective moisture diffusivities were calculated based on the moisture diffusion equation for a spherical shape using Fick's second law. The effective diffusivities during the drying of rapeseed were $l.72{\times}10^{-11}$, $2.41{\times}10^{-11}$ and $3.31{\times}10^{-11}\;m^2{\cdot}s^{-1}$ at 40, 50 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activation energy for moisture diffusion during drying was $28.47\;kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$. The dependence of moisture diffusivity on temperature was described by an Arrhenius-type equation. Drying occurred in the falling rate period and the internal moisture diffusion phenomenon is the governing physical mechanism of the moisture movement in the particles.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.342-356
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• 2016

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.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1293-1297
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• 2009

In this study, drying kinetics of onion slices was examined in a laboratory scale vacuum dryer at an air temperature in a range of $50-70^{\circ}C$. Moisture transfer from onion slices was described by applying the Fick's diffusion model, and the effective diffusivity was calculated. Temperature dependency of the effective diffusivity during drying process obeyed the Arrhenius relationship. Effective diffusivity increased with increasing temperature and the activation energy for the onion slices was estimated to be 16.92 kJ/mol. The experimental drying data were used to fit 9 drying models, and drying rate constants and coefficients of models tested were determined by non-linear regression analysis. Estimations by the page and Two-term exponential models were in good agreement with the experimental data obtained.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.847-857
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• 2018

Recently, customers' demand and attention to dried agricultural products or foods have increased due to their convenience and nutritional values. Conventional drying methods such as solar drying and hot air drying have been most widely used for producing a large amount of dried agricultural products; however, those methods require quite a long time and high energy consumption. To compensate for these issues associated with conventional methods, dielectric heating such as microwave and radio frequency heating has been used as a supplemental method in the drying procedure. This study investigated the microwave drying characteristics of squash slices with different thicknesses under different microwave power intensities and determined the best drying model that could precisely describe the experimental drying curves of the squash slices. The squash was cut into slices with two different thicknesses (5 and 10 mm), and then, they were dried under different microwave power intensity ranges between 90 and 900 W with an increase interval of 90 W. Six drying models were tested to evaluate the fit to the experimental drying data, and the effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) values of the squash slices under microwave drying were determined. The results clearly show that as the microwave power was increased, the drying time of both squash slices was significantly decreased, and the slope of the drying rate increased. The effective moisture diffusivity was also significantly related with the microwave power intensities and thicknesses of the slices. In addition, the Page model was most suitable to delineate the drying curves of both squash slices under different microwave power intensities.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.314-322
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the hot air drying characteristics of squash slices depending on the drying conditions (input air velocity, input air temperature, and sample thickness). Methods: The developed drying system was equipped with a controllable air blower and electric finned heater, drying chamber, and ventilation fan. Squash (summer squash called Korean zucchini) samples were cut into slices of two different thicknesses (5 and 10 mm). These were then dried at two different input air temperatures (60 and $70^{\circ}C$) and air velocities (5 and 7 m/s). Six well-known drying models were tested to describe the experimental drying data. A non-linear regression analysis was applied to determine model constants and statistical indices such as the coefficient of determination ($R^2$), reduced chi-square (${\chi}^2$), and root mean square error (RMSE). In addition, the effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) was estimated based on the curve of ln(MR) versus drying time. Results: The results clearly showed that drying time decreased with an increase in input air temperature. Slice thickness also affected the drying time. Air velocity had a greater influence on drying time at $70^{\circ}C$ than at $60^{\circ}C$ for both thicknesses. All drying models accurately described the drying curve of squash slices regardless of slice thickness and drying conditions; the Modified Henderson and Pabis model had the best performance with the highest R2 and the lowest RMSE values. The effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) changes, obtained from Fick's diffusion method, were between $1.67{\times}10^{-10}$ and $7.01{\times}10^{-10}m^2/s$. The moisture diffusivity was increased with an increase in input air temperature, velocity, and thickness. Conclusions: The drying time of squash slices varied depending on input temperature, velocity, and thickness of slices. The further study is necessary to figure out optimal drying condition for squash slices with retaining its original quality.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2015

This paper was aimed to study the drying kinetics of coffee and to investigate the thin-layer drying kinetics of coffee by using a convective air dryer. The coffee was dried for the temperatures of 40, 50 and $60^{\circ}C$ with relative humidity in the range of 14-25% the airflow rate fixed at 1 m/s. According to the experiment result, the drying rate curve showed that drying process took place only in the falling rate period. Seven thin layer drying models (Newton, Page, Henderson and Pabis, Logarithmic, Wang and Singh, Two terms, Modified Henderson and Pabis) were fitted to the experimental moisture content data. The Two-trem model was found to be a better model for describing the characteristics of coffee for the temperatures of 40, 50 and $60^{\circ}C$. The effective moisture diffusivity of coffee increased when the drying temperature increased. The value was in the range of $4.5028{\times}10^{-11}$ to $6.4803{\times}10^{-11}m^2/s$.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.237-246
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• 2018

Purpose: This study (a) investigated the effect of microwave power intensity and sample thickness on microwave drying characteristics of radish strips, and (b) determined the best-fit drying model for describing experimental drying data, effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$), and activation energy ($E_a$) for all drying conditions. Methods: A domestic microwave oven was modified for microwave drying and equipped with a small fan installed on the left upper side for removing water vapor during the drying process. Radishes were cut into two fixed-size strip shapes (6 and 9 mm in thickness). For drying experiments, the applied microwave power intensities ranged from 180 to 630 W at intervals of 90 W. Six drying models were evaluated to delineate the experimental drying curves of both radish strip samples. The effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) was determined from Fick's diffusion method, and the Arrhenius equation was applied to calculate the activation energy ($E_a$). Results: The drying time was profoundly decreased as the microwave power intensity was increased regardless of the thickness of the radish strips; however, the drying rate of thicker strips was faster than that of the thinner strips up to a certain moisture content of the strip samples. The majority of the applied drying models were suitable to describe the drying characteristics of the radish strips for all drying conditions. Among the drying models, based on the model indices, the best model was the Page model. The range of estimated $D_{eff}$ for both strip samples was from $2.907{\times}10^{-9}$ to $1.215{\times}10^{-8}m^2/s$. $E_a$ for the 6- and 9-mm strips was 3.537 and 3.179 W/g, respectively. Conclusions: The microwave drying characteristics varied depending on the microwave power intensity and the thickness of the strips. In order to produce high-quality dried radish strips, the microwave power intensity should be lower than 180 W.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.62-72
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• 2001

The one-dimensional finite element program was developed to analyze the coupled behavior of heat, moisture, and air transfer in unsaturated porous media. By using this program, the simulation results were compared with those from the laboratory infiltration tests under isothermal condition and temperature gradient condition, respectively. The discrepancy of water uptake was found in the upper region of a bentonite sample under isothermal condition between numerical simulation and laboratory experiment. This indicated that air pressure was built up in the bentonite sample which could retard the infiltration velocity of liquid. In order to consider the swelling phenomena of compacted bentonite which cause the discrepancy of the distribution of water content and temperature, swelling and shrinkage factors were incorporated into the finite element formulation. It was found that these factors could be effective to represent the moisture diffusivity and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity due to volume change of bentonite sample.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.411-425
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• 2022

Semi-dried restructured sausages are restructured meat products with a high nutritional and economic value. However, excessively long drying times can have negative effects on the energy consumption, texture, and sensory properties of semi-dried restructured sausages. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different water contents on the drying and physicochemical characteristics of semi-dried restructured sausages. Sausages were prepared with different initial moisture contents (0%-50%) and drying time (0-580 min). The drying characteristics, including the drying rate, effective moisture diffusivity, and water activity of sausage were significantly improved as the initial moisture content was increased. When the initial moisture content of the sausage was 50%, physicochemical properties, such as color, porosity, shear force, and volatile basic nitrogen, were improved the most along with the decreased drying time. Scanning electron microscopy data showed greater porosity and pore size in sausages with the increase of initial moisture content. Collectively, our data suggest that an increase in the initial moisture content of semi-dried restructured sausages improves their drying characteristics and physicochemical properties.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2005

The effects of air temperature and sample thickness on drying kinetics of strawberry leather were investigated. The mathematical modeling was performed by using three thin-layer dying models. The independent variables were sample thickness (S1 = 1.8, S2 = 2.7, and S3 = 3.6mm) and air temperature (50, 60, 70, and 80$^{\circ}$C). All samples took place in the falling rate period. The values of effective moisture diffusivity, D$_{eff}$ varied from 2.40 to 12.1$^{\times}$10-9m$^{2}$/s depending on drying conditions. The values of activation energy, E$_{a}$ were 35.57, 33.14, and 30.46 KJ/mol for each sample of S1, S2, and S3. The two-term exponential model was found to satisfactorily describe the thin-layer drying kinetics of strawberry leather.